Campbelltown City vs Sturt Lions
Venue: Steve Woodcock Sports Centre
Date: Friday 16 July 7:30 PM
Campbelltown and Sturt kick off Round 13 tonight level on points, with both sides looking to cement their places in the NPL’s top half.
The hosts were handed a 2-1 loss by City for the second time this season, a result that saw them slide into fifth despite a well-taken free kick by Adam Piscioneri that pierced the wall and curled into the bottom corner.
Sturt were unable to take all three points away from their encounter with Croydon, ending in a 1-1 draw, but Samed Altundag’s reflexes in pouncing on a defensive error and finishing smartly past the keeper was a highlight for the Lions.
It’s a big three points up for grabs that could potentially prove vital by the end of the season, with both sides desperate to make their mark and keep themselves up with the league’s top sides.
Campbelltown City line-up: 1. Jamie Signorello, 2. Shaun Harvey (C), 3. Liam Miller, 6. Adam D'Agostino, 7. Joel Allwright, 8. Alexander Mullen, 9. Marc Marino, 10. Luigi Ditroia, 15. Antony Piscioneri, 16. Daniel Mullen, 17. Adam De Ieso, 18. Trey Williams, 20. Nicholas Harpas (GK), 23. Jake Halliday
Coaches: Iain Fyfe, Leslie Pogliacomi, Corey Artone, Ali Sadick
Team Staff: Agelo Kapnistis, Ryan Hanlon
Sturt Lions line-up: Cale Nagle, Samuel Voigt, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Cooper Mullins, James Klappers (GK), Oliver Sigley, Alexander Sortini, Luke Fusco, Ben Woollard, Jonathan Fusco (C), Michael Gravas, Toby Nelson, Taine Harding, Brandon Centofanti, Jacob Atkinson, Akira Kobaishi, Samed Altundag, Daniel Solari, Jasper Donovan, Daniel Guastella, Valentino Esposito, Caden Yates, Bradley Davey
Coaches: Lino Fusco, Frank Tibaldi, Gregory Videon, Michael Harkness
Team Staff: Ivan Piovesan, Jakson Messent, Andrew Ross
Adelaide Comets vs Adelaide Croatia Raiders
Venue: SA Athletics Stadium
Date: Friday 16 July 8:15 PM
The second of tonight’s double header sees third-placed Comets take on tenth-placed Raiders, yet the two sides are remarkably only separated by five points after 12 rounds.
Comets were reeled in by MetroStars with a late equaliser that sealed a 2-2 draw in their blockbuster Saturday night fixture in Round 12, despite Ninko Beric’s stunning long-range effort to open the scoring.
Raiders ended a three-match winless run in their come from behind 3-1 victory over Blue Eagles, with Harley Gepp’s thumping volleyed equaliser and Dion Kirk’s fine finish into the bottom corner helping to seal the points for their side.
The home side know that they have to keep winning to hold off the chasing pack below, while Raiders are still looking nervously over their shoulder at the drop zone and need to keep winning to push clear.
Adelaide Comets line-up: 1. Julian Torresan, 3. Manley Barnett, 4. Nathan Dimou, 5. Adam Le Cornu, 6. Jack Bladen, 7. John Karatzas, 8. Ryan Yates, 10. Anthony Mavrolambados, 11. Jayden LoBasso, 12. Lukas Ikonomopoulos, 14. Nathan Andijanto, 16. Ninko Beric, 18. Thomas Giannakopoulos, 19. Jaiden Diamantis, 21. Nikolas Ikonomopoulos, 22. Allan Welsh (C), 23. Scott Nagel, 24. Ryan Cook, 31. Daniel Vaughan (GK), 77. Chris Christofilos
Coaches: Barney Smith, James Guffogg, Dimitri Panagis, Matthew Bates
Team Staff: Evangelo Katsambis, Andrew Furner, Emma Gericke
Adelaide Croatia Raiders line-up: 1. Vincent Barbaro, 2. Jackson Walls, 5. Matthew Mullen, 6. Omari Didero, 7. Dylan Pickert, 8. Jagajeet shrestha Shrestha, 9. Massimo Falco, 10. Dion Kirk, 11. David Carosi, 12. Jacob Williams, 13. Nicholas Munro (C) (GK), 15. Lansana Smith, 17. Harley Gepp, 20. Thanasis Lesi, 21. Jaxson Bullen, 22. Kelvin Kamburu, 23. Mark Ulaj, 26. James Temelkovski, 28. Nathan Hancock
Coaches: Terry Westwood, Steven Hughes, Michael Paleka
Team Staff: Antonio Vella, Lisa Feleppa, Luke Harris
Croydon FC vs Adelaide United
Venue: Jack Smith Park
Date: Saturday 17 July 2:30 PM
The (slightly) early kick-off tomorrow pits Croydon against the Young Reds, with the two sides experiencing almost a complete reversal of fortunes compared to the 2020 season.
Croydon were held to a third successive stalemate last weekend, with their 1-1 draw combined with Raider’s victory seeing them fall three points and goal difference behind tenth on the ladder.
Binyam Kebede’s sensational curling shot from outside the box that squeezed into the top corner proved the difference in United’s 1-0 win over South, which saw them move into fourth and just one point behind second-placed MetroStars.
With just two wins on the board this season, Croydon know they need to break free of their disappointing form, while United will be aiming to keep the pressure on the sides above them to capitalise on any slip-ups.
Croydon Kings line-up: 1. Gianni Tramontin, 2. John Panagaris, 3. Filimon Asefa, 5. Luke Klimek (C), 6. Christopher Vivian, 7. Sebastian Goode, 8. Adam Martinello, 9. Nathan Munro, 10. Antoni Trimboli, 11. Luis Benedetti, 12. Tatenda Nyaruwe, 13. Foribert Niyonkuru, 14. Peter Mercurio, 15. Domenic Costanzo, 16. Kristos Stefanopoulos, 17. Manni Katopodis, 18. Jarrod Brazzale, 19. Chikondi NYIRENDA, 20. Jared Clark, 21. John Hall (GK), 23. Patrick Caraccia
Coaches: Travis Dodd, Latham Byfield, Adam Vizzari
Team Staff: Mario Catalano, Joshua Avery
Adelaide United FC line-up: Musa Toure, 14. Binyam Kebede, 15. Kane Vidmar, 17. Mohamed Toure, 37. Jonny Yull, 40. Ethan Cox (GK), 42. Fergus Lynch, 44. Arbi Mollas, 53. Noah Mcnamara, 54. Joseph Macheda, 55. Ethan Alagich, 57. Adam Leombruno, 58. Giuseppe Bovalina, 66. Nestor Irankunda
Coaches: Airton Andrioli, Elvis Markov, Vlado Blazeka, Joe Verringer
Team Staff: Will Mockridge, Justin Graetz, Katrina Smith
Cumberland United vs MetroStars
Venue: A. A. Bailey Reserve
Date: Saturday 17 July 3:00 PM
The hosts’ fall from the top down to eighth has been swift and it won’t get any easier tomorrow afternoon when they face off against the league’s form side.
Cumberland’s 1-1 draw with Olympic last weekend snapped a three-match losing run that saw them concede 11 goals and helped them stay within three points of sixth-placed Sturt.
Francesco Schimizzi was the hero for MetroStars last weekend as he rescued a point for his side in the 90th minute with a smart lobbed finish over the keeper, earning a 2-2 draw with fellow high-flyers Comets.
Cumberland are far from out of the race for finals football, so they’ll be aiming to recapture their strong early season form, while MetroStars are now looking to overhaul City at the top and increase their gap on the sides below.
Cumberland United line-up: Jed Anderson, 1. Luke Schoen (GK), 2. Jack Schoen (C), 3. Joshua Harvey, 5. Sam Carmichael, 6. David Signore, 8. Harry Thannhauser, 9. JUAN GUTIERREZ, 10. Jumar Oakley, 11. Thomas Briscoe, 15. Ryan Wood, 17. Tom Dittmar, 18. Antoni Panagoulias, 19. Rocco Visconte, 20. Stavros Bakopanos, 22. Aristomenios Haralampopoulos, 23. Matthew Charalambous
Coaches: Neil Young, Mathew Balopitos, Matthew Prodanovski, Marijan Kolar
Team Staff: Jody Loomes, Sean Bushby, Steven O'Donnell
MetroStars line-up: 1. Isaac Carmody (GK), 2. Connor O'rielly, 3. Luke Frangakis, 4. Justin Davis, 5. Timothy Henderson, 8. Rocky Callisto (C), 9. Thomas Strain, 10. Anthony Solagna, 11. Ariath Piol, 12. Alessio Melisi, 14. Dylan Smith, 15. Theo Doufos, 16. Francesco Schimizzi, 18. Fabian Barbiero, 19. Cooper O’donnell, 20. Joshua Mori, 22. Hamish Gow, 23. Christian Esposito, 24. Jackson Fortunatow, 45. Jackson O'Donnell
Coaches: Robert Saraceno, Nicholas Bouzalas, Adam Van Dommele, Michael Rende
Team Staff: Joseph Polisena, Patrick Pike, George Laoutaris
Adelaide Blue Eagles vs Adelaide City
Venue: Marden Sports Complex
Date: Saturday 17 July 3:00 PM
It’s the league’s 12th-placed side hosting the ladder leaders tomorrow afternoon at Marden Sports Complex as Blue Eagles take on City.
Blue Eagles’ wait for a first league win stretched into a 13th matchday after they fell to a 3-1 loss against tenth-placed Raiders, a result which now leaves them 13 points adrift of safety.
Nicholas Bucco’s mazy run and powerful strike from long range and Jai King-Byrne’s speculative looping shot from a tight angle helped City strengthen their grip on top spot with a 2-1 win over Campbelltown.
Blue Eagles are running out of time to surmount their points deficit, so a boilover victory would be incredible, but City will have their eyes on stretching their advantage further at the top.
Adelaide Blue Eagles line-up: Aaron Bannister, Yohei Matsumoto, jai esposito, Elias Mimidas, Anik Warnakulasuriya, 1. Nikolas Harpas (GK), 2. Caleb Evans, 4. Christian Sotira, 6. Francesco Pangallo, 7. Liam Mccabe, 10. Hamish Mccabe, 12. Kody Maude, 14. Stanisa Velinov, 15. Christian D'Angelo, 17. Raffaele De Lucia, 19. Jake Tatarelli, 20. Isaac Mullen, 21. Alex Tsavalas, 23. Beau Ieraci
Coaches: Nikica Kuzman, Larry Piscioneri
Team Staff: James Keating, VOJISLAV GLUSCEVIC, Henry Lambert
Adelaide City line-up: 1. Alexander Woodlands (GK), 4. Matthew Halliday, 5. Thomas Brown, 6. Bradley Corbo, 9. Luka Chikwuba, 10. Nicholas Bucco, 11. Charlie devereux, 13. Lachlan Barr, 14. Aladin Irabona, 20. Kur Kur, 33. Darcy Dawber, 45. Markus Orchard, 77. Asad Kasumovic
Coaches: Paul Pezos, Stavros Gelekis, Angelo Paul, Edward Scalzi
Team Staff: Fabian Garuccio
South Adelaide vs Adelaide Olympic
Venue: O’Sullivan Beach Sports and Community Centre
Date: Saturday 17 July 3:00 PM
Tomorrow’s match between South and Olympic pits two sides against one another separated by one point and sitting within touching distance of a coveted spot in the top six.
South fell to their third successive league defeat last weekend in their 1-0 loss to United, with a missed first-half penalty potentially proving costly, but remain within a win of the top six.
Olympic were also left to rue a missed penalty late on after Benkert Abdija’s looping header from the corner of the six-yard box settled the scores at 1-1 against Cumberland; a win would’ve seen them move within one point of the top half.
Victory for South would likely see them return to sixth on the ladder and improve their negative goal difference, while a fourth win of the season for Olympic would enable them to leapfrog tomorrow’s opponents.
South Adelaide line-up: 1. Ryan Veitch (GK), 4. Robert Parker (C), 5. Declan Gray, 6. Liam Wooding, 9. Brett Rayner, 10. Jonathon Rideout, 11. Alexander Rideout, 13. Jai Conroy, 15. Jackson Stephens, 17. Kegan Osborne, 18. Blake Lindsay, 20. Jack Walker, 21. Jack Ellis, 24. Daniel Evans, 25. Callum Nissen, 31. Masaya Sasaki
Coaches: Andrew Calderbank, Anthony Rideout, Mitchell Daly, Fraser McLean
Team Staff: Wayne Harrington, Jacqueline Wingate, Aniket Dhabade
Adelaide Olympic line-up: Joshua Kavenagh, Samuel Dweh, 1. Lewis Moss (GK), 3. Paul Wilson, 4. Benkert Abdija, 5. Michael Cittadini, 6. Kristin Konstandopoulos, 7. Jacob Jones, 8. Jason Konstandopoulos, 9. Christos Pounendis, 10. Hirofumi Kochi, 11. Tito Bontor, 14. Fausto Erba (C), 20. Clifford Maina, 25. Alexander Tsimopoulos, 44. Ioannis Simosis
Coaches: Yianni Stamatelopoulos, George Konstandopoulos, Lansana Conneh, Pal Prengaj
Team Staff: Konstandinos Dimas, Sumin Kim