The National Premier League under-23 competition hit Round 2 on the weekend with Gungahlin United and Canberra Croatia continuing their 100% start to the season with victories in their respective encounters.
O’Connor Knights inflicted a first defeat of the season on Tigers FC with a 2-1 victory at O’Connor Enclosed. The home side led early through a Marko Rathouski effort, but needed the security of a second goal, scored twenty minutes from time by Rocco Di Placido to ensure the win. A late Zachary Ilijoski penalty was merely a consolation for the defeated visitors.
Both teams were reduced to ten men at High Street in Queanbeyan as a fast-start from Gungahlin United ultimately led to a 3-1 win over Queanbeyan City. An horrendous start for the host saw Gunners score twice through Jakob Kite and Sivamsh Deevi, only for Daniel Barbatano to head home for a team that had been reduced to ten. Sebastian Munoz sealed the Gunners win in the second-half, the visitors also reduced in number by the end.
A goal fifteen minutes from the end of the match from Ivia Majetic allowed Canberra Croatia to claim a second win of the season with a narrow 2-1 win over Yoogali SC. James Godding had given Croatia the lead three minutes before the interval, only for Joshua Keenan to level matters eleven minutes into the second stanza. That set the scene for Majetic to net the winner and keep Croatia joint top of the table.
A hat-trick from Anthony Antoniak allowed Tuggeranong United to claim a first win of the season as they defeated Monaro Panthers 4-1 at Stryda Park. Leo Donald gave Tuggeranong the lead just before the twenty-minute mark, but Jack Ellwood brought Panthers back on terms ten minutes later, Antoniak restored the United lead just before half-time and hit two more after the break to complete an excellent away day win.
RESULTS
ROUND 2
Saturday 12 April
Queanbeyan City 1 (Barbatano 19’) Gungahlin United 3 (Kite 3’, Deevi 5’, Munoz 51’)
O’Connor Knights 2 (Rathouski 8’, Di Placido 70’) Tigers FC 1 (Ilijoski 90’ (p))
Sunday 13 April
Canberra Croatia 2 (Godding 42’, Majetic 75’) Yoogali SC 1 (Keenan 56’)
Monaro Panthers 1 (Ellwood 29’) Tuggeranong United 4 (Donald 10’, Antoniak 42’. 46’, 83’)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Gungahlin United | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 6 |
| 2 | Canberra Croatia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 6 |
| 3 | Tigers FC | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 4 |
| 7 | Tuggeranong United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 3 |
| 4 | O’Connor Knights | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | Yoogali SC | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 9 | -4 | 3 |
| 6 | Monaro Panthers | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 1 |
| 8 | Queanbeyan City | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
3: Anthony ANTONIAK (Tuggeranong United)
2: Elliot ALBERTO (Tigers FC), Daniel ANDERSON (O’Connor Knights), Stefan DONADEL (Yoogali SC)
1: Joshua AMOAH (Tigers FC), Daniel BARBATANO (Queanbeyan City), Xavier BONNETT (Queanbeyan City), Tanatswa BVIRAKARE (Tigers FC), Zachary COLSON (Tigers FC), Sivamsh DEEVI (Gungahlin United), Rocco DI PLACIDO (O’Connor Knights), Leo DONALD (Tuggeranong United), Ethan DONETTO (Yoogali SC), Thinley DORJI (Tigers FC), Jack ELLWOOD (Monaro Panthers), James GODDING (Canberra Croatia), Cooper HEAGNEY (Tigers FC), Zachary ILIKOSJI (Tigers FC), Joshua KEENAN (Yoogali SC), Jacob KITE (Gungahlin United), Marcus LAU (Gungahlin United), Owen LEARMONTH (Canberra Croatia), Ivica MAJETIC (Canberra Croatia), Darcy MIDDLETON (Canberra Croatia), Sebastian MUNOZ (Gungahlin United), Ayham NASSER (Monaro Panthers), Samuel RACITI (Yoogali SC), Andrija RAKIC (Canberra Croatia), Marko RATHOUSKI (O’Connor Knights)
