Gungahlin United will head to Canberra’s inner north to take on the O’Connor Knights at O’Connor Enclosed to play for the three points that would keep them at the top of the table in what is shaping as a defining fixture of the 2024 National Premier League campaign, a potential title-decider.

While the Knights are coming off the back of a 2-1 win from last round against Canberra Croatia, and a midweek win against Tigers FC, Gungahlin are coming back from a 2-1 loss after their weekend in Griffith where they met with Yoogali SC.

Considering the pair’s previous two meetings, the Knights will be looking to level the playing field following a 0-0 draw in Round Six, and a 4-2 win to Gungahlin in Round 13, seeking to channel the form that saw them knock the Gunners out of the Australia Cup Qualifying competition at the semi-final stage.

No matter the result, both teams have secured themselves a place to fight for gold in this year’s finals series, but it will determine whether they enter the finals with an even record, or if Gungahlin will have the upper hand. With three points vital, it might be that the winner will be celebrating with the silverware a week from the final whistle.

While Tigers FC will be competing for the points to ensure they secure a place in this year’s finals, Yoogali SC will be battling to secure as many points as possible to avoid being relegated as the duo meet for the third time this season at the Australian Institute of Sport.

The two teams will be going into this weekend each with a Round 19 win under their belt, but the pair both also have a lot to lose if they are unable to take home the three points from the match.

Having only just been promoted to the NPL this year, Yoogali’s position in the competition is facing the risk of relegation should Canberra Olympic manage to take home even just one win in the last two rounds of the season.

This will be the first time this year that the teams will go head-to-head in Canberra, as their past two meetings in Rounds six and thirteen were both played at Solar Mad Stadium where Tigers took home both wins, 4-0 and 3-0 respectively, the first match highlighted by a four-goal haul from striker Archie McGregor.

Much like the Yoogali side, Canberra Olympic’s position in the top-flight is on the line as they head into this weekend’s match against Canberra Croatia, the ‘Canberra Classico’ taking on a different meaning that it ever has before with Olympic simply desperate for success.

Canberra Croatia still has a fighting chance at finishing the 2024 regular season as League Champions should they win the remainder of their season matches, but only if Gungahlin falls short at least once in one of their remaining games.

Canberra Olympic, a team with such a long NPL history, will face their most devastating season end this year if they are unable to secure some points in their last matches. Currently sitting in the relegation hotseat, next season could potentially be the first time the Olympic side does not have a team in the elite division since the NPL was introduced in 2014.

The pair will meet at Deakin Stadium this Sunday where Canberra Croatia will be looking to go three from three following the Rounds six and thirteen clashes where they won 4-1 and 6-1 respectively.

While Tuggeranong United’s season will be coming to an end at the conclusion of round 21, the Monaro Panthers still have the next two weeks to secure some points which can potentially boot the Tigers out of fourth place so they can claim it for themselves.

Although Tuggeranong United have no remaining chance of reaching the finals for this season, they are far from the risk of relegation that their two lower neighbours on the NPL table are facing. This means that we will certainly be seeing them back once again next season when the battle for gold will start fresh.

Should the Panthers manage to win this weekend and next week when they face Canberra Croatia, they could snatch the fourth spot from the Tigers should the Tigers not go perfect from here on in their remaining games.

Sunday’s match between these two teams will most definitely be one to watch as the teams go head-to-head on a completely level playing field. In their previous two meetings in Round six and Round thirteen, both matches resulted in a 1-1 draw. Will they go three from three with another draw? Or will one finally come out on top?

FIXTURES

ROUND 20

Saturday 24 August

O’Connor Knights v Gungahlin United (O’Connor Enclosed, 15:00)

Tigers FC v Yoogali SC (AIS Grass Field 1, 15:00)

Sunday 25 August

Canberra Croatia v Canberra Olympic (Deakin Stadium, 15:00)

Tuggeranong United v Monaro Panthers (Kambah 2, 15:00)

All matches are streamed live on BarTV Sports.

TABLE

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Gungahlin United*	19	13	2	4	48	21	+27	41
2	O’Connor Knights	19	12	4	3	39	27	+12	40
3	Canberra Croatia	19	12	2	5	46	26	+20	38
4	Tigers FC**	19	9	4	6	41	26	+15	31
5	Monaro Panthers	19	8	5	6	32	22	+10	29
6	Tuggeranong United	19	6	5	8	30	32	-2	23
7	Yoogali SC	19	2	2	15	11	61	-50	8
8	Canberra Olympic	19	2	0	17	21	53	-32	6

 

TOP SCORERS

17: Lukman AHMED-SHAIBU (Gungahlin United)

13: Atiya WARAGA (Canberra Croatia)

11: Roko STRIKA (Monaro Panthers)

8: Daniel BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Steve NEALON (Tuggeranong United), Nick PRATEZINA (Canberra Croatia)

7: Micheal ADAMS (O’Connor Knights), Aisosa IHEGIE (O’Connor Knights), Michael KATSOULIS (Gungahlin United)

6: Augustine BANGURA (Gungahlin United), Jeremy HABTEMARIAM (Gungahlin United), Own GOALS

5: Jenno CERUTI (Monaro Panthers), Luca FLOREZ (Canberra Olympic), Nikos KALFAS (Tigers FC), Archie MCGREGOR (Tigers FC), Nik TANESKI (Tigers FC), Keegan VUCETIC (Canberra Croatia), Sam WALKER (Tuggeranong United)

4: Ben BASSER-SILK (Monaro Panthers), Joshua DE ROSSI (Yoogali SC), Stephen DOMENICI (Canberra Olympic), Niko KRESIC (O’Connor Knights), Santiago LUPINO (Monaro Panthers), Phakedi MANDA (O’Connor Knights), Davaadelger OKTYABRI (Tuggeranong United), Daniel OLAOYE (Gungahlin United), Jackson PAESLER (O’Connor Knights), Sam WHITHEAR (Tigers FC), Shandon WHITEHEAD (Gungahlin United)

3: Angus BAILEY (Tigers FC), Alen JAMES (Canberra Olympic/O’Connor Knights), Amilio KISTA (Tigers FC), Joshua MILICEVIC (Tigers FC), Tomohiro OGAWA (Tigers FC), Patrick O’ROURKE (O’Connor Knights), ROMEO (Gungahlin United), Daniel SPARROW (Canberra Croatia)

2: Nic EMANUEL (Tuggeranong United), Bevan FOXALL (Tuggeranong United), Michael JOHN (Canberra Olympic), Tyson LIVERMORE (Monaro Panthers), Zac MCLAREN (Monaro Panthers), Joshua PEDERSEN (Tuggeranong United), Niko PERINOVIC (O’Connor Knights), Michael PICCOLO (Canberra Croatia), Jordan REZEK (Tuggeranong United), Daniel SUBASIC (Canberra Croatia), Kristian TOKIC (O’Connor Knights), Harry TRUMAN (Canberra Olympic)

1: Darren BAILEY (Yoogali SC), Jack BITANI (Tigers FC), Samson CARR (Tigers FC), Izach CLEMENTS (Canberra Olympic), Elie DARWICH (Canberra Olympic), Adam DE FRANCESCHI (Monaro Panthers), James DRISCOLL (O’Connor Knights), Lachlan FIELDS (O’Connor Knights), Axel GARBIN (Yoogali SC), Jack GREEN (Gungahlin United), Sab HABTEMARIAM (Canberra Olympic), Marley JACKSON (Tigers FC), Thomas JAMES (Canberra Croatia), Christopher JOHN (Yoogali SC), Ryan KEIR (Canberra Croatia), Chirstian KRESKAS (Monaro Panthers),  Zac LAWRENCE (Tuggeranong United), Jack LEVERETT (Tuggeranong United), Marko MILUTINOVIC (Tigers FC), Patrick MITCHELL (Monaro Panthers), Shinzaburo NAKAYAMA (Canberra Olympic), Alessandro PENA (Tigers FC), Euan PETERKIN (Tuggeranong United), Joe PREECE (Yoogali SC), Nik POPOVICH (Tigers FC), Sam ROESTBAKKEN (Canberra Olympic), Vinnie SANCHEZ (O’Connor Knights), Tony SPASESKI (Canberra Croatia), David SESELJA (Canberra Croatia), Patrick SHORE (Canberra Olympic), Julian SMITH (Gungahlin United), Michael SOUTHAM (Tigers FC), Tony SPASESKI (Canberra Croatia), Luke STEVENS (Tuggeranong United), Antoni TIMOTHOEU (Gungahlin United), Matt WILLIAMS (Tuggeranong United), Ryan ZANATTA (Yoogali SC)

*Gungahlin United deducted three points for field an ineligible player in the 3-0 win against Tigers FC

**Tigers FC awarded a 3-0 win, and three points, for Gungahlin United fielding an ineligible player

Words: Kate Reedy