There is a preview of the Australia Cup Qualifying Final this weekend as second meets fourth with O’Connor Knights welcoming Monaro Panthers to O’Connor Enclosed ahead of next weekend’s blockbuster clash for silverware.
With that match very much in mind, and the place in the Round of 32 up for grabs, the approach to this match by the two teams should be intriguing. Neither can afford to drop points in the close race for the top four, and their own individual title aspirations, and yet neither would want to suffer an injury to a key squad member.
Taking your eye off the ball and looking that far ahead is a recipe for disaster for any team however, so expect both to be at full strength and, given the importance of the points on offer, going full-tilt for the maximum return they can gain.
Last weekend the Panthers moved to within a couple of points of the Knights on the table as Monaro defeated Canberra Olympic 3-1 at this same O’Connor Enclosed venue, whist the Knights were held to a 1-1 draw by Tigers FC over at the South Jerrabomberra Sporting Complex.
Tigers FC themselves have a home match this weekend when they meet Tuggeranong United with the hosts seeking to close the gap on Gungahlin United at the top-of-the-table but know they will face a different looking United than the one they swept aside 3-0 back in Round 2.
Ali Efe is slowly regaining his squad members after a plethora of injuries, but the news that top scorer Archie McGregor will be out for a number of weeks with an ankle injury, is not the kind of preparation the Tigers would have wanted heading into last weekend’s match.
During their draw with the Knights there were also worrying knocks sustained by Nik Taneski and Hristjan Tanoski, and with Josh Milicevic also sidelined, the Tigers have been relying on the depth of their squad to keep them ticking over, and it has been working very nicely so far.
Tuggeranong lost twice last week their cup dreams ended at the semi-final stage by Monaro Panthers in midweek before Gungahlin United eked out a 3-2 win over them at Kambah 2. Tuggeranong’s own injury woes, Sam Walker and Daniel Grove have missed the last couple, have stymied their progress, but there is all to play for here.
There are two huge match-ups on Sunday afternoon as the two teams clinging precariously at the bottom-of-the-table meet at Solar Mad Stadium as Canberra Olympic head to Griffith in desperate need of the points against the home team, Yoogali SC.
Just how important this match might be is reflected on the points totals, Olympic currently have three and Yoogali are yet to get off the mark, meaning a home win would suddenly heap yet more pressure on the under-achieving Olympic. An away win would, of course, create a six-point cushion and a gap to the relegation trapdoor that would begin to look much larger.
Olympic battered Yoogali in their previous meeting this season, a 7-2 shellacking at O’Connor Enclosed, with those two Yoogali goals proving to be two-thirds of the strikes they have netted this season. It’s that lack of goals that needs to be rectified if the CPL Champions are to retain their NPL status.
The consequences of defeat for either are unthinkable, even at this stage. This is shaping up to be one of the biggest matches of the season and should hopefully attract a good crowd.
Meanwhile, back in Canberra, Gungahlin United play host to Canberra Croatia in the latest instalment of what is an encounter between two teams who have served up memorable moments, contentious outcomes, and goals aplenty in their recent matches.
Judging by form over the past fortnight, this promises to be yet another edition of a rivalry that keeps giving and is a must-watch NPL football. The Gunners sit top of the pile, whist Croatia are currently fifth, putting together some good performances under returning Head Coach Dean Ugrinic.
Gunners saw red on five occasions last week, a bizarre state of affairs exacerbated by the dismissal of Nick Dahl in their 3-2 win over Tuggeranong United at Kambah 2, and yet going forward no team can match the formidable firepower, led by the goal-machine that is Lukman Ahmed-Shaibu.
In ten matches in all competitions this season the number nine has hit nineteen goals, and with English winger Daniel Olaoye back fit and firing, three assists in Round 8, and Romeo breaking his NPL duck having netted four in a Cup Quarter Final win over Majura, Gunners have attacking talent to burn.
Daniel Sparrow was at the double for Croatia in their Round 8 win over Yoogali at Deakin Stadium, a performance that showed the character of the home side who had to be patient and work hard to find the breakthrough. They will need to do the same in this fixture, which is likely to cause fireworks.
FIXTURES
ROUND 9
Saturday 1 June
O’Connor Knights v Monaro Panthers (O’Connor Enclosed, 15:00)
Tigers FC v Tuggeranong United (AIS, 15:00)
Sunday 2 June
Yoogali SC v Canberra Olympic (Solar Mad Stadium, 13:15)
Gungahlin United v Canberra Croatia (AIS, 15:00)
All matches are streamed live on BarTV Sports.
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Gungahlin United* | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 9 | +12 | 18 |
| 2 | O’Connor Knights | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 5 | +8 | 16 |
| 3 | Tigers FC** | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 6 | +11 | 14 |
| 4 | Monaro Panthers | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 6 | +7 | 14 |
| 5 | Canberra Croatia | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 14 | +3 | 11 |
| 6 | Tuggeranong United | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 18 | -3 | 10 |
| 7 | Canberra Olympic | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 22 | -8 | 3 |
| 8 | Yoogali SC | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 32 | -29 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
13: Lukman AHMED-SHAIBU (Gungahlin United)
5: Archie MCGREGOR (Tigers FC), Nick PRATEZINA (Canberra Croatia)
4: Luca FLOREZ (Canberra Olympic), Aisosa IHEGIE (O’Connor Knights), Davaadelger OKTYABRI (Tuggeranong United)
3: Micheal ADAMS (O’Connor Knights), Ben BASSER-SILK (Monaro Panthers), Jenno CERUTI (Monaro Panthers), Amilio KISTA (Tigers FC), Niko KRESIC (O’Connor Knights), Roko STRIKA (Monaro Panthers), Sam WALKER (Tuggeranong United)
2: Augustine BANGURA (Gungahlin United), Daniel BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Stephen DOMENICI (Canberra Olympic), Nic EMANUEL (Tuggeranong United), Alen JAMES (Canberra Olympic), Michael KATSOULIS (Gungahlin United), Tyson LIVERMORE (Monaro Panthers), Joshua PEDERSEN (Tuggeranong United), Niko PERINOVIC (O’Connor Knights), Michael PICCOLO (Canberra Croatia), Jordan REZEK (Tuggeranong United), Daniel SPARROW (Canberra Croatia), Daniel SUBASIC (Canberra Croatia), Nik TANESKI (Tigers FC), Own GOALS
1: Jack BITANI (Tigers FC), Samson CARR (Tigers FC), Elie DARWICH (Canberra Olympic), Adam DE FRANCESCHI (Monaro Panthers), Joshua DE ROSSI (Yoogali SC), Axel GARBIN (Yoogali SC), Jack GREEN (Gungahlin United), Jeremy HABTEMARIAM (Gungahlin United), Thomas JAMES (Canberra Croatia), Michael JOHN (Canberra Olympic), Nikos KALFAS (Tigers FC), Jack LEVERETT (Tuggeranong United), Zac MCLAREN (Monaro Panthers), Marko MILUTINOVIC (Tigers FC), Shinzaburo NAKAYAMA (Canberra Olympic), Daniel OLAOYE (Gungahlin United), Jackson PAESLER (O’Connor Knights), Euan PETERKIN (Tuggeranong United), Sam ROESTBAKKEN (Canberra Olympic), ROMEO (Gungahlin United), David SESELJA (Canberra Croatia), Patrick SHORE (Canberra Olympic), Julian SMITH (Gungahlin United), Tony SPASESKI (Canberra Croatia), Harry TRUMAN (Canberra Olympic), Keegan VUCETIC (Canberra Croatia), Shandon WHITEHEAD (Gungahlin United)
*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
