FFA Cup: Canberra Olympic gunning for biggest win in club history in Perth

Canberra Olympic gunning for biggest win in club history against Sorrento FC away in the FFA Cup round of 32 on Wednesday.
Canberra Olympic gunning for biggest win in club history against Sorrento FC away in the FFA Cup round of 32 on Wednesday. Photo: Getty Images
Canberra Olympic's fairytale FFA Cup run into a semi-final against A-League powerhouse Sydney FC last season may have been the biggest game in the club's history.

But coach Frank Cachia says a round of 32 victory against Sorrento FC in Perth on Wednesday will mark the biggest win in club history.

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Olympic are hitting the road for the first time in the Cup after hosting all four games last season, including their 3-0 loss against Sydney at a packed Viking Park.

"The Sydney FC game was the biggest game in the club's history but if we walk away with a win on Wednesday night it'll be the biggest win in the club's history," Cachia said.

"It's a big feat just to make that final 32 and having to beat everyone here in Canberra, but to go to WA and beat a team in their own backyard to reach the round of 16, I can't imagine a bigger win in the club's history."

Cachia emphasised there's a long way to go before a repeat of last season's heroics, but remains confident his men can once again capture the imagination of the Canberra public.

"How good are we on our best day? I hope we would be up there with the top NPL clubs in Australia. If we play to our potential for 90 minutes on Wednesday then I don't see why we can't be looking beyond the round of 32," Cachia said.

"But you can play your best game and depending how good the opposition is you can still lose, I thought we were tremendous against Sydney FC but they were obviously better than us.

"We had a great run last year and we're proud of representing Canberra because they're all born and bred Canberra boys, there's no international visa players within our group.

"We take a lot of pride in going out and having that Canberra in front our name and representing the sides that haven't made it."

Cachia was disappointed his men were denied a final hit-out after the FFA Centre of Excellence pulled out of their NPL Capital Football round 14 clash on Sunday.

The Olympic coach said they've done everything within their control to prepare for the tough away fixture and believes his men can snatch victory as the underdog.

"The COE sent through a request citing player unavailability and we would have preferred to have a game on the weekend but with them pulling out we had an intra-club game and we're ready to go," Cachia said.

"We're going into it largely unknown because of the travel factor and they'll be going in as favourites in their own backyard, but we know we've got ability within the squad and we're confident we can put in a good performance.

"We played in NPL finals last year against Brisbane which is furthest we've gone as a unit, so I guess we won't know how the boys will handle this much travel until we get there."

FFA Cup Round of 32

Canberra Olympic v Sorrento FC at Percy Doyle Reserve at 8:30pm AEST

http://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/ffa-cup-aleague-champions-sydney-fc-taking-nothing-for-granted-against-darwin-rovers/news-story/d14a6f64b4cbe7a4aa0b77a37a00ee53

Heidelberg United shoots for FFA Cup Round of 32 boilover against A-League outfit Perth Glory

TWO years ago, Heidelberg United welcomed the midfielder who would become the record signing for an Australian player to Olympic Village.

Socceroo Aaron Mooy’s meteoric rise included a hat-trick in September, 2015, as Melbourne City bundled Heidelberg out of the FFA Cup at the quarter-final stage.

George Katsakis’ side is preparing for a similar challenge when it confronts Perth Glory on August 1 after qualifying for the Round of 32 again.

The Heidelberg United boss declared his team would not change its style to combat Perth’s attacking threats, which include Johnny Warren medallist Diego Castro, Irish striker Andy Keogh and seven-time Socceroo Adam Taggart.

“There’s going to be some key players we need to be mindful of … but we are not going to change much,” Katsakis said.

“We are a team that likes to play forward football, get into the attacking third often and we are going to look at sticking to that.

“Hopefully we can keep a couple of their key players quiet and it will give us every opportunity.”


Aaron Mooy clashes with Jack Petrie during their FFA Cup clash in 2015. Picture: George Salpigtidis.
Heidelberg is confident key duo Steven Pace and Harry Noon (both hamstring) will be fit for the clash, while Josh Wilkins (collarbone) faces a fitness test.

Katsakis said the club hoped at least 5000 spectators would turn out to cheer them on as they strive to replicate Green Gully and Queensland outfit Redlands United by knocking out A-League opposition.

“They are probably underdone, in the early stages of their pre-season,” he said.

“(But) they are an A-League outfit, they are going to be very experienced.

“It is going to be a tough gig, but this is probably the right time to get them.”


Diego Castro shapes as a danger man for Perth Glory. Picture: Getty Images.
He said the gulf between A-League clubs and NPL teams was closing as debate surrounding a national second tier heats up.

“I definitely feel all those things, taken into consideration, should promise a tight and really good game,” he said.

The club has ordered 600kg of meat for its famous souvlakis in preparation for a bumper crowd on an occasion Katsakis said they would take “really seriously”.

“Hopefully we can keep a couple of their key players quiet and it will give us every opportunity,” he said.

The Round of 32 fixture is on Tuesday, August 1. Kick-off is 7.30pm.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/sport/heidelberg-united-shoots-for-ffa-cup-round-of-32-boilover-against-aleague-outfit-perth-glory/news-story/5a5a20e85ebf83494152f929fb53fb6c

Getting keen!

I'm heading to Hills v Hakoah at Blacktown on Wednesday. Not expecting a massive crowd but should be a good game (hopefully)

Over the weekend Hills United lost 4-1 to Mt Druitt while Hakoah dre 1-1 to Sydney FC (NPL), not great results however both sides possibly resting players. Hakoah should be too strong.

Bankstown Berries beat CCM (NPL) 2-0 to continue a good run of form over the last month or so, will be a close game I feel against Metrostars, I'll be heading out to Jensen, looking forward to it.

Tinpot

has ordered 600kg of meat for its famous souvlakis in preparation for a bumper crowd on an occasion Katsakis said they would take “really seriously”.

That's only 333 grams per patron

Ladies portion on Mykonos

The odds are up now. Only H2H betting so far tho

Does anyone have the link for the tipping comp?

Robbie Striker - http://www.robbiestriker.com.au/tipping/menu.php?comp=ffacup17
The Clean Sheet: - https://www.faceyoursfears.com/games/2017FFACUPTCS/tip.html

Olympia Warriors hoping to draw on experience ahead of FFA Cup tie

TWO years after Olympia Warriors last played on the national stage, midfielder Nick Mearns hopes to draw on the experience as he prepares for the club’s first FFA Cup match.

The Warriors take on NSW outfit APIA Leichhardt Tigers at KGV in the Round of 32 next Tuesday, having qualified for the FFA Cup by winning this year’s Lakoseljac Cup.

Olympia stunned Victorian NPL giant South Melbourne in the 2015 National Premier Leagues elimination final, beating it 2-1 at its home ground.

Mearns, 22, is one of only a couple of players still at Olympia who played in that match, but said the experience gave him confidence.

“We [also] beat Port Melbourne earlier in the year. It wasn’t their full-strength team but we have beaten mainland teams before, so it’s doable. And hopefully it’s a cold night down here, they won’t be used to that,” Mearns said.

“We know we’re not going to have the ball for the majority of the time. We’re probably going to have to conserve our energy and try to defend a bit more.”

http://www.themercury.com.au/sport/olympia-warriors-hoping-to-draw-on-experience-ahead-of-ffa-cup-tie/news-story/0db847d71e5f524bd52198047128df2b

Australia's oldest football club returns to national stage with FFA Cup

Rewriting history: Bankstown Berries - Canterbury-Marrickville's new moniker - will emerge from the shadows to host ...
Rewriting history: Bankstown Berries - Canterbury-Marrickville's new moniker - will emerge from the shadows to host MetroStars from South Australia in the FFA Cup. Photo: George Loupis
The names engraved on the trophies at The Crest Sporting Complex in Bankstown look barely recognisable to their current owners. They bare the names of Johnny Warren, Leopold Baumgartner and Johnny Watkiss and are wrapped with the infamous blue and yellow ribbons of the "Canterbury Babes".

Since their heyday in the late 1950s and early 60s, Canterbury-Marrickville has been rebranded, relocated and, for the most part, been removed from sight. However, their history was never broken and the oldest and longest-running football club in Australia will make its return to the national football on Wednesday night.

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Bankstown Berries – Canterbury-Marrickville's new moniker – will emerge from the shadows to host MetroStars from South Australia in the FFA Cup. It will be the first time in 31 years the club has participated in a national competition.

In their previous life, the Berries were Australia's best football factory. They gave the likes of Warren and Watkiss their first chance at the top, as well as eventual Socceroos Ron Corry, Graham Arnold and Zlatko Arambasic. Australian captain Charlie Yankos, Peter Kathalos eventually joined their ranks while one of the greatest imports to play on our shores, Baumgartner, was one of their most famous players. Most importantly, Corry says, was the immense support Canterbury-Marrickville yielded as a giant of suburban sport.

Johnny Warren got his start at Canterbury-Marrickville – now the Bankstown Berries.
Johnny Warren got his start at Canterbury-Marrickville – now the Bankstown Berries. Photo: Getty Images
"At Arlington Oval, you couldn't get in. They used to host 10,000 people every week," Corry said.

The former goalkeeper grew up in Lakemba and only had ambitions to play for the Berries.

Fond memories: Former Socceroo goalkeeper Ron Corry grew up in the area.
Fond memories: Former Socceroo goalkeeper Ron Corry grew up in the area. Photo: Jeff de Pasquale
"It was a family there. I grew up in the area, always played in the area and all I wanted to do was play for Canterbury."

In an era of uncertainty for Australian football where teams were forming breakaway leagues and foreign players came flooding in, Canterbury showed complete faith in their own players. Instead of bringing in ageing Europeans and those looking for a better life post World War II, they blooded youngsters into the first team and reaped the rewards.


They won four NSW first division titles, three of which were during the years of their youthful "Babes" side between 1957 and 1960. While the club is in a different state to its glory days, it will find some courage in its past feats in the knockout competition, winning two Federation Cups.

After being renamed Canterbury-Marrickville Olympic, their ill-fated 1986 National Soccer League season was met with relegation. It sparked the end of their life at the summit of Australian football and began their life in the lower-tier state competitions.

The club underwent several identity changes, one strengthening its connection with the Greek community before all-but abandoning it. It moved from Dulwich Hill to Lidcombe and then Olympic Park in the early 2000s. They rebranded themselves as West Sydney Berries (the moniker a homage to Canterbury) in an attempt to find a new fan base and meet new club requirements. It was made to strengthen the game's presence in Western Sydney with the lofty ambitions of one day landing a licence for a team in the newly formed A-League.

"The club needed to adapt to survive," club director Bill Gotsis said.

And so the club has returned closer to its spiritual home and accepted its previous role as a development club of Sydney youth. The Berries will play the MetroStars at Jensen Park where the attendance will pale in comparison of the thousands that flocked to Arlington in previous years, but the significance isn't lost on the club's hierarchy.

"The club's very excited about it. We've done so well to get there but also it's big for the whole community of Bankstown," Gotsis said.

The evolution of the domestic game killed many suburban clubs but the Berries are going back to their old ethos to forge stars like those in their past. On Wednesday, they hope to show-off their next batch of "babes".

"We've still got [the club's] heritage but it's just different now," Gotsis said. "The club's evolved from that previous criteria. It's a multicultural club again, not just a Greek club ... we're a representative club for our area again."

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/australias-oldest-football-club-returns-to-national-stage-with-ffa-cup-20170725-gxigld.html

South Melbourne treating FFA Cup tie like their A-League debut

South Melbourne celebrate a goal against Dandenong City in an early round. Picture: Tony Gough
South Melbourne celebrate a goal against Dandenong City in an early round. Picture: Tony Gough
Ambitious outsiders South Melbourne are treating tonight’s FFA Cup tie as if it’s their opening night in the A-League.

In the fourth year of the popular competition, Australia’s biggest club outside of the national league finally has a home tie and they’re determined to put on a show.

South Melbourne — named by FIFA as Oceania’s club of the 20th century — host Newcastle-based Edgeworth Eagles at Lakeside Stadium. It’s a big occasion for the Victorian NPL leaders, who are keen applicants to join the A-League during its next expansion phase.

The match will be shown by Fox Sports and club president Leo Athanasakis said his club was out to make the best impression. “This is a prelim for us for bigger and better things. We’ve got to look, smell, feel and act like an A-League club,” he said.

“We’re on the national stage. We’ve got to put our best foot forward in terms of our display on the park and off. There’ll be a lot of people looking on.”

South have reached only one of the three FFA Cup tournaments — losing in the round of 32 against Palm Beach on penalties in 2015.

They almost missed out again this year. The Victorian giants were 4-1 down to Dandenong City in the final preliminary round after 80 minutes before pulling out a remarkable 5-4 win.

A-League bid chairman Bill Papastergiadis said the occasion had “enormous significance”.

“A club with a rich history like South Melbourne can’t be defined by a single game but we don’t for one moment underestimate tomorrow night’s match,” he said. “The FFA Cup is the most important cup in domestic football. It’s united the game.

“Edgeworth will be treated with hospitality off the field. On the field we’re going to fight until the very end.”

A whopping 735 clubs participated in this year’s tournament, which has been whittled down to 32 clubs — including the 10 A-League sides — through preliminary rounds. Grassroots Sydney-based clubs Hills Brumbies and Bankstown Berries host Hakoah Sydney City East and Adelaide-based MetroStars respectively. Sorrento will also play Canberra Olympic in Perth

Three other matches will take place tonight as teams look to reach the final 16.

AAP

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/football/south-melbourne-treating-ffa-cup-tie-like-their-aleague-debut/news-story/1ff6aa845e13c0896094dcad769610fd

McBreen out to strike back again for Eagles | Newcastle Herald

FFA Cup: Daniel McBreen welcomes South Melbourne challenge as Edgeworth eye greatest win

Craig Kerry
25 Jul 2017, 5 p.m.

hahahahahaha imagine the scenes if South Melbourne lose tonight

Get the popcorn ready.

Seats in the stand cost $20.

This is a Tasmanian first. I'll be buying one.

Unfortunately Sklenar, Olympia's prolific striker, is currently injured and looks doubtful for the game.

Well done.

Does anyone now which games with be televised? I know SM v Edgeworth is on tonight but what about next week?

Games on Fox Sports are:

Wednesday 26 July
8:00pm – South Melbourne vs Edgeworth Eagles @ Lakeside Stadium

Tuesday 01 August
7:30pm – Heidelberg United vs Perth Glory @ Olympic Village 

Wednesday 02 August
7:30pm – Blacktown City vs Central Coast Mariners @ Lily’s Football Centre 

Wednesday 09 August
7:30pm – Hume City vs Bentleigh Greens @ ABD Stadium

Blacktown v CCM is going to be a cracker, shame its on the same time as Darwin v Sydney.

Are there any streams?

BT not showing and bet365 not showing and cant access Foxtel outside of Australia

Youtube.

South to win
Sorrento Canberra draw
Hakoah to win
Bankstown Metro Stars draw

Paying $33 on Sportsbet

cheers will check

kek massive crowd down lakeside. 

why does south melbourne (the biggest best club in australia) according to their board have so many empty seats and some weird active group singing in greek when their families have been living here since the 50's? 

why are they playing at some running track????? i thought their ceo said that they have the best stadium for football in australia lol

South Melbourne myth debunked?

.