WNPLSA Finals Series presented by SA Power Networks | Week One Preview

ELIMINATION FINAL: ADELAIDE CITY VS FOOTBALL SA NTC
VENUE: VALO FOOTBALL CENTRE
DATE: FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER, 6 PM

ACvNTC


2021 HEAD-TO-HEAD:

  • Round 19 (17/09/21): Football SA NTC 2 – 3 Adelaide City
  • Round 10 (25/06/21): Adelaide City 3 – 1 Football SA NTC
  • Round 4 (07/05/21): Football SA NTC 1 – 1 Adelaide City

The second match of our blockbuster double-header marks our first knockout final of the series, as third-placed City take on fourth-placed NTC in what promises to be a thrilling encounter.

City find themselves in the somewhat unfamiliar position of third place on the ladder, marking the first time since 2017 that they’ve missed out on a top two finish, while NTC are taking part in their first finals series since 2018.

The Black and Whites rebounded from their shock defeat to Fulham by holding West to a 2-2 draw thanks to a brilliant side-footed strike arrowed into the top corner by Isabel Hodgson and a cool finish from Alana Fitzsimmons, who seized on an errant back-pass.

Their form entering the finals series is a bit shaky with just two wins from their last eight league games but, crucially, one of those came against tonight’s opponents a few weeks ago.

NTC were defeated 2-1 by Comets last weekend, despite Katie Bowler’s delightful first-time finish under the keeper from a looped Lily Barber assist, but their place in the top four was confirmed by Metro’s 4-2 loss to Fulham.

They enter the major round in similar form to City with two wins in their last nine matches (both coming in their last four), meaning they know they’ll have to work extra hard to progress to the Preliminary Final.

City have had the wood over NTC this season, winning on both occasions since their early-season draw, but both teams will be well aware that form lines go out the window in finals football and will be desperate to give themselves a shot at a Grand Final berth.

Adelaide City line-up: 1. Kendall Jenner (GK), 3. Matilda Mcnamara, 4. Daniela Di Bartolo, 5. Alyce Macauley, 7. Tiarn Powell, 8. Alanah Ursino, 10. Chelsie Dawber, 11. Isabel Hodgson, 13. Sophie Leszczynski, 14. Chrissie Zikos, 15. Bianca Gray (C), 16. Isobel Dahlen-Flight, 18. Alana Fitzsimmons, 19. Shae Blackwood, 20. Abbey Lucas (GK), 21. Mikayla Vidmar, 23. Natalie Frantzis, 28. Anastasia Nuttall

Coaches: Jamie Dunning, Nicholas Whiteside

Team Staff: Seymour Di Bartolo, Alexander Tan

Football SA NTC line-up: 1. ELYSHIA OGSTON (GK), 2. Abbey Burns, 3. Michaela Belmonte, 4. Zoe Tolland, 5. Katie Bowler, 6. Ella Tonkin, 7. Stella Dracopoulos, 8. Nicola Scalzi, 9. Anastasia Willoughby, 11. Emilia Murray, 12. Libby Davy (GK), 13. Lily Barber, 14. Ella Smith, 15. Lily Di Cola, 16. Madeleine Wright, 17. Abby Middleton, 19. Danielle Harmer, 20. Aimee Benton (GK), 21. Camila Madriz Figueroa, 23. Erin Kontoutsikos, 24. Victoria Costanzo, 25. Grace Wilson (GK), 34. Claire Scarpin

Coaches: Michele Lastella, Mark Lobianco, Michael Moularas, Anthony Breaden

Team Staff: Sharee Mcnamara, Jason Collins

 

QUALIFYING FINAL: SALISBURY INTER VS WEST ADELAIDE
VENUE: VALO FOOTBALL CENTRE
DATE: FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER, 8.15 PM

SIvWA


2021 HEAD-TO-HEAD:

  • Round 18 (11/09/21): West Adelaide 1 – 4 Salisbury Inter
  • Round 14 (6/08/21): Salisbury Inter 1 – 1 West Adelaide
  • Round 7 (5/06/21): West Adelaide 1 – 2 Salisbury Inter
  • WNPL & WSL Cup Round of 16 (30/05/21): West Adelaide 0 – 2 Salisbury Inter

It’s one of the biggest fixtures of the season as we kick off the 2021 WNPL Finals Series tonight, with minor premiers Inter taking on second-placed West for a place in the Grand Final.

These two sides have been the runaway powerhouses of the competition this season, with a 12-point buffer between the top two and the rest of the competition highlighting the quality of both sides on a consistent basis.

Inter sealed the minor premiership in style last weekend, dismantling Uni in what was an entertaining affair that finished 7-3 and saw both Emily Condon and Cote Rojas net hugely impressive hat-tricks.

There’s no more in-form side in the league entering the finals than Inter, who have won each of their last five games and scored 24 goals along the way, conceding just four times in that period, a run of results that saw them storm to the minor premiership last weekend.

West were unable to make the most of their dominance for much of the season in the end, winning just one of their last five matches to let their lead at the top slip and finish four points behind tonight’s opponents.

They were held to a 2-2 draw by City last weekend in a potential precursor to a finals matchup, with a Nicole Tilley howitzer from outside the box proving to be one of the highlights on a tough night.

The goal is simple: win tonight and seal passage to the 2021 Grand Final. Inter will be hoping to continue their purple patch to romp home once again, while West will be aiming to buck their recent form slump and defy Inter’s recent dominance in their fixtures against them.

Salisbury Inter line-up: 1. Matilda Comley, 2. Khal Adam Khan, 5. Isabella  Kouimtzis, 6. Nicole Calder, 7. Maria Jose Rojas Pino, 8. Emily Condon, 9. Angelique Vreugdenburg, 10. Chrissa Pavlomanolakos, 11. Nicola Frazzetto, 12. Chantelle Ryder (C), 14. Emily Heazlewood, 15. Sharni Tansell, 16. Meleri Mullan, 17. Dragana Kljajic, 20. Erin Hood, 23. Anna Pritchard, 24. Mina Nishitani

Coaches: Simon Catanzaro, Brad Donovan, Darran King, Arnouluck Sirisay

Team Staff: Tamara Simeoni, Shreya Modi, Kim Hood, Colin Bajkusev

West Adelaide line-up: Erin Murphy, Nadia Sultani, Laura Johns, Georgia Macri, Maddie DuRieu, Alison Atkins, Christie Hillyer, Harriet Burnett, Lucy Adamopoulos, Ellie Seaton, Georgie Nicola, Stefanie Lang, Elena Psaroulis, Zoe Haralampopoulos, Emily Hodgson, Justine Hall, Nicole Tilley (C), Khatima Sultani, Siena Covino

Coaches: Tracey Jenkins, Alex Macdonald, Alice Gorman, Leanne Davis

Team Staff: David Lewis, Lachlan Hall