NSW dominant at Futsal NationalsA huge summary of all the NSW teams at the 2012 FFA Nationals
Jan 15th
From Football NSW | By Mitchell Grima | Originally published 15/1/2012 | 321 views
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Football NSW continued its dominance of the FFA National Futsal Championships in recent years, claiming 13 titles from 17 age groups. NSW entered 34 teams overall, taking two teams in each division (Thunder and Lightning) to the tournament. NSW were the clear favourites to take a majority of the spoils in 2012 after taking out 14 titles at last year’s competition and all sides certainly lived up to the hype.
Both Thunder and Lightning outfits looked poised to claim silverware with 28 of the 34 teams qualifying for the semi finals. Grand Final day was aflutter with excitement and unbelievable skill with all players keen to prove why they are among the best futsal players in the country. Five of the penultimate games pitted NSW Thunder against Lightning, proving a testament to the high quality of futsal players that this state continues to produce.
Under 11 boys Grand Final – NSW Thunder defeated NSW Lightning 6-4
It was a tight encounter in the Under 11 boys match with both sides looking intent on attacking from the outset. It was NSW Lightning who took an early lead when Sungwon Kim’s shot was deflected, leaving the Thunder goalkeeper helpless. The game then turned in Thunder’s favour with two quick goals from Martin Fernandez and James Tsokos gifting the Sky Blue side with a 2-1 lead. Lightning were sure to not let their NSW counterparts slip away and they hit back with a routine back post pass finished off by Tallon Zahra. In an end-to-end encounter, the result looked too close to decide when Martin Fernandez tucked away his second goal of the match to give Thunder a 3-2 advantage. But just when his side looked down and out, NSW Lightning player Tallon Zahra rocketed his second goal into the top corner to send the match into extra time. But there was little more to cheer about for the Lightning as Martin Fernandez snared a hat trick and added another goal to help Thunder take out the Championship 6-4.
NSW Thunder 6 (Martin Fernandez 4, James Tsokos, Aaron Nissirios) def. NSW Lightning 4 (Tallon Zahra 2, Sungwon Kim, Rocco Chisari)
Under 11 girls Grand Final – NSW Thunder defeated NSW Lightning 1-1 (3-1 penalties)
In another all-NSW affair, it was the Thunder who prevailed to be crowned Under 11 girls national champions. The girls in blue looked dangerous from kick-off and Stephanie Gordan gave them an early lead with a solid shot from outside the D. The Thunder then took control of the match and only some brilliant reflexes from the Lightning goalkeeper kept the score line at 1-0. After the break, Thunder continued to pepper the opposition goal and were denied by the woodwork on two occasions.
Those close shaves spurred the Lightning into action and they hit back through remarkable talent Monique Holder who was crowned player of the match and player of the tournament.
Neither side looked like giving up and both NSW goalkeepers held their own, taking the match into extra time. A dreaded penalty shootout was on the cards after scores remained locked at 1-1. Both keepers were in fine form but it was NSW Thunder who converted their chances and escaped 3-1 victors after penalties.
NSW Thunder 1 (Stephanie Gordan) def. NSW Lightning 1 (Monique Holder)
Under 12 boys Grand Final – NSW Thunder defeated by Queensland 2-5
Queensland took bragging rights from their Under 12 boys Grand Final clash with NSW Thunder in a dominant display. Thunder held much of the early possession but were unable to penetrate the opposition goal. The game’s tempo lifted up a notch when Queensland number 7 Fraser Williams found a narrow gap to convert a powerful free kick.
NSW then hit back through Justin Wilkin who finished off a well-rehearsed back post move. Both goalkeepers were continuously tested and Queensland earned a one-goal buffer at half time with a shot from close range.
Queensland came out a different side in the second half with player of the match Fraser Williams grabbing a second and Joshua Nisbett wreaking havoc through the NSW defence to give the boys in maroon a 5-2 lead on their way to the national title.
NSW Thunder 2 (Justin Wilkin 2) lost to. Queensland 5 (Lachlan Weier, Jack Stankov, Fraser Williams 2, Jordan Tucker)
Under 12 girls Grand Final – NSW Thunder defeated NSW Lightning 5-3
NSW Thunder grabbed its third title of the day with a hard fought win over fellow NSW side Lightning. A relentless period of attack helped the Thunder race out to an early 3-0 lead thanks to goals from Princess Ibini-Isei, Cassidy Chidgey and Tamara Soto.
A half-time pep talk worked wonders for Lightning who clawed two goals back to move within one goal of Thunder. Both sides proved worthy of a position in the final and it seemed Lightning were able to match anything Thunder could throw at them. Thunder restored their two-goal lead but it was cut back yet again to provide a tense final period. Thunder ultimately proved too strong for Lightning as they rounded off the match 5-3.
NSW Thunder 5 (Cassidy Chidgey 2, Princess Ibini-Isei, Tamara Soto, Genevieve Tucker) def. NSW Lightning 3 (Georgia Manos, Dimity Antonis, Marissa Kassapakis)
Under 13 boys Grand Final – NSW Thunder defeated ACT Cobras 5-4
NSW Thunder and ACT Cobras played out an enthralling match in the Under 13 boys Grand Final. The lead changed four times throughout the forty minutes before Thunder were crowned champions.
ACT took an early lead through Grant Barlow who pounced on a rebound off the NSW ‘keeper. Mario Shabow then equalised for the Thunder, polishing off a solid passage of passing. It was then the ACT’s turn to find the net and they did it in style as Christopher Kazolis belted a free kick into the top corner to give the Cobras a 2-1 lead.
A crafty one-two pass helped Thunder restore parity right on half time through Jordan Pyne. The second half provided just as much excitement as the first with the crowd adding to the atmosphere. NSW found a breakthrough as Mario Shabow slotted home his second goal of the match.
That goal reignited the Cobras’ fight and they found momentum through David Carder who netted two goals in quick succession to give the ACT boys a 4-3 lead.
Thunder didn’t panic and found a way through the Cobras defence with Jordan Pyne firing a low shot into the back of the net. Just as the match looked destined for extra time, Jordan Pyne cleaned up the scraps on the goal line to earn his hat trick and give NSW Thunder the national title.
NSW Thunder 5 (Jordan Pyne 3, Mario Shabow 2) def. ACT Cobras 4 (David Carder 2, Christopher Kazolis, Tully Keegan)
Under 13 girls Grand Final – NSW Thunder defeated ACT Cobras 1-0
There was little to separate NSW Thunder and Victoria in the Under 13 girls Grand Final and the score line is a rightful indication of the battle these two sides played out.
Both keepers were tested throughout the first half and stood tall against the barrage of attacks. Thunder and Victoria looked frustrated up front and it wasn’t until the second half that Thunder were able to grab an advantage through Shannon Wilcox.
The well-taken goal proved to be enough to seal the game for NSW as they held of a series of late Victorian attacks to claim the championship.
NSW Thunder 1 (Shannon Wilcox) def. ACT Cobras 0
Under 14 boys Grand Final – NSW Thunder defeated ACT Cobras 5-2
NSW Thunder Under 14 boys could have been forgiven for feeling a sense of déjà vu when they heard the full time whistle go in their clash with the ACT Cobras. It was exactly 12 months since their coach and most of the team claimed the national title as the Under 13 boys and their dominance in this year’s final showed why they have gone back-to-back.
It was the Cobras who took the lead early on and they looked to put up a valiant fight. With the ball moving fluently from end to end, Thunder played simple at the back and waited for a breakthrough. That came through man of the match Alusine Fofanah who levelled things at 1-1 before Martin Lo added a second for NSW right on half time.
ACT came out with all guns blazing in the second half and looked promising in attack until Alusine Fofanah buried the match with two quick top class strikes. Michael Loupis made it 5-1 for Thunder before Cobras grabbed a late consolation through Brady Nixon.
NSW Thunder 5 (Alusine Fofanah 3, Michael Loupis, Martin Lo) def. ACT Cobras 2 (Raed Abdu, Brady Nixon)
Under 14 girls Grand Final – NSW Lightning defeated by Victoria 2-4
Victoria’s Under 14 girls side look to avenge the earlier defeat of their Under 13 compatriots and there was an obvious focus on striking early. The Victorians piled on the pressure and were justly rewarded with a spectacular 3-0 lead.
A brace from Emma Heckenberg and a third from Madeline Stockdale gave the Victorians some room to breathe at the half time break. NSW returned from the break with a new attitude and were denied by the opposition goalkeeper on a number of occasions before they received a fortunate break thanks to a Victorian own goal.
As the game looked to be slipping away from the Thunder, Sarah Philipson gave the NSW side some hope, cutting the deficit to 3-2. The goal provided some tense moments in the dying stages but Victoria’s Daniela Gudelj buried the match with a spectacular turn and volley. Victoria were crowned national champions as the match ended 4-2.
NSW Lightning 2 (Own goal, Sarah Philipson) def by. Victoria 4 (Emma Heckenberg 2, Daniela Gudelj, Madeline Stockdale)
Under 15 girls Grand Final – NSW Thunder defeated by NSW Lightning 3-4
NSW Thunder and NSW Lightning resumed their rivalry in the Under 15 girls Grand Final in what was a seesawing affair. Possession was more crucial than ever before and both sides proved capable of making chances every time they won the ball.
To the surprise of many, NSW Lightning grabbed an early two-goal lead. Georgia Klapos turned in a rebound for the opener before Most Valuable Player Samantha Scarlato added a second for Lightning.
Thunder refused to surrender and a deft chip from Lisa Meduri swung momentum in their favour. A cracking shot from Zoe Zaczek allowed Thunder to equalise before half time, but before the whistle sounded for the break Lightning earned a 3-2 advantage thanks to a well-placed finish from Georgia Busuttil.
The second half provided a series of highlights and when Amy Dahdah added Thunder’s third, the championship was well and truly up for grabs. But a resounding Georgia Klapos finish from the penalty spot sealed the victory for Lightning.
NSW Thunder 3 (Lisa Meduri, Zoe Zaczek, Amy Dahdah) def by. NSW Lightning 4 (Samantha Scarlato, Georgia Busuttil, Georgia Klapos 2)
Action from 15 Girls Grand Final at the 2012 FFA Nationals. Photo by Damian Briggs.
Under 15 boys Grand Final – NSW Thunder defeated ACT Cobras 3-1
It took three of the best for NSW Thunder to record its seventh victory of the day as the Under 15 boys proved their mettle against the ACT Cobras. The Cobras were unable to record a win from their third match of the day but they made sure they had Thunder in their sights for the whole game.
NSW front man Robert Perre took advantage of some sloppy play near the ACT goalmouth to hand his side an early 1-0 lead. But less than a minute later, the Cobras stamped their intentions with some solid build-up play finished off by Sean O’Neill to even the ledger.
NSW kept to their own style which proved effective soon after as Robert Perre netted his second goal of the match with a crafty shot through the ACT goalkeeper’s legs. ACT gritted their teeth and kept in the encounter until Perre completed his hat trick in the second half to give NSW an unassailable lead.
NSW Thunder 3 (Robert Perre 3) def. ACT Cobras 1 (Sean O’Neill)
Under 16 Girls Grand Final – NSW Thunder defeated Queensland 5-2
A 50-strong crowd of cheering Queenslanders wasn’t enough to prevent NSW Thunder Under 16 girls from taking out the national championship. Thunder kicked off proceedings, signalling their intentions from the start and grabbing a one-goal lead for their efforts.
Queensland’s captain Natalie Tathem then broke through and delicately placed a chip over the NSW keeper to level the score. It was then the maroon girls who took the lead, however, they were pegged back quickly by Thunder who took control of the match from there.
Kiara Farquhar peeled off from her defender on the line to give NSW the lead before Jessica Elliott and Jessica Dominello capitalised on the lead to close out the match in style.
NSW Thunder 5 (Kiara Farquhar, Jessica Elliot 2, Jessica Dominello 2) def. Queensland 2 (Natalie Tathem, Shannon Tathem)
Under 16 boys Grand Final – NSW Thunder defeated ACT Cobras 6-0
NSW Thunder Under 16 boys resounding victory over the ACT Cobras helped the side become one of the few teams to complete the tournament undefeated. Remnants of last year’s Under 15’s championship side were evident and the Thunder definitely turned up for the occasion.
NSW faced a Cobras side who looked very strong through the group stages, but the score line was very different to the 2-2 draw the two sides shared in round two. It took just two minutes for NSW attacker Daniel Araujo to break through the ACT defence and take his side to a 1-0 lead.
NSW then held onto possession patiently, relegating ACT’s only real threat to a counter-attack. NSW doubled their advantage just five minutes after the first goal when Daniel Fornito drew in the opposition goalkeeper and offloaded to Zac Ribeiro for an easy finish.
The Cobras’ best chance came in the second half when a long ball in the air was met well on the volley but parried away by the NSW ‘keeper. It didn’t take long for the floodgates to open as Zac Ribeiro and Daniel Araujo both sealed a brace.
ACT were left with no chance but to use the fifth man option, putting an extra man on the field and leaving the goals unmanned. That decision proved costly with NSW gladly sending another two goals into the open net.
NSW Thunder 6 (Daniel Araujo 2, Zac Ribeiro 2, Shannon Fielding, Daniel Fornito) def. Act Cobras 0
Youth Men Grand Final – NSW Thunder defeated by NSW Lightning 3-3 (4-5 penalties)
Jubilation, heartbreak and passion-the Youth Men’s final had it all. The match pitted the tournament’s two best sides pitted against one another, resulting in another all-NSW final. It was Thunder who gained the early ascendancy, striking after just 45 seconds for a 1-0 lead. After a number of raids on goal, it took 15 minutes for the Thunder to find the target when their keeper lobbed the ball up field before it was knocked back and belted in by a stunning volley.
Lightning were eager to take something to the break and when Sam Perre fired in a free kick to make things 2-1, they looked content with a one-goal deficit. But they had one more trick up their sleeves before the half time whistle was blown. Perre drew in the Thunder goalkeeper and drifted a pass across goal which was easily tucked away to level the scores 2-2.
There were a number of strong tackles and clear chances in the second half but neither side was able to break the deadlock. Thunder restored their advantage in the first period of extra time and looked certain victors before committing their sixth team foul right on the buzzer. Sam Perre easily converted the 10 meter penalty to guide Lightning to a penalty shootout with the last kick of the match.
It took eight successful penalties before a result was on the cards and when the Lightning ‘keeper got down low to save a Thunder penalty and his side converted the last kick, the bench erupted.
After the match, Sam Perre reflected on the pressure he felt taking the penalty in extra time.
“I was pretty scared, I just knew I had to slot it for my team and I did what I had to do,” he said.
“We came in as under dogs and we weren’t expected to win so it was a good result.”
Action from the Youth Men Grand Final at the 2012 FFA Nationals. Photo by Damian Briggs.
Youth Women Grand Final – NSW Thunder defeated by ACT Cobras 0-1
ACT Cobras’ Youth Women had 12 months to lament last year’s narrow Grand Final loss to NSW Thunder and they finally have something to cheer about. The Thunder women looked convincing throughout the tournament, escaping the group stages undefeated after netting 26 goals in 5 games. The final was always going to be a scintillating one with the Cobras also breezing past the opposition and the two sides sharing a point in a 3-3 draw in round four of the tournament.
Thunder looked eager to defend their title and attacked with real poise to threaten the Cobras’ goal on a number of occasions. But the hosts never looked like the game was going to get away from them and they remained solid in defence while ensuring NSW were kept on their toes.
As the clock ticked over, nerves grew and it was possible that any shot on goal could have been enough to seal the match. Both sides held firm and rightly pushed the game into extra time, which tested the match fitness of all players. It was the ACT outfit who escaped with the spoils, firing a dramatic goal into the NSW goal to give the Cobras their only title of the championship.
ACT Cobras 1 (Erin Clout) def. NSW Thunder 0
Open Men Grand Final – NSW Thunder defeated ACT Cobras 3-1
NSW Thunder Open Men’s side have been crowned national champions once more after a tight 3-1 victory over ACT Cobras in the final. Fate threatened to deliver a repeat of NSW’s dramatic penalty shootout win at the same stage, but Greg Giovenali snatched a brace in extra time give his side back-to-back championship wins.
There was little to separate the two sides in the first half with NSW unable to latch onto a series of through balls and ACT struggling to find a way past Thunder goalkeeper Gavin O’Brien. NSW’s breakthrough came in fortunate circumstances when an attempted cross was delivered off a Cobras defender’s heels, leaving the ACT number 1 with no chance.
But the Cobras bounced back immediately with Robbie Cattanach firing a spectacular shot into the top corner before ‘keeper O’Brien could make a move. NSW looked more confident heading into extra time and it was Giovenali who struck early with a neat finish followed by a vibrant celebration. Giovenali then added further misery for ACT, exploiting some tired defending and rattling a quick free kick into the back of the net. ACT’s only other chance came late in half time but they were unable to convert a free kick in good position.
NSW Thunder 3 (Glenn Smith (og), Gregory Giovenali 2) def. ACT Cobras 1 (Robbie Cattanach)
Open Women Grand Final – NSW Thunder defeated ACT Cobras 2-1
NSW continued its dominance at the 2012 Nationals with a gruelling 2-1 victory to the Thunder Open Women. ACT had the better of the early exchanges and they created a number of chances before finally taking the lead through Michaela Day.
The deficit didn’t seem to phase Thunder who worked their way back up the field and earned a definite penalty which was neatly converted. With scores level at half time and both sides looking assured in defence, it was going to take a piece of brilliance to break the deadlock.
That brilliance came though player of the match Renee Tomkins who received the ball on her chest from a corner and coolly volleyed the ball low into the far corner. Some scrambled defence on the NSW goal line denied the Cobras any chance of victory.
NSW Thunder 2 (Stephanie Haim (pen), Renee Tomkins) ACT Cobras 1 (Michaela Day)
NSW players also received MVP awards
11 Girls – Monique Holder (NSW Lightning)
13 Boys – Mario Shabow (NSW Thunder)
14 Girls – Tahlor Thackary (NSW Lightning)
15 Boys – Manuel Duarte (NSW Thunder)
16 Boys – N Polinsky (Western NSW)
16 Girls – Meaghan Kempson (Western NSW)
Athletes with Disabilities – Shawn Walford (Western NSW)
Youth Men – Lewis Soto (NSW Lightning)