Three-way fight to take title
Football West News
ECU Joondalup, Floreat Athena and Cockburn City are in contention to win the 2020 title. Photos by Peter Simcox and FotoEnzo
The NPLWA Men’s competition will be decided on Saturday with three sides still in the running to be crowned champions.
Floreat Athena hold the upper hand, knowing a win over Cockburn City will guarantee them the title. Anything less and ECU Joondalup can finish top with three points against Sorrento.
And waiting in the wings are Cockburn, who can rain on Floreat’s parade and even have a party of their own if ECU slip up and they win.
So while Athena will start the final day as favourites, nothing can be taken for granted in a competition that specialises in final-day twists.
Vas Vujicic’s side lost their first post-split game in stoppage time to Sorrento, needed a last-minute winner to defeat ECU then left it even later to get past Armadale. At least last week’s 3-0 win at Gwelup was seen out in relative comfort.
“It’s a tough ‘finals’ series which doesn’t leave much room for error,” the Floreat head coach said. “ECU did us a favour last week (beating Cockburn) and now we have to take advantage.
“With such a short series it was going to be to be difficult to get back in this position. But it’s one of my favourite things about the boys, they never throw in the towel.”
Vujicic admitted there is much anticipation at E&D Litis Stadium at the prospect of a first top-flight title in 13 years.
“Yes, we’re pretty excited and not too nervous,” he said. “It’s been a long time since we actually won it so it’s a big deal for us. And we’ve recently signed a new lease on our ground, so this would top it off nicely.”
A fascinating sub-plot in the ECU-Sorrento clash is the race for the Golden Boot, with opposing strikers Danny Hodgson and Cameron Teece tied on 15 goals, two ahead of Armadale’s Angel Andres Rivera.
A hat-trick from Andres Rivera buried Sorrento’s title ambitions last week and he will be hoping to put himself in the frame with Teece and Hodgson when Armadale visit Gwelup Croatia on Saturday.
Meanwhile Perth SC will qualify for the end-of-season finals with a point at Perth Glory, short of Inglewood running up a near double-figure win over Bayswater City.
Balcatta and Rockingham City meet at Grindleford Reserve.
If you can't get to any of Saturday's matches then they will be live streamed on Football West's YouTube and Facebook pages.
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