NPL Round 19 Preview
The National Premier Leagues action continues this weekend with Round 19 featuring another set of exciting match-ups right across Queensland.
Stay up to date with all the weekend’s fixtures in the weekly preview.
Queensland Academy of Sport (12th) v Brisbane Strikers (5th)
Thursday, 25th July 2013 – Perry Park, 7:30pm
Referee: Rebecca Durcau
Brisbane Strikers embark on a congested final month of fixtures this Thursday when they host Queensland Academy of Sport at Perry Park to kick off Round 19 of the National Premier Leagues.
The fifth-placed Strikers face six competitive games in four weeks as they seek to sure up a top four finish to the season; however, David Large’s side will first need to overcome an Academy outfit that has already bested them at the same venue earlier this year.
Academy’s Round 8 win over Strikers remains the youngsters’ only three points of the campaign – Abraham Yango and Sam Sibatuara scoring the goals in the 2-1 result.
Strikers are currently on a three match winning streak and are yet to drop a competition point in July. Meanwhile, QAS have lost seven straight and haven’t recorded a point since earning a draw with Moreton Bay Jets in late May.
Palm Beach Sharks (9th) v Brisbane City (2nd)
Saturday, 27th July 2013 – Mallawa Complex, 5:30pm
Referee: Alex King
Brisbane City will look to maintain their hold on second place this Saturday when they travel to the Gold Coast for the Round 19 feature showdown with Palm Beach Sharks at Mallawa Complex.
City returned to second with a 3-0 win over Queensland Academy of Sport last weekend, Glenn Volker’s side overcoming the departure of influential imports Eric Frazier and Thomas Shannon to return to winning form.
Palm Beach’s scheduled fixture with Redlands United was postponed due to wet weather. The extra week’s break meaning attacking threats Chris Lucas and Jarrod Kyle will be raring to get on the pitch for the hosts.
City prevailed 4-2 when these sides last met in a see-sawing Round 8 encounter at Spencer Park in May – City striker Antonio Murray netting a hat-trick in a match that saw both sides finish with ten men.
The clubs bring contrasting long-term form in to the fixture, with City losing only the once since April, while Palm Beach are winless since their late June win over Academy.
Northern Fury (7th) v Olympic FC (1st)
Saturday, 27th July 2013 – Townsville Sports Reserve, 6:00pm
Referee: Graham Buzzi
Olympic FC can seal the inaugural NPL Queensland league title on Saturday night when they travel to Townsville to face Northern Fury at Townsville Sports Reserve.
Olympic have lead the league all season and, depending on other results to Brisbane City and Redlands United, can secure the club’s first ever state league title with a win over Fury.
Also relying on other results are the hosts, who still cling to the mathematical possibility of qualifying for the end of season finals series if they can account for the league leaders – last week’s 2-0 loss to Sunshine Coast Fire leaving their finals hopes balanced on a knife’s edge.
Fury will also need to overturn a 5-3 margin to Olympic earlier this season and shut down the visitors known attacking threats – including exciting young winger Jai Ingham who returns to the Olympic eleven after being suspended for last Sunday’s 7-0 home rout of CQFC Energy.
FNQ FC Heat (10th) v Western Pride (8th)
Saturday, 27th July 2013 – Borzi Park, 7:30pm
Referee: Jason Crow
FNQ FC Heat return to Mareeba for the second straight week when they play host to Ipswich’s Western Pride at Borzi Park on Saturday night.
Heat’s home-away-from-home hasn’t been a happy playground for the Cairn’s-based side this season – the club falling 4-2 to Redlands United earlier in the year and 2-0 to Moreton Bay Jets last round at the same venue.
Pride come off their first loss in three weeks after falling 3-2 to Brisbane Strikers at Perry Park last round. And, despite being outside of finals calculations, continue to press for a top half finish to the season.
Pride accounted for Heat 3-0 when these sides met earlier in the year courtesy of a brace to Peter Drager and a penalty to Russell Woodruffe.
Heat will need to overturn a woeful defensive record if they are close down the Pride’s two main attacking threats, with the club yet to record a clean sheet this season.
Moreton Bay Jets (6th) v CQFC Energy (11th)
Saturday, 27th July 2013 – Wolter Park, 7:30pm
Referee: Matt Skinner
Moreton Bay Jets are hoping to keep the pressure on the NPL Queensland top four this Saturday night when they welcome strugglers CQFC Energy to Wolter Park.
The Jets kept their finals hopes alive with a solid 2-0 victory over FNQ FC Heat in Mareeba last weekend – the club’s first win in their last four outings – and will look to extend that form against a hapless Energy outfit.
Energy fell 7-0 to Olympic last Sunday in Brisbane in a result that saw both captain Jacob Crowley and coach Ray Wood dismissed for dissent and the club will be looking for cooler heads to prevail this weekend.
Jets won out in Rockhampton when these sides met earlier in the year – Michael McEvoy netting a brace in the hard fought 2-1 win.
Sunshine Coast Fire (4th) v Redlands United (3rd)
Sunday, 28th July 2013 – Sunshine Coast Stadium, 2:00pm
Referee: Adam Kersey
Sunshine Coast Fire and Redlands United will give football fans a preview of what awaits this September when the finals hopefuls meet at Sunshine Coast Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The teams played out a highly entertaining 3-3 draw in their last meeting in early May, and, with neither side guaranteed of finals football just yet, both sides will look to grab the impetus in the crucial fixture.
Both clubs come off the back of solid wins in their previous fixtures– Fire recording an impressive 2-0 margin over Northern Fury in Townsville last weekend, while Redlands ran rampant to knock five past QAS in their last outing two weeks ago.
Up front, Redlands will look to Jheison Macauce, Graham Fyfe and Rueben Way for spark in the attacking third – the trio scoring 40 goals between them this season.
Fire will counter with the rock solid defensive triumvirate of Greig Henslee, Ryan Smith and goalkeeper Antony Hall, who have lead their side to a league best nine clean sheets this season.
Words: Michael Flynn (Football Queensland)
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