Tuggeranong United’s winless streak in the PlayStation 4 NPL continued as FFA COE romped to an opening day victory at the AIS defeating last season’s cellar-dweller 5-2.
FFA COE 5 (Bryce Bafford 7’, 16’, Jaidon Seldon 11’, 41’, Marc Tokich 22’) Tuggeranong United 2 (Dominic Colucciello 66’ (pen), 82’ (pen))
All the damage was done in the first half as the FFA COE swarmed all over their opponents and led 5-0 at the interval. The rout began inside the opening seven minutes as centre-forward John Roberts got in down the channel and fed a delightful curling ball into the danger area where Bryce Bafford arrived to half-volley a finish across Sean Burke and into the top corner of the net.
Belconnen United 8 (Dustin Wells 20’, Sam Smith 26’, 29’, 43’, 81’, 90’, Jason Ugrinic 65’, 75’) CU Academy 1 (Josh Gulevski 52’)
A dominant display from Belconnen United saw the Blue Devils ease to a 8-1 win over the CU Academy on the opening day of the PS4 NPL season with striker Sam Smith grabbing a first half hat-trick on the way to a five-goal haul. The Academy could have opened the scoring inside the first ten minutes but when Daniel Fabrizio broke the Belconnen offside trap he shot straight at the advancing Adam Perakovic with his finish lacking conviction. And the visitors were made to pay a very heavy price for their failure to take the lead as the home side found a three-goal blitz in nine minutes to take the game away.
Sunday 3rd April 2016
Canberra FC 3 (Josip Jadric 42’, Robbie Deeley 68’, Nikola Barisic 73’) Monaro Panthers 2 (Mark Shields 18’ (pen), Ed McCarthy 51’)
Champions Canberra FC recorded an expected first round win against Monaro Panthers at Deakin Stadium but were given an almighty scare by their visitors who twice led and threatened to cause an upset. Goals from Mark Shields and Ed McCarthy had the Panthers support in good voice but a stunning equaliser from Robbie Deeley, and a late winner from substitute Nikola Barisic, turned the tables.
The Panthers lined up in what was a disciplined 4-1-4-1 formation and they admirably kept their shape and structure throughout the majority of the match with the hosts finding it difficult to break through the packed lines of the Panthers defence, marshalled superbly by debutant Alan Murphy and Captain Chris Ruiz.
Canberra Olympic 3 (Tim Bobolas 38’, Jordan Tsekenis 45’, Jeremy Habtemariam 90+1’) Gungahlin United 0
Canberra Olympic began their PlayStation® 4 National Premier Leagues: Canberra Grand Final trophy defence in the best possible way on Sunday, with a convincing 3-0 win over Gungahlin United at O’Connor Enclosed. First half strikes from Tim Bobolas and Jordan Tsekenis set the tone going into the break, before second-half substitute Jeremy Habtemariam put the icing on the cake with a well-taken finish in the 91st minute. Both sides began the match slowly, with Gungahlin easily the underdogs against the reigning champs. But the visitors fired the first shot in anger, with Mitch Steenbergen forcing a great save out of Olympic goalkeeper Angelo Konstantinou as the ball rifled towards the top corner from range. The game seemed fiery from the outset, with both sides snapping into tackles, with United’s Alex Moscaritolo booked in the eight minute for a second crunching foul.
Tigers FC 5 (Nicolas Abot 9’, 83’ Osman Fofanah 36’, Stephen Domenici 42’, 44’) Woden-Weston FC 1 (Tom Hirst 51’)
Tigers FC got their season off to the perfect start with a convincing 5-1 defeat of Woden-Weston FC at Nijong Oval. The Tigers had the game well and truly in their pocket by half-time leading a new look Woden-Weston by four clear goals having demonstrated their pace and movement to great effect. The visitors improved after the break as the Tigers, quite naturally, took their foot off the pedal, but by that stage the damage had well and truly been done.
It took the home team just nine minute to take the lead and it was one of their new recruits who did it. Argentinean striker Nicolas Abot, signed in the off-season from the Indonesian Super League, gave notice of his quality as he scored on debut. But it was a nine minute spell before the break that ultimately did for Woden-Weston who, after conceding early, had defended resolutely.
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