The Croatian Derby headlines a weekend of massive matches in the National Premier League as the table-topping O’Connor Knights welcome Canberra Croatia to O’Connor Enclosed for the latest chapter in what is turning into a must-watch within the Canberra football scene.
Croatia, who are sitting in sixth place in the table and in desperate need of the points to ignite a charge towards the top four, have not beaten the Knights In their last three matches and have scored only once in those trio of matches.
The form of the defending League title holders has been patchy of late, and they have only picked up four points from the last nine available in the NPL. The Knights by contrast are now on a run of seven wins in succession, a 100% return that has seen them power three points clear at the top.
Whilst the Knights could cement their status as top dogs with a victory, Croatia would like nothing better than to put a dent in the Knights’ title aspirations and also reignite their hopes of making the Finals.
Before that however, the week’s action begins with a mammoth clash between Tuggeranong United and West Canberra Wanderers as the two teams locked in the battle to avoid relegation go head-to-head at Kambah 2 on Wednesday evening.
The floodlights will shine bright on this one, with Tuggeranong holding a five-point cushion over their immediate opponents and knowing that the maximum return here would surely see them their safe for 2023 and condemn the Wanderers to the Capital Premier League, even with seven matches to play.
Tuggeranong had the edge on West Canberra in the earlier meeting at the Wanderers synthetic home, headers from Sam Walker and Clancy Hislop sealing a vital 2-1 win and the home side will be buoyed by further points against Canberra Olympic and Monaro Panthers.
Wanderers meanwhile simply have to win. A five-point gap is large enough, if it extends to eight the mountain becomes Everest proportions. Even a draw will set the alarm bells ringing around Woden way.
The Battle of the Big Cats Part III will take centre stage on Sunday evening as Monaro Panthers host Tigers FC at Riverside Stadium with a 5.45pm kick-off and the match being of even greater significance following the duo’s results last weekend.
Whilst Tigers were being dismantled in the top-of-the-table showdown against O’Connor Knights, the Panthers were being held by Tuggeranong United at Kambah 2. The Tigers have only picked up eight points from their last eighteen available, falling off the summit in the process, the Panthers are unbeaten in their last three.
Tigers have had the wood over their opponents this term, a pair of wins in both matches that have been played at the Queanbeyan venue, a convincing 3-0 success against nine-men on Day 1 and a come-from-behind 2-1 success in Round 8.
Canberra Olympic will be favourites to close the gap on any slip-up from the leading pair when they make the trip to Melrose Synthetic on Saturday afternoon to meet a West Canberra Wanderers side who, depending on the midweek result against Tuggeranong, might be in dire straits.
Olympic slowed the rot with a classic 2-0 derby win over Canberra Croatia at O’Connor Enclosed in Round 14, goals from Adam Neou and Luca Macor the difference on the day and will be in mood to stumble back into indifferent form against the Wanderers.
Time is running out for West Canberra who will have attempted to claw back some of the deficit to Tuggeranong at Kambah on Wednesday ahead of this fixture, and they have been defeated twice by Olympic already in 2023.
Tuggeranong United held Monaro Panthers to a goalless draw in Round 14, their first clean sheet of the campaign, and will be hopeful of a similar resilient effort when Gungahlin United make the journey to Kambah 2 on the Sunday fixture.
Tuggeranong was stubborn in defence and restricted the Panthers to long range efforts in the main in the draw last time out, and Gunners will need to be at their best to break down the home defence.
The return of leading marksman Maxx Green after suspension will be a bonus, and the forward will be out to replicate the feats of Round 1 when he netted twice in the 4-1 success over Tuggeranong at the same venue.
Gungahlin have won only one of the last seven on visits to Tuggeranong however, that Round 1 win this season, so an away victory is by no means a foregone conclusion.