Category: Front Page, Mens
Devine Super League Final Five - Week 1
Saturday September 1
Elimination Final
Adelaide City v Raiders
2:30pm, Adelaide City Park, Corner Fosters Road & Hilltop Drive, OAKDEN
Referee: Toth
Assistants: Wordsworth, Muller
Fourth Official: Mooney
Reserves – 12pm: SA NTC v West Torrens Birkalla
U19 – Qualifying Final, 9:30am: Adelaide City v Campbelltown City
Adelaide City: Luke Ostbye (GK), Alex Sunasky, Anthony Costa, Jonathan Negus, Joseph Costa, Joel Alwright, Matthew Mullen, Matthew Halliday, Nick Budin, Nicholas Bucco, Patrick Deruvo, Paul Blefari, Paul Radice, Ricardo Da Silva, Stephen Jackson, Tom Guttormsn, Fabian Garrucio
(RGK)
Raiders: Daniel Atkins (GK), Mimi Saric(C), Michael Doyle, Nick Kuzman, Nicholas Orr, Nathan Andijanto, Evan Metanomski, Mathew Muscroft, Darrell Avery, Michael Acton, Kingsley Francis, Mario Marcinko, Michael Marchi, Donni Pollock, Aaron Thorpe, Nicholas Ewers (RGK)
Adelaide City: L D L
Coca-Cola Federation Cup Semi Final: Para Hills 2-1 Adelaide City, Burton Football Complex
Round 17: Adelaide City 2-2 Raiders, Adelaide City Park
Round 18: Adelaide Blue Eagles 2-0 Adelaide City, Marden Sports Complex
Raiders: W D L
Round 16: Raiders 4-1 Campbelltown, Croatian Sports Centre
Round 17: Adelaide City 2-2 Raiders, Adelaide City Park
Round 18: Raiders 1-3 Croydon, Croatian Sports Centre
Preview:
It’s sink or swim for Adelaide City and Raiders as they prepare to do battle in the Devine Super League Elimination Final at Adelaide City Park on Saturday.
Adelaide City stuttered into the Finals Series and have not tasted victory in their past three matches in all competitions. This includes a recent 2-2 draw with Raiders.
Jonathan Negus believes the black and whites have some areas to work on but go into the Finals with as much chance to succeed as the other clubs.
“It is a little concerning to go in with our recent form, but we are in the top five and go in thinking we can win the championship, just like four other clubs are,” he said.
“One area where we must improve is our marking on set pieces. We conceded a lot of goals in the second half of the year from set pieces and it generally came from poor marking, so it is something we have been working on.”
Raiders held off the challenge of Western Strikers and Campbelltown as the minor round drew to a close to claim the last spot in the top five. This was despite a final round defeat versus Croydon.
Captain Mimi Saric says the team grew in stature during the second half of the campaign and are confident they can make a statement in the Finals.
“In the second half of the year we beat Blue Eagles, MetroStars and Campbelltown and drew with Adelaide City,” he said.
“I don’t think we are underdogs as such and the other clubs know we can be a threat. The confidence is there and we saw that during the second half of the year we are capable of beating the teams we will come up against in the Finals. There is enough quality in the squad to do well.”
Sunday September 2
Qualifying Final
Adelaide Blue Eagles v MetroStars
2:30pm, Marden Sports Complex, Lower Portrush Road, MARDEN
Referee: Goodwin
Assistants: Ford, Faulkner
Fourth Official: Verdiccchio
Reserves – 12pm: Adelaide City v Adelaide Blue Eagles
U19 – Elimination Final, 9:30am: MetroStars v Adelaide Comets
Adelaide Blue Eagles: Gino De Lucia (GK) (C), Christopher Atsikbasis, Christopher Annicchiarico, Dean Kenrick, Stefan Barletta, Damien Crettenden, Jace Cummins, Damien Di Mella, Fortunato Filletti, Francesco Marafioti, Evan Kounavelis, Mitch Nicholson, Harris Vukic, Chad Bugeja, Hayden Walter, Matthew Charalambous, Hugh Cardle (RGK)
MetroStars: Daniel Godley (GK), David Menechella, Lee Robertson (C), Michael D'Aloisio, Steven Grelli, Tony Hatzis, James Yong, Michael Matricciani, Andrew Ciarla, Frank Monterosso, Adam Van Dommele, Perry Mitris, Rocky Callisto, Stef Cali, Joseph Polisena, Michael Rende (RGK)
Adelaide Blue Eagles: W W W
Round 16: Adelaide Blue Eagles 4-1 Western Strikers, Marden Sports Complex
Round 17: Campbelltown 0-3 Adelaide Blue Eagles, Steve Woodcock Sports Centre
Round 18: Adelaide Blue Eagles 2-0 Adelaide City, Marden Sports Complex
MetroStars: W W W
Round 17: MetroStars 3-0 Enfield City, TK Shutter Reserve
Round 18: MetroStars 3-1 Western Strikers, TK Shutter Reserve
Coca-Cola Federation Cup Final: Para Hills 0-3 MetroStars, Hindmarsh Stadium
Preview:
Two of the competitions most in-form sides face-off as Adelaide Blue Eagles host MetroStars in the Devine Super League Qualifying Final at Marden Sports Complex on Sunday.
Adelaide Blue Eagles ended the minor round in second position, four points behind Croydon and they closed the season with three straight wins to earn a home final.
Statistically, ABE had the best attack and stingiest defence – scoring 38 goals and conceding just 17.
Fortunato Filletti says the reigning champions head into the Finals confident of their chances but are wary of their first-up test this weekend.
“We are pretty confident, even if we know we have to be switched on because MetroStars are a great team and will be tough to beat,” he said.
“We want to go back-to-back and to do that we need to carry on our form of the past few weeks. We are playing well and are looking to keep that momentum going.”
Like Blue Eagles, MetroStars claimed three successive League victories after the 0-0 stalemate between the pair in Round 15.
Their late-season charge was enough to earn a third-place finish and the double chance while last weekend, MetroStars claimed the Coca-Cola Federation Cup with a 3-1 triumph over Para Hills.
Defender Michael D’Aloisio believes MetroStars are firing at the right time of year.
“We are starting to hit our straps. We’ve scored 12 goals in four games and conceded just twice, so what we have worked on is coming to fruition,” he said.
“Our form versus Blue Eagles this year has not been too great. We had a loss and a draw and haven’t scored against them. Although lately we have been putting the chances away and so we go in confident of what we can achieve.”
