Category: Front Page, Mens
MetroStars 2012 Devine Super League Champions
Photo by Adam Butler
FOOTBALL FEDERATION SA
Devine Super League
Grand Final
Saturday September 22 – Hindmarsh Stadium
MetroStars have secured the Devine Super League Championship after a 1-0 victory over Adelaide City in the Grand Final at Hindmarsh Stadium on Saturday.
Michael Matricciani scored the only goal of the game in the tenth minute with delightful lob over City goalkeeper Luke Ostybe.
The win gives MetroStars their third Super League title after successes in 2004 and 2009, while also sealing the League and Cup double after their Cola-Cola Federation Cup triumph over Para Hills last month.
MetroStars coach Rick Cerracchio notes it was a game of two halves and says the team has realised its dream.
“Overall it is a very trying game. In the first half we dominated and stuck to our game plan very well,” he said.
“After the break we ran out of legs but were strong and resilient enough to hold our shape. After getting that early goal I asked the guys to keep the intensity up and in the second half to run out with the same endeavour. City had their chances, but we were able to hold on.”
“To win the League and Cup double is just fantastic. Being crowned champions is what you aim for at the start of the season, but to achieve it is something else.”
Adelaide City striker Nicholas Bucco lamented their slow start and inability to find an equaliser, but says the team can be proud of their efforts.
“I thought we started slowly and Metro were on top. In the second half we played better and it would be fair to say that we probably deserved an equaliser,” he said.
“Even when we were down at half time we were still positive. Damian (Mori) told us we hadn’t played that well but believed and knew we could get better.”
“Considering where we finished, to be in the Grand Final was a success. It did not end the way we wanted it to but we can look back positively on 2012.”
Appearing in their sixth consecutive Grand Final, Adelaide City fashioned the first chance of the afternoon.
Patrick DeRuvo darted towards the near post and latched on to Nick Budin’s low cross, but could only steer his shot into the side netting.
At the other end, Matricciani opened the scoring in the tenth minute after spotting Ostybe off his line.
The MetroStars striker played a neat one-two with Perry Mitris and from the corner of the area dinked his shot over City’s keeper and into the back of the net.
A despairing Ostybe failed to make contact at full stretch and gave MetroStars an early advantage.
DeRuvo had another opportunity, but after turning well from Ricardo Da Silva’s centre, he shot straight at goalkeeper Daniel Godley.
MetroStars then wasted two chances before the break to double their advantage with James Yong Matricciani and Mitris all combing, as the crafty attacker was unable to find the target.
Then, Scott Tunbridge did well to control a long ball from Lee Robertson with his chest, but struck a meek effort at Ostybe.
In the second half, Bucco was played through by Budin minutes after the restart but could only skew his shot wide of Godley’s goal.
Moments later, a Joel Allwright cross found Bucco charging towards the near post, but Godley made a wonderful reflex save to deny the black and whites forward.
From the resulting corner Godley was equal to the task, tipping Matthew Halliday’s goal-bound header over the bar as City continued to apply the pressure.
Adelaide City went agonisingly close to snatching an equaliser in the 88th minute as Da Silva’s dangerous free kick from near the corner flag smacked the far post with Godley beaten.
Steven Grelli’s free kick in injury time went just over the crossbar, but it mattered little as the whistle was blown and MetroStars could celebrate winning their third Super League championship.
Tony Hatzis was awarded the Official Man of the Match award, with Godley and Mitris also impressive for MetroStars. Halliday, Paul Blefari and Jonathan Negus were Adelaide City’s top trio.
MetroStars 1 (Michael Matricciani) v Adelaide City 0 (HT 1-0)
Referee: Daniel Goodwin
Assistants: Curtis Wordsworth, Daniel Faulkner
Fourth Official: Regis Queffelec
Official Man of the match: Tony Hatzis (MetroStars)
MetroStars: 20. Daniel GODLEY, 5. Lee ROBERTSON (C), 6. Tony HATZIS, 7. Michael D’ALOISIO, , 9. Steven GRELLI, 10. Andrew CIARLA, (8. Rocky CALLISTO 72’), 11. Scott TUNBRIDGE, 14. James YONG (2. David MENECHELLA 89’), 15. Michael MATRICCIANI (18. Joseph CRESCITELLI 80’) 21. Adam VAN DOMMELE, 23. Perry MITRIS
Substitutes not used: 17. Michael RENDE (RGK), 19. Francesco MONTEROSSO
Best: Tony Hatzis, Daniel Godley, Perry Mitris
Adelaide City: 1. Luke OSTBYE, 3. Alex Sunasky, 5. Matthew Halliday, 6. Matthew Mullen, 7. Joel Allwright, 8. Paul Blefari, 10. Jonathan Negus, 11. Nicholas Bucco (14. Paul Radice 77’) 12. Pat DeRuvo (4. Tom Guttormsen 46’) 21. Ricardo Da Silva, 23. Nicky Budin (C)
Substitutes not used: 9. Anthony Costa, 18. Joe Costa, 20. Fabian Garuccio (RGK)
Best: Matthew Halliday, Paul Blefari, Jonathan Negus
Reserves: MetroStars 1 (Parente) v Adelaide City 2 (Rice, Alexandropoulos)
U19: Adelaide Blue Eagles 1 (Altundag) v Adelaide City 2 (Portolesi, Mori)
Collegiate League Super Cup
Sacred Heart 2 v Adelaide University White 0
