It’s finals time for the top four teams in the OPC NPL, and everything is on the line, as Canberra Croatia and Tigers FC meet for a spot in the Grand Final, while Monaro Panthers and Tuggeranong United clash to avoid elimination.
Stryda Park, home to Monaro Panthers, is the venue for back-to-back knockout football, as the top four teams do battle to take home the Champions trophy at the end.
The League Champions, Canberra Croatia, will kick things off in the 2025 Finals Series, as they meet second-placed Tigers FC in the Qualification Final for a straight shot into the main event.
Croatia has seven goals against Tigers this season, winning two of three outings this year, with Golden Boot winner scoring three. On the flip side, Tigers have only managed to score three times against Croatia, Archie McGregor with two and Josh Milicevic the other.
The most recent meeting between them saw Croatia prevail 2-1 at the AIS and secure the League Premiers title. For Tigers, it’s a chance to reverse their grand final heartbreak from last season, at the hands of Croatia.
For the title winning juggernaut that is Canberra Croatia, it’s a rare opportunity to win a third straight Grand Final trophy.
The Elimination Final sees two teams, whose very future in the Finals hangs in the balance, pitted against each other as Monaro Panthers host Tuggeranong United in a win at all cost match.
It’s a first NPL finals appearance since 2018 for Tuggeranong, and they’ll certainly be up against it as they take on a Monaro Panthers side that has the second-best attack, and the best defence, statistically speaking.
The three previous meetings this season have seen Monaro unbeaten, with two wins and a draw. A 6-1 drubbing in Round Two, was followed by tight battles, with a 1-0 Panthers win in Round Nine, and a 1-1 stalemate in Round 16.
Panthers have breached the Tuggeranong defence eight times this season, all goals coming through a different scorer. Comparatively, Tuggeranong have only managed to score twice against the Panthers, one through Steve Nealon and the other from Alessandro Pena.
For Paul Macor’s side, it’s a first finals appearance since 2022, when they were crowned Grand Final Champions, and they will be full of confidence for a repeat of that night three years ago. They have scored an astonishing 64 goals while only conceding 24, a league wide best.
FIXTURES
QUALIFICATION FINAL
Saturday 6 September
Canberra Croatia v Tigers FC
(Stryda Park 16:00)
ELIMINATION FINAL
Saturday 6 September
Monaro Panthers v Tuggeranong United
(Stryda Park, 19:00)
Matches screened live on Capital Football YouTube.
