We’ve reached the final week of minor round fixtures for the 2020 NPLSA season and there is still plenty to play for. Everyone kicks off at 7:00 pm on Saturday night in what promises to be a blockbuster night of state football. With the top five all but set for finals football, let’s take a look at the rest of the contenders and how they realistically stack up entering Round 15.
Adelaide Comets vs Adelaide City
Venue: SA Athletics Stadium
Date: 31/10/2020 07:00 PM
One of the two fixtures that pits finals hopefuls against one another, City faces a stern test in their visit to the ladder leaders.
Comets have deserved their spot atop the league table over the past few months, but risk losing out on securing the minor premiership should they drop points in this fixture.
City, meanwhile, must earn a point to guarantee their safety in the top six, as not doing so rips their fate out of their hands and into those of Cumberland United and Adelaide Olympic.
IF COMETS:
WIN
- Will finish the season in first place and win the minor premiership
LOSE/DRAW
- Can finish as low as second if MetroStars win
- Will play either MetroStars or Campbelltown in a two-legged semi-final regardless of their result
IF ADELAIDE CITY:
WIN
- Will finish the season in fifth place if Raiders lose or draw or sixth place if Raiders win
- Will play Croydon if they finish fifth or either MetroStars or Campbelltown if they finish sixth
DRAW
- Will finish the season in sixth place
LOSE
- Will drop out of the top six if Cumberland win and/or Olympic win and complete a four-goal swing
Adelaide Comets line-up: 1. Julian Torresan, 3. Manley Barnett, 4. Tom Dittmar, 5. Adam Le Cornu, 6. Jack Bladen, 7. Tete Yengi, 8. Ryan Yates, 9. Andreas Wiens, 10. Anthony Mavrolambados, 11. Jayden LoBasso, 14. Nathan Andijanto, 15. Konstandinos Tsalamangos, 16. Ninko Beric, 17. Lansana Smith, 18. Nathan Dimou, 22. Allan Welsh (C), 23. Scott Nagel, 31. Daniel Vaughan (GK), 77. Chris Christofilos
Coaches: Barney Smith, Konstandinos Antoniou, Antonios Galanopoulos, Matthew Bates
Team Staff: Evangelo Katsambis, Emma Gericke, Elsie Kenny
Adelaide City line-up: 1. Alexander Woodlands (GK), 4. Jordan Maricic, 5. Zakariah Waters, 7. Perry Mitris, 9. Terence Christopher Carter, 10. Evan Kostopoulos, 11. Nicholas Bucco, 14. Aladin Irabona, 15. Jackson Stephens, 21. Adriano Pellegrino, 23. Markus Orchard, 24. Awal Dut, 34. Noah Benouzekri, 48. Lachlan Barr
Coaches: Michael Matricciani
Team Staff: Brenton Hiern, Liam Oates
Adelaide Blue Eagles vs MetroStars
Venue: Marden Sports Complex
Date: 31/10/2020 07:00 PM
After topping the table for a long stretch, MetroStars were eventually toppled by Comets and hit a rough patch of form.
They have since recovered to enter the final round in second place and holding an all-important double chance position which they will be desperate to hold onto.
Blue Eagles’ finals hopes were officially ended last week but will look to end the season on a high against strong opposition.
IF MetroStars:
WIN
- Will finish the season in first place and win the minor premiership if Comets lose or draw or second place if Comets win
- Will play Comets in a two-legged semi-final
LOSE/DRAW
- Can finish as low as third if Campbelltown win
- Will play either Comets in the two-legged semi-final if they finish second or Raiders, City, Cumberland or Olympic in the first elimination final if they finish third
Adelaide Blue Eagles line-up: 1. Richard Goss, 3. Paul Espina, 4. Christian Sotira, 5. Christopher Annicchiarico, 6. Brylon Nthoane, 7. Stanisa Velinov, 8. Damien Crettenden, 10. Hamish Mccabe, 11. Evan Kounavelis, 12. Liam Mccabe, 15. Christian D'Angelo, 16. Beau Ieraci, 17. Tatenda Nyaruwe, 18. Yohei Matsumoto, 21. Bol Mapor, 22. Stefan Valentini, 23. Hirofumi Kochi, 25. Paul Reilly
Coaches: VOJISLAV GLUSCEVIC, Steven Melling
Team Staff: James Keating, Josh Smith, Lewis Hutcheson
MetroStars line-up: 1. Isaac Carmody (GK), 3. Cohan Morris, 4. Justin Davis, 5. Timothy Henderson, 7. Michael Daloisio (C), 8. Rocky Callisto, 9. Thomas Strain, 10. Anthony Solagna, 11. Luis Benedetti, 12. Benjamin Head, 14. Dylan Smith, 16. Kyle Crout, 17. Matthew Dawber, 18. Fabian Barbiero, 19. Cooper O'Donnell, 20. Joshua Mori, 22. Hamish Gow, 23. Christian Esposito, 24. Nahuel Bonada, 30. Alessio Ruggiero, 45. Jayden Spruyt
Coaches: Robert Saraceno, Travis Dodd, Nicholas Bouzalas
Team Staff: Giorgio Capoccia, Joseph Polisena, Peter Terminello, George Laoutaris
Campbelltown City vs Modbury Jets
Venue: Steve Woodcock Sports Centre
Date: 31/10/2020 07:00 PM
The reigning champions have impressed once again this year but may face a tough path through to the grand final if results don’t go their way this weekend.
Campbelltown can’t drop lower than their current position in third, which would see them book an elimination final with the sixth-placed side, but will finish in second if they can capitalise on a MetroStars slip-up.
The Jets were condemned to relegation last week by Adelaide United after a disappointing season, so they will be eager to sign off in style.
IF CAMPBELLTOWN:
WIN
- Will finish the season in second place if MetroStars lose or draw or third place if MetroStars win
- Will play either Comets in the two-legged semi-final if they finish second or Raiders, City, Cumberland or Olympic in the first elimination final if they finish third
LOSE/DRAW
- Will finish third and play Raiders, City, Cumberland or Olympic in the first elimination final
Campbelltown City line-up: 1. Jamie Signorello, 2. Shaun Harvey (C), 3. Blake Carpenter, 5. Matthew Mullen, 6. Dion Kirk, 7. Joel Allwright, 8. Alexander Mullen, 10. Luigi Ditroia, 11. Joshua Barresi, 12. Nicholas Francese, 13. Joel De Donatis, 14. Adam Piscioneri, 15. Antony Piscioneri, 16. Daniel Mullen, 20. Nicholas Harpas (GK), 23. Jake Halliday
Coaches: Iain Fyfe, Corey Artone, Leslie Pogliacomi
Team Staff: Panfilo Ciccocioppo, David Cavaiuolo, Elio Bria
Modbury Jets line-up: Zack Gomez, 1. Kieran Griffiths (GK), 3. Thomas Veart, 5. Daniel Pritchard, 9. Rhys Turner, 10. Jesse Francesca, 12. Cameron O'Doherty, 14. Donovan Pollock, 16. Peter Terminello, 17. Brandon Centofanti, 20. Declan Burchell (GK), 26. Shaun Mcgreevy, 27. Michael Doyle, 29. Paul Radice
Coaches: Nigel Gill, Raymond Coull
Team Staff: Damien Burchell, Ric Wojciechowski
Raiders vs Croydon Kings
Venue: Croatian Sports Centre
Date: 31/10/2020 07:00 PM
The Kings will be disappointed to have stumbled in their bid for a top-two finish but would be pleased with their season, which has seen them scale the ladder and settle into fourth.
Raiders recovered from their dry spell at just the right time to book their finals ticket for 2020 following a run of three wins in their last four matches.
The hosts can either finish in fifth or sixth, so they stand a reasonable chance of facing off against the Kings for two weeks running.
IF CROYDON:
WIN/LOSE/DRAW
- Will finish the season in fourth place regardless of the result and play either Raiders or City in the second elimination final
IF RAIDERS:
WIN
- Will finish the season in fifth place and play Croydon in the second elimination final
LOSE/DRAW
- Can finish as low as sixth if City win
- Will play Croydon in the second elimination final if they finish fifth or either MetroStars or Campbelltown in the first elimination final if they finish sixth
Raiders line-up: 1. Vasilios Tryfopoulos, 2. Jacob Lever, 3. Nikola Jurkovic, 4. Paul Blefari, 5. Adam Van Dommele, 6. Noah Holmes, 7. Mohammed Sumaoro, 8. Joseph Costa, 9. Alun Webb, 11. David Carosi, 13. Nicholas Munro (GK), 14. Oliver Zafiridis, 15. Vianne Kurikwimana, 16. Sallu Kamara, 17. Thomas Brown, 21. Lucas Cuschieri, 23. James Odenwalder, 25. Mark Ulaj, 44. Kalilou Kamara, 99. Emanuel Philip
Coaches: Nikica Kuzman, Terry Westwood
Team Staff: Lisa Feleppa
Croydon Kings line-up: 1. Sebastian Matosevic, 2. John Panagaris, 3. Filimon Asefa, 5. Luke Klimek (C), 7. Kur Kur, 8. Adam Martinello, 9. Nathan Munro, 11. Antoni Trimboli, 12. Christopher Vivian, 14. Peter Mercurio, 15. Joseph Macheda, 16. Paul Pavlou, 17. Kelvin Kamburu, 18. Jarrod Brazzale, 19. Raymond Muhoma, 20. Jared Clark, 21. John Hall (GK), 23. Patrick Caraccia
Coaches: Angelo Costanzo, Maurice Natale, Latham Byfield
Team Staff: Mario Catalano, Joshua Avery
Para Hills Knights vs Cumberland United
Venue: The Paddocks
Date: 31/10/2020 07:00 PM
Cumberland have flirted with the top six for most of the season, at times slipping in and out of it, but currently find themselves occupying seventh and form part of the chasing pack in the race for sixth position.
Their fate is out of their hands given that they sit two points behind City but could snatch their spot should they fall at the final hurdle.
The Knights have endured a challenging season from start to finish and bow out of the NPL this weekend as the side sitting in last place.
IF CUMBERLAND UNITED:
WIN
- Will finish the season in sixth if City lose and play either MetroStars or Campbelltown in the first elimination final
- Will finish outside the top six if City win or draw
LOSE/DRAW
- Will finish outside the top six
Para Hills Knights line-up: Mutuza Binyangi, RGK. Caleb Robinson, GK. Jordan Findlay, 2. Will Hendon, 3. Paul Wilson, 5. Roberto Bonelli, 7. Ali Rayez Muradi, 8. Luka Chikwuba, 9. Mohamed Conneh, 10. Isaac Mullen, 11. Andrew Maio, 12. Jaweed Muradi, 13. Jagajeet shrestha Shrestha, 14. Lochlan Czapla, 16. Tito Bontor, 18. Franz Pjetri, 19. Logan Marley-Mcfall
Coaches: Theodoros Tsiounis, Kosta Dimopoulos, Chris Simpson
Team Staff: Jamie Ocego-Kingsley, Geoff Sullivan, John Vu
Cumberland United line-up: JUAN GUTIERREZ, Antoni Panagoulias, Joshua Harvey, 1. Luke Schoen (GK), 2. Jack Schoen (C), 4. Declan Gray, 5. Sam Carmichael, 6. Christopher Skull, 7. Ayom Ayom Majok, 8. Harry Thannhauser, 11. Thomas Briscoe, 12. David Signore, 15. Ryan Wood, 16. Matthew Charalambous, 17. Callum Elms, 20. Dawson Bojanic (GK), 32. Aristomenios Haralampopoulos
Adelaide United FC vs Adelaide Olympic
Venue: VALO Football Centre
Date: 31/10/2020 07:00 PM
Olympic remains an outside chance to seize sixth place, which seemed far-fetched as recently as a few weeks ago as they struggled for form.
A couple of wins in their last four fixtures, as well as results going their way around them, have kept them in the hunt entering the final round, needing a win and for City and Cumberland to lose to climb into the finals positions.
United secured their safety last week in the victory over the Jets and promise to be tricky customers for Olympic this weekend.
IF OLYMPIC:
WIN
- Will finish the season in sixth if Cumberland lose or draw and City lose and complete a four-goal swing
- Will play either MetroStars or Campbelltown City in the first elimination final if they finish sixth
- Will finish outside the top six if City draw or win and/or Cumberland win
LOSE/DRAW
- Will finish outside the top six
Adelaide United FC line-up: Michael Cittadini, 14. Binyam Kebede, 29. Kusini Yengi, 33. Cooper Nunn, 34. Yared Abetew, 36. Noah Smith, 40. Dakota Ochsenham (GK), 41. Jackson Walls, 43. Daniel Bressan, 52. Massimo Falco, 53. Jaiden Diamantis, 55. Keshav Shrestha, 57. Terence Lynch, 58. Jonny Yull, 62. Louis D’arrigo
Coaches: Paul Pezos, Joshua Smith
Team Staff: Justin Graetz
Adelaide Olympic line-up: 1. Nikolas Harpas (GK), 2. Jacob Butler-Bowdon, 3. Matthew Halliday, 4. Benkert Abdija, 5. Julian Ionni, 6. Kristin Konstandopoulos, 7. Nicholas Harpas, 8. Jason Konstandopoulos, 9. Christos Pounendis (C), 10. Charlie devereux, 11. Ioannis Simosis, 12. Dimitri Toumazos, 13. Emile Damey, 14. Mark Ochieng, 15. Melad Ahmad, 21. Gianni Tramontin, 24. Panagiotis Manidakis
Coaches: George Tsonis, Peter Mihalopoulos, Ali Sadick
Team Staff: Caroline Riemelmoser, Sumin Kim