The second matchday of the 2018 FFA cup promised unique storylines behind each matchup, and it didn’t disappoint.
We witnessed an all-A-League blowout, a late challenge from an underdog, a first time qualification to the Round of 16. And a goal-fest that would have left the defending champions a little rattled. I gave my predictions prior to the games and now I give my feedback, let’s see how I fared.
Rockdale City Suns 2 vs Sydney FC 4
The aroma of Cevapi and beer was ever present in the south of Sydney on Wednesday night as the first NPL vs A-League clash was played out in front of an eager crowd of just over 4,400 spectators.
Easily the most entertaining of the night, this game was a hard fought clash that featured both crisp link-up play from both teams, and some goals demonstrating individual talent coming from both sides.
It didn’t take long for the underdogs to stamp their presence on the match, in only the sixth minute Rockdale found the net courtesy of a very clean chip from the outside of the box off the boot of Harry Gaitatzis.
It shocked Sydney and sending the place into a frenzy. The beers were flowing, spattered chants of “It’s coming home” and “Champions” could be heard from the Rockdale crowd.
For all of 24 minutes…
At the 30th minute mark, Sydney began to flex their muscles. From a botched corner clearance, new loan signing and young Australian prodigy, Daniel De Silva, demonstrated his class as he hit the ball first time, thundering it into the top right corner of Ante Covic’s net, and levelling the scores heading into the half.
Daniel De Silva during his time with the Mariners. (AAP Image/Daniel Munoz)
Following the restart it looked as if two different sides had returned to the pitch. Sydney were dominant, and it didn’t take long for their dominance to show as they hit the lead through a clean header from Ben Warland. As they lost the lead, Rockdale visibly lost confidence and Sydney exploited this as Alex Brosque piled on the pain with goals in the 51st and 64th minutes.
Effectively putting the game out of reach for Rockdale City. A well struck consolation goal was scored for Rockdale via Toufic Alameddine who, with a tidy finish, slotted away his goal to the bottom right corner of Andrew Redmayne’s goal.
Pre-Game Prediction: Rockdale City Suns 1-4 Sydney FC
While my prediction was close, the quality of play was far from what I expected. Rockdale put up a great performance and matched the champions for periods of the game. They should bow out of this tournament with their heads held high.
Adelaide United 3 vs Central Coast Mariners 0
This was it, the first look at a Central Coast side that seeks to improve upon their horror season in the A-League last year, wherein they took home the wooden spoon.
How did they go? Poorly, very poorly.
Both teams went into this match with a significant point to prove. Adelaide, Who have undergone a major upheaval of players throughout this transfer period. And Central Coast, a team crying out for a response to their worst ever season, including a Round of 32 exit last year in the FFA Cup to NPL side Blacktown City.
And it could not have gone worse for the Mariners. In a performance that made me think Usain Bolt’s lack of footballing skills would fit right in to their squad, Adelaide ran rampant over the young Mariners side.
Scoring twice within the first 20 minutes, first via a Jordan Elsey tap in on the 12 minute mark, followed by a clean overhead finish from close range by Mirko Boland in the 19th minute.
For the remainder of the half, the Mariners goal was peppered by Adelaide, and were lucky to only hold a two goal deficit as they headed into half time.
This luck was quickly extinguished however, as after the break Craig Goodwin slotted a neat free kick into the bottom left corner to heap misery on the Mariners, and silence some of the doubt towards Adelaide.
Pre-Game Prediction: Adelaide United 1-2 Central Coast Mariners
Whoa did I get this one wrong. Now I acknowledge the fact that Central Coast have quite a few injuries to first team players, and predominantly played a young side against Adelaide. But when I made the prediction, I felt an air of confidence from this otherwise inexperienced side.
That was visibly snuffed by Adelaide’s relentless pressure. Not sure if it’s a case of Adelaide looking the goods, or the Mariners being bad…
Isaias of Adelaide United. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)
Heidelberg United 2 vs Charlestown City Blues 1
Last season’s NPL champions Heidelberg United begun their FFA cup run in a somewhat dominant fashion, as they were up against first time participants in the Round of 32, Charlestown City Blues.
With what is officially the second fastest goal in the history of the FFA Cup, (the first was scored by Heidelberg too, 25 seconds) this game started hard and fast, as 36 seconds into the match, Andrew Cartanos’ cross was turned into the Charlestown net by the Blues’ own defender, Kevin Davison, giving Heidelberg the lead and making victory a monumental task for Charlestown.
Not long later, after 11 minutes of Heidelberg dominance to no avail. They struck again through the head of Sean Ellis on the 13 minute mark, making the score 2-0 and seemingly putting the tie out of reach for the Blues.
There was consolation however, as the NSW club brought the game back to life with one of their first decent looks of the game in the 82nd minute after a long range strike from Daniel Ott, as he snuck his longshot into Christophe Theodoridis-Petropoulos’ net’s bottom left corner (that’s a tough one, I don’t envy commentators there).
Unfortunately that was all the excitement for the NSW club as the game ended 2-1, and Heidelberg once again progress to the Round of 16.
Pre-Game Prediction: Heidelberg United 3-0 Charlestown City Blues
Although the scoreline wasn’t the same as my prediction, the balance in play was spot on. It never really looked out of Heidelberg’s hands, and they will be content with the result.
Cairns FC 4 vs Armadale SC 0
The FFA Cup got its very own installation of a distance derby as 5,400 kilometres seperated these teams. Unfortunately due to circumstances during the game it definitely felt as if these teams were miles apart.
For the first 19 minutes of this game, it was well contested and quite a balanced matchup. Probably the most balanced game we saw this Matchday. That all evaporated when Armadale were dealt a huge blow in the form of a red card for defender Beau Rahim.
Armadale were forced to adopt a defensive mentality, which carried them into half time with the scores all square at the break
As the second half begun, Cairns began to smell blood. And subsequently launched an assault on the depleted ten-man Armadale defence. The game broke open in the 53rd minute as Jamie Carroll broke the Armadale defensive line and coolly slotted home the near post finish to give Cairns the lead.
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Just 15 minutes later, Carroll turned provider as he set up Joshua Taylor for an aesthetically pleasing diving header to double Cairns’ lead and begin to dream of a maiden Round of 16 place.
This was followed by a good link up play in order to give Bronson Koppen some space accompanied by a strong finish from the centre of the box. Putting the tie out of reach for Armadale and allowing the Cairns fans an opportunity to breathe.
Then came Chris O’Hare’s goal. with a resolute feeling of James Rodriguez’s goal of the 2014 World Cup, Koppen chested a lazy Armadale clearance down to himself, then struck the half volley with perfection, rocketing the ball into the bottom left corner in the 91st minute and sealing his club’s place in the next round of the FFA Cup.
Pre-Game Prediction: Cairns 2-2 Armadale, Cairns win on penalties
I went into this game hoping for a well contested match in which I could get an eye for some of the more obscure NPL talent. I’m personally disappointed that the red card changed the dynamic of the game. But I’m happy for Cairns and will be watching them closely next round.
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