Round 13 Preview – NPL NSW Men’s
Round 13 Preview – NPL NSW Men’s
25 April , 2023 By Football NSW
Round 12 of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men provided a set of enthralling matches as some new teams began to pick up form.
There are plenty of exciting matches in round 13, so here’s what’s coming up.
Sydney FC v APIA Leichhardt FC
7:30 pm, Friday 28 April, Valentine Sports Park
To start the round on Friday night, Sydney FC host APIA Leichhardt at Valentine Sports Park, with the hosts needing to rectify two defeats on the bounce.
The Sky Blues were edged out by rivals Western Sydney Wanderers in round 12 in their second narrow 1-0 defeat in a row.
Jimmy van Weeren’s team stays in sixth, but the gap to their opponents in first is now nine points meaning they need to start picking up wins to keep in touch with the top places.
This weekend presents Sydney FC with the perfect opportunity to push back up the table, however, they’d have to end APIA’s 12-game unbeaten run in the competition.
Four straight wins for Franco Parisi’s team has seen them fly to the summit of the NPL NSW, now three points clear of the next closest side.
The side triumphed convincingly 3-0 against Sydney Olympic in the Festival of Football last weekend with three second-half goals doing the damage.
Jack Armson opened the scoring just before the hour mark and then a Sean Symons brace added further gloss to the performance.
This is a fascinating match to start the round with both teams vying for a crucial three points.
NWS Spirit FC v Rockdale Ilinden FC
5:30 pm, Saturday 29 April, Christie Park
Rockdale Ilinden travel to Christie Park to take on NWS Spirit on Saturday.
Ilinden suffered another disappointing defeat last weekend, losing 3-1 to Central Coast Mariners.
Three defeats in a row have dropped the side to third on the table, now four points away from APIA in first.
Less than two weeks ago, Paul Dee’s men were five points clear at the top of the competition, demonstrating the fall from grace it has been over the past few matches.
Therefore, it is essential Rockdale earn a victory this Saturday to re-establish their credentials as a title-challenging outfit. They’ll need their go to man and skipper Alec Urosevski to lift for this tough encounter against the Spirit while it will be yet another big game for the club’s second keeper Ricardo Rizzo who has stepped in to fill the shoes of injured number David Bradasevic.
NWS Spirit put in another competitive performance in round 12 holding Sydney United 58 to a 2-2 draw.
The side took the lead twice in the match with Ollie Wiggin and Richard Darko each scoring, however, they were unable to hold on.
Spirit have now lost only one of their previous four matches and have picked up impressive results against competition challengers in that run.
David Perkovic’s team will be eager to claim another scalp on Saturday against the previous table-toppers.
This game is one not to miss with both teams desperate to take out the win and push up the table.
Sydney Olympic FC v Wollongong Wolves FC
6:30 pm, Saturday 29 April, Belmore Sports Ground
Sydney Olympic take on Wollongong Wolves on Saturday night at Belmore Sports Ground.
Olympic extended their winless run in the NPL NSW to three matches following a 3-0 defeat against APIA Leichhardt in the Festival of Football in round twelve.
Labinot Haliti’s team are eighth on the table after that one, now level on points with ninth-placed Sutherland and only two points ahead of the Wolves.
Wollongong were on the right end of a 3-0 scoreline getting up against Manly United.
Jake Trew, Lachlan Scott, and Christopher McStay all scored in the second half to secure the Wolves’ fourth win of 2023.
It pushed the team into 10th with a chance to move into the top half of the table with a victory.
These teams couldn’t be separated last season with two entertaining draws.
The sides played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in round four before a 1-1 draw in round fifteen.
This match promises to be an exciting clash with close encounters in previous meetings and not much between the teams on the table this time around.
Sutherland Sharks FC v St George City FC
6:30 pm, Saturday 29 April, Seymour Shaw
Sutherland Sharks host St George City in the local derby at Seymour Shaw on Saturday in another interesting clash.
Sutherland won their third match in a row in round 12 edging past Mount Druitt Town Rangers 2-1.
Two first-half goals from Alexander Brown and Chris Lindsay got the side on their way and they managed to hold out the Rangers in the second period to take the points.
The Sharks moved level on points with seventh-placed Blacktown City and would go level on points with their opponents in fifth with a win this weekend.
St George carried on their unbeaten streak staging a late comeback to draw 2-2 with Blacktown City.
They were 2-0 down heading into the final 15 minutes with Paolo Mitry and Maki Petratos both scoring to secure a dramatic point.
Mirko Jurilj’s team have not lost since round six as they continue to surprise the competition.
However, the side have drawn four of their last five matches which has seen them slip eight points behind league-leaders APIA Leichhardt.
Saturday’s match is one to keep an eye on with these two teams providing some of the most entertaining football in the NPL NSW so far in 2023.
Marconi Stallions FC v Mount Druitt Town Rangers FC
7:00 pm, Saturday 29 April, Marconi Stadium
Marconi Stallions face Mount Druitt Town Rangers on Saturday night at Marconi Stadium.
The Stallions won their fifth successive match in round twelve blasting past Bulls FC Academy 4-1.
Domenic Costanzo scored early before Justin Vidic bagged a brace, while Marko Jesic also got on the scoresheet.
That victory was an example of the attacking fluidity the side have shown so far in 2023 with plenty of goal threat across the team.
The Stallions have three players with at least five goals after twelve rounds which has been at the forefront of the team’s scoring quality.
Mount Druitt lost their eighth match in 2023 going down to Sutherland Sharks 2-1 last weekend.
After going into halftime 2-0 down, Will Harvey pulled a goal back with 20 minutes to play, but Stewart Montgomery’s team didn’t get back into the game.
With the sides around them at the foot of the table picking up victories in round 12, the Rangers fell to last.
Mount Druitt’s last victory came back in round seven, so they need to start winning again to avoid dropping too many points behind the teams nearest to them.
Marconi come into this one in great form, meaning they’ll be expected to win, but the Rangers will be eager to pick up the points as well.
Western Sydney Wanderers FC v Manly United FC
7:00 pm, Saturday 29 April, Wanderers Football Park
Western Sydney pulled off a monumental victory in the NPL NSW last Friday night edging past rivals Sydney FC 1-0.
Zachary Sapsford’s first-half goal snapped a five-game winless run and lifted the team two points clear of last.
It was also the team’s first clean sheet of 2023 after conceding 28 goals in their first 11 games.
Coach Andrew Christiansen will be keen for his side to carry on this form against a struggling Manly United on Saturday.
United copped another troubling defeat going down 3-0 to Wollongong Wolves last Saturday.
It was their fourth defeat in their last five matches, leaving them only five points above last.
Manly sit just three points ahead of Western Sydney, so if they were to lose, they would be dragged into the battle at the bottom.
Although Patrick Zwaanswijk’s team have a strong record against newly-promoted teams like the Wanderers in 2023.
In the first seven rounds, the side defeated St George City and NWS Spirit in back-to-back weeks.
Neither team will want to lose this weekend meaning there’s a lot on the line on Saturday night.
Blacktown City FC v Bulls FC Academy
3:00 pm, Sunday 30 April, Landen Stadium
Blacktown City play host to Bulls FC Academy on Sunday at Landen Stadium in an important game for the teams.
City failed to win again last Saturday giving up a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with St George City.
Charles Mendy and Nicholas O’Brien had the side 2-0 up heading into the final portion of the game before conceding in stoppage time to see two points dropped.
It leaves Blacktown with just a solitary win in their past five games and eleven points away from the top of the table.
The Bulls made it back-to-back wins in midweek earning a surprise victory over Rockdale Ilinden, getting up 2-1.
Mason Wells scored his third goal of the season to give the side a halftime lead before Ali Auglah found the net in the second half to secure the result.
Zeljko Kalac’s team lost at the weekend though, going down 4-1 to Marconi Stallions, but it won’t dampen a fantastic turnaround for the Bulls.
The side moved clear of Mount Druitt Town Rangers in sixteenth by two points.
They now have the chance to look towards the middle of the table with another three points on Sunday.
Both teams will want to win this game, setting up a thrilling matchup.
Central Coast Mariners FC v Sydney United 58 FC
3:00 pm, Sunday 30 April, Pluim Park
Central Coast Mariners and Sydney United 58 go head-to-head at Pluim Park on Sunday eager to earn valuable points at either end of the table.
Central Coast blew Rockdale Ilinden away last Sunday with a phenomenal first half.
Olayinka Sunmola, Lachlan Bayliss and Cameron Windust all scored by halftime in a crucial win for the Mariners.
It sees them into 13th, but still only a couple of points away from last.
The Mariners have found their scoring touch in recent weeks with six goals in the last three games.
Bayliss and Windust have been the main scoring threats for the team in this period.
United drew their second match in a row in a 2-2 stalemate against NWS Spirit.
Christopher Payne bagged a brace, scoring his first goals since round four and coach Miro Vlastelica will be hoping the striker can kick on now.
With many other teams at the top also struggling to win currently, United still sit in the top four and are now only three points away from Rockdale in third.
It is an intriguing contest on Sunday as these teams look to pick up some form and move closer to their respective aspirations.
Preview by Timothy Gibson, on Twitter @Timg123_