The 2023 NPL Queensland Men’s Finals Series get underway with a pair of exhilarating Elimination Finals this weekend.
Following a late restructure to the 2023 Finals Series Gold Coast United will host Peninsula Power while Brisbane City take on Lions in a pair of do-or-die clashes.
An administrative error by Football Queensland in relation to the Round 13 clash between Brisbane City and Peninsula Power – a result which had big ramifications on the finals make up saw the decision made last week that the competition would play a six team finals series rather than four as had been originally planned.
On Friday night Gold Coast United host Peninsula Power at the Croatian Sports Centre in the opening match of the finals series.
Gold Coast United, who finished third will compete in the finals for the first time since their entry to the NPL in 2018.
Grae Piddick’s side, who are winless in their last five will look to recapture the form built on a rock solid defence that saw them top of the league at the half way mark of the 2023 season.
Peninsula Power also look to pick up their first ever NPL finals win after falling at the Semi Final hurdle in each of the past four seasons.
Aaron Philp’s side come into the finals series as the competitions form side having been the only team to take maximum points in August as part of a 14-match unbeaten run in the league that stretches back to April.
The pair played out a 2-2 draw in their most recent meeting while it was United who took the points with a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Blake Thompson and Alex Walter in the sides opening match up.
Brisbane City and Lions will go head-to-head in the first ever NPL Finals edition of the Brisbane Classico at Imperial Corp Stadium on Sunday evening.
City, who finished in fourth position compete in the finals for the first time in ten years after scoring a league best 46 goals in 2023.
Lions meanwhile enter the finals after their lowest ever NPL finish of fifth although Darren Simes side will be buoyed by the fact that each of their last two Grand Final wins came after finishing fourth in the league.
Lions also come into Sunday’s match with the better of the head-to-head having won each of the meetings between the two sides this season with 6-3 and 2-0 victories.
Lions have won eight of the ten NPL meetings between the two with City’s last victory over their cross-town rivals coming in 2018.
The highest ranked winner of the weekend’s Elimination Finals will travel to face second placed Moreton Bay while the lowest ranked winner will make the trip to take on Premiers Gold Coast Knights in next weekend’s Semi Finals.
You can catch both of the weekend’s NPL Queensland Men’s Elimination Finals live and free on FQTV or the Football Queensland YouTube channel.