PS4 NPL: Chance for Teams to Pile on Pressure
PLAYSTATION 4 NATIONAL PREMIER LEAGUES: CANBERRA
MATCHDAY 8
There’s a massive match-up at the top end of the table to headline Matchday 8 of the PlayStation® 4 National Premier Leagues competition as league leaders Tigers FC welcome Belconnen United to Nijong Oval as first meets third. And a win for Gaby Wilk’s Tigers would send create a seven point cushion over the Blue Devils and keep the Tigers in a great position approaching the half-way mark.
Their win over Canberra FC last weekend epitomised what the Tigers are all about with some incisive attacking play causing Canberra FC a number of problems. Wilk has an enviable bunch of talent in the final third with the luxury of being able to call on the likes of five-goal Nicolas Abot off the bench a rare commodity indeed. Belconnen meanwhile have benefitted from the return of David Kemp and Matt Valeri and the signing of Jonathan Reis from Tuggeranong United has improved their defensive solidity.
Nearest challengers to Tigers FC at this stage are Canberra Olympic and, after the exertions of their midweek Westfield FFA Cup clash with Gungahlin United, Frank Cachia’s men are on the road again as they meet Woden-Weston FC at Woden Park on Saturday evening. It’s been a tumultuous fortnight for the Wanderers who saw Head Coach Martin Lategui resign ahead of last week’s match with Tuggeranong and they will need to be at their best, and stay focused, if they are to improve in 2016.
Canberra FC need a response to their home loss to Tigers FC and they have a chance to rebound successfully when they meet the FFA COE at the Australian Institute of Sport to kick off Matchday 8 on Saturday afternoon. FC themselves had a Tuesday night Westfield FFA Cup clash to negotiate and, with a lengthy injury list, will be hoping that they catch the FFA COE on a bad day. It’s been a yo-yo season for the youngsters at the Centre of Excellence, some wonderful successes punctuated by some puzzling losses of form but, on their day, they are more than capable of causing issues for any team in the division.
Two teams with half an eye on sneaking into the top four meet at Gungahlin Enclosed as Gungahlin United welcome Tuggeranong United. Both teams played in the Westfield FFA Cup in midweek, Gunners on Wednesday and Tuggeranong on Tuesday, so neither side will perhaps be at their sharpest. A win for either team keeps them in contention with the finals places, so expect a full-on blood and thunder clash.
Monaro Panthers meanwhile could well push for one of those places themselves and a won over the CU Academy, currently bottom of the table, at hawker Football Centre would certainly put the pressure on those above them. The Panthers scored a terrific 3-1 win over the FFA COE in their last outing and will be full of confidence that they can repeat the feat when they meet the Academy.
FIXTURES
Saturday 21st May
FFA COE v Canberra FC (AIS, 14:00)
Woden-Weston FC v Canberra Olympic (Woden Park, 17:30)
Sunday 22nd May
Gungahlin United v Tuggeranong United (Gungahlin Enclosed, 15:00)
Tigers FC v Belconnen United (Nijong Oval, 15:00)
CU Academy v Monaro Panthers (Hawker Football Centre, 15:00)
TABLE
LEADING SCORERS
9 Jason UGRINIC (Belconnen United)
8 Stephen DOMENICI (Tigers FC)
6 Sam SMITH (Belconnen United), John ROBERTS (FFA COE)
5 Jordan TSEKENIS (Canberra Olympic), Nicolas ABOT (Tigers FC)
4 Thomas JAMES (Canberra FC), Philippe BERNABO-MADRID (Canberra Olympic), Jaidon SELDON (FFA COE), Daniel BARAC (Tigers FC)
3 Josip JADRIC (Canberra FC), Tomas KRKLEC (CU Academy), Mitch STEENBERGEN (Gungahlin United), Ed MCCARTHY, Mark SHIELDS (Monaro Panthers), Alex OLORIEGBE (Tigers FC), Marco GAYER, Andrew SLAVICH (Tuggeranong United)
2 Jonathan REIS (Belconnen United)*, Domenic GIAMPAOLO (Canberra FC), Daniel COLBERTALDO, Jeremy HABETMARIAM (Canberra Olympic), Sam WHITHEAR (CU Academy), Bryce BAFFORD (FFA COE), Darian MCGARRY-WATSON (Monaro Panthers), Domenic COLUCCIELLO (Tuggeranong United), Own GOALS
1 Matt GRBESA, Aisosa IHEGIE, David KEMP, Goran MUKEVSKI, Cameron REINHART, Toby RICHTER, Dustin WELLS (Belconnen United), Nikola BARISIC, Robbie DEELEY, Ryan KEIR (Canberra FC), Tim BOBOLAS, Robbie CATTANACH, Angelo KONSTANTINOU, Nathen MEGIC, Michael REEVE (Canberra Olympic), Daniel FABRIZIO, Joshua GULEVSKI (CU Academy), Rahmat AKBARI, Lachlan BROOK, Louis D’ARRIGO, Mark MORIC, Mirza MURATOVIC, Marc TOKICH (FFA COE), Nathan DUCK, Jack GREEN, Alex MOSCARITOLO, Marcial MUNOZ, Liam WALSH (Gungahlin United), Julian BORGNA, Osman FOFANAH, Alan GASTON, Nahuel GUERRERO, Milan POPOVICH, Dejan SANTRAC (Tigers FC), Nikolaos KALFAS, Emilio KISTA, Sam SHADBOLT Tuggeranong United), Bensah AFIABO, Daniel DI-SALVATORE, Ben GRIEG, Tom HIRST, Goran MILUTNOVIC, Matthew WATERS (Woden-Weston FC)
*1 goal for Tuggeranong United
Photo: Canberra Times
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