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The other match of the round saw league new comers, Gungahlin United, claim their first competition point.
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| NPL Wrap sourced from Capital Football by Russ Gibbs |
Belconnen United 2 (Aisosa Ihegie 85’, Sam Smith 88’)
Canberra FC claimed a second victory of the season with a 3-2 win over Belconnen United at Deakin Stadium surviving a late flutter with the Blue Devils netting twice in the final five minutes to give themselves hope of what would have been the most unlikely of comebacks. For 85 minutes Canberra FC had stamped their authority on the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues: Capital Football competition with what looked likely to be an ominous destruction of their visitors and, when Blue Devils midfielder David Arranz was sent off for a second caution with fifteen minutes to play, it appeared a question of how many FC would get. But, to their admirable credit, Belconnen refused to buckle and two young substitutes, summoned from the bench, proved that the Blue Devils will have plenty to say in 2015.
However, it would be churlish to deflect the achievement away from Canberra FC who, in truth, can have rarely dominated their traditional rivals in such a manner. Quicker to most challenges and loose ball around the park, FC put in a display of defensive solidity and creativity with which Belconnen had no real answer. After Ian Graham had lobbed wide when well-placed, and Jason Ugrinic had seen Belconnen’s best effort of the half, when the forward rounded Jakob Cole out wide but saw his tame effort from a difficult angle blocked by Aiden Brunskill, FC took the lead. And it was beautifully crafted opener.
Domenic Giampaolo, who had an outstanding afternoon until his withdrawal late on, created it with a deft ball over the back of the Blue Devils defence. Young midfielder Niko Kresic read the delivery perfectly and arrived to cushion a lob over the advancing Adam Perakovic and into the net for a brilliant goal. It should have been two before the break as well but Robbie Deeley, after evading a tackle in the area, blazed high over the bar.
It mattered little as FC took control of the midfield and went 2-0 up in the 59th minute. Once again Kresic was the scorer but this time there was a hint of fortune about the finish. Having worked himself into space inside the area, Kresic sent a delivery into the area which deceived Perakovic in the Blue Devils goal and drifted in at the far post. Two became three moments later when Giampaolo, arguably man of the match, collected a pass and took his time to create an opening which he planted across the ‘keeper and into the bottom corner.
Arranz was then dismissed and FC wasted numerous chances to add to the lead with substitute Michael Mensah guilty of a poor miss when he snatched at a chance inside the penalty area whilst Daniel Bennett may have done better when breaking clear of the weary Blue Devils defence. However, just when it appeared as if the match would drift to a routine conclusion, Belconnen found their wings. Substitute Aisosa Ihegie scored off the bench in Round 1 and repeated the feat here with five minutes to play lashing into the roof of the net from close range. When Sam Smith replicated the achievement with a minute to play, FC was rocking. Time though was their friend and, rather bizarrely, given their earlier domination they were grateful for the final whistle.
Gungahlin United 1 (Stephen Domenici 21’)
Canberra Olympic 1 (Philippe Bernabo-Madrid 31’)
Honours were even at Gungahlin Enclosed as the hosts, Gungahlin United, drew 1-1 with Canberra Olympic to earn their first point in the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues: Capital Football following their admittance to the competition this season. The Gunners led for the second week running, having also taken the lead against Belconnen United in their debut match in Round 1, but once more were unable to hang onto the positive position with Olympic deservedly drawing level. Upon receiving their entrance into the PS4 NPL, Gungahlin made the signature of 2014 Golden Boot Stephen Domenici a priority and, on his first start for the club in the league following a recovery from injury, he showed just why giving Gungahlin the lead in the 21st minute with a top class finish. Olympic showed in their 6-1 demolition of Tuggeranong in Round 1 that they have plenty of firepower of their own with Philippe Bernabo-Madrid and Robbie Cattanach scoring hat-tricks in that match and it was a combination between that pair that drew the visitors all-square. Cattanach played the killer pass for Bernabo-Madrid to crash a shot low into the corner in the 31st minute to restore parity. After the interval both teams had chances to claim three points but, as the game went on, it was Olympic who enjoyed more of the possession but was unable to turn it into a goal. In the end a draw was a fitting conclusion to a decent match played on a tricky surface made greasy by the incessant drizzle that Canberra suffered on Sunday.
Tuggeranong United 0
FFA COE 3 (Nicholas Panetta 65’, Kosta Petratos 75’, Henry Davies 80’)
The FFA Centre of Excellence opened their 2015 PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues: Capital Football campaign with a 3-0 defeat of Tuggeranong United at Kambah 2 consigning United to a second home defeat of the season. There was little to separate the teams in an even opening half with both goalkeepers asked to make some routine stops but otherwise untroubled in a match that was tactically absorbing but was failing to hit any real heights. That changed after the break with the game becoming more open and better opportunities presenting themselves. It was FFA COE who broke the deadlock in the 65th minute. A mistake from United defender Sean Kiddey was pounced upon by the eager FFA COE attack and Nicholas Panetta struck home their first goal of the season. Tuggeranong looked for a way back into the match but it was their inability to defend at set pieces that cost them dear. Firstly a free-kick from out wide found Kosta Petratos unmarked inside the area and he rose well to head into the top corner. Then, with ten minutes to play, an FFA COE corner was met by the forehead of Henry Davies who thumped home past Rowan Forbes-Shepherd to complete a decent first hit out for Tony Vidmar and his young Australian charges. For Tuggeranong there appears to be a bit of work to do for Steve Forshaw and his coaching staff to give their season the kick-start it requires.
Monaro Panthers 1 (Mark Shields 20’)
Tigers FC 6 (Lucas Montana 3’, 70’ (pen), Goran Josifovski 39’, Alex Oloriegbe 40’, 80’, Nic Haridemos 85’)
Tigers FC roared to the top of the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues: Capital Football table with a comfortable 6-1 hammering of Monaro Panthers at the Riverside Stadium. The Panthers, who were reduced to ten men early on when Daniel Linstead saw red for receiving a brace of yellow cards in quick succession, had no answer to the pace and finishing power of the defending League Champions who, once more, appear to be real contenders for the crown. It took the Tigers just three minutes to find a breakthrough on a difficult playing surface when Argentinean forward Lucas Montana, who netted the match-winner from the spot in Round 1, confidently put his team in front. The Panthers picked themselves up and responded in kind when Mark Shields, a summer signing from Canberra Olympic, drew his new team level in the 20th minute. The dismissal of Linstead opened up acres of space for the Tigers attack and they took full advantage with two goals in a minute, struck by Goran Josifovski and Alex Oloriegbe. At 3-1 Monaro was up against it and they fell further behind with twenty minutes remaining. Awarded a penalty, Montana repeated his trick of seven days ago, slotting in his third of the season. Not to be outdone Oloriegbe joined him on three goals with his second of the match and the result was sealed when young substitute Nic Haridemos netted his maiden NPL first grade goal to bring up the half-dozen with five minutes to play.