PS4 NPL Capital Football Round 7 Preview

Woden-Weston and Monaro Panthers will both look for their first win in Round 7 of PlayStation 4 NPL Capital Football.

Woden-Weston FC v Tuggeranong United

Tuggeranong United will look to carry cup momentum into their league matchup this weekend after they fell 4-1 in their last league match to Belconnen United. A 2-0 win over Lanyon United during the week helped restore form but sitting eighth on the NPL ladder, it is high time that the visitors here begin picking up wins in the league. 

Woden-Weston were on the end of a solid thumping from Olympic last weekend as they fell 8-2 at Woden Park, and will need to bounce back against the side ahead of them on the ladder. With their only point so far having come from a Round 3 draw with Riverina, the home side are still looking for their first win. Daniel Crkovski has been in great form up front across both the cup and the league, and a strong performance from him will be vital for a result here.

 

Belconnen United v Monaro Panthers FC

Revenge will be on the mind of Belconnen United this weekend as they look to get one back over Monaro following their FFA Cup defeat over a week ago.

The Blue Devils went down on penalties that evening as Panthers executed a defensive plan perfectly, but Dean Ugrinic’s side bounced back in a commanding win over Tuggeranong last weekend. With Jason Ugrinic flying up front and and United holding the equal third-best defensive record in the league, all the signs point to them taking the bragging rights this time.

The Panthers played well but were brought back down to earth from their ‘Cupset’ as Canberra FC ran out 2-0 winners at Duncan last weekend. Ryan Moxon had another superb game in goals in that match and has likely assured himself of a starting role going forward.

The other end of the pitch is just as much a problem however, with the Panthers averaging a mere half-a-goal per match across six rouds so far. Against a tight Belconnen defence it is tough to see Panthers pulling this one out like they did in the Cup recently.

 

Canberra FC v Tigers FC
After appearing to get things back on track last weekend with a thumping win over Riverina, Tigers FC will face a stern test as they face ladder leaders Canberra FC at Deakin Stadium in the Match of the Round.

A five-goal first half paved the way for that result and Gaby Wilk will be hoping for a similar start to the match this time out. A win here for Tigers is necessary for them to keep up with the Top Four and not fall behind early but they will need to keep out Canberra FC’s potent attack to do so.

The league leaders bounced back from their shock defeat to Tuggeranong the previous week with a clean sheet win over Monaro and a big victory over White Eagles in the FFA Cup during the week. FC have only conceded four goals across the season so far, a league low across all teams.

With a league best goal difference and goal scoring ability all across the pitch, their ability to spread the play and attack Tigers from everywhere will prove pivotal in this clash. Despite their opponent’s tough start to the season they are not a team to be doubted, and the home side will need to be at their best here to make sure they bounce back with a win at home after defeat in their previous outing at Deakin.

 

Canberra Olympic v Gungahlin United

Canberra Olympic will be out to continue a four-match league winning streak when they host Gungahlin United at O’Connor on Sunday afternoon.

A dominant 8-2 win over Woden-Weston FC last weekend kept Olympic level with Canberra FC at the top of the table, and Stephen Domenici’s four-goal haul pulled him well clear on the top scorers list with 13 goals. Frank Cachia’s side are properly rolling now and a 6-0 win in the FFA Cup during the week with a changed side has kept them on their toes.

For Gungahlin, a four-match winning streak was halted by the Centre of Excellence last weekend, as they went down 4-2 at the AIS. The visitors finished that match with nine players, and may need to promote players this week to keep a full squad.

Misko Naumoski scored again from the spot and continues to be a threat up front, while they still have one of the best defences in the league. That backline will be tested in this match against the league’s top scoring side, and will go a long way to determining the outcome of the match.

Please Note: The fixture between Riverina Rhinos & FFA Centre of Excellence has been rescheduled due to the former's participation in the FFA Cup.

All fixtures can be found here