New South Wales' representatives in this season's Westfield FFA Cup Round of 32 have been confirmed following round 7 matches on Wednesday evening.
Sydney United 58 FC, Wollongong Wolves, Manly United, Bonnyrigg White Eagles and the Marconi Stallions have all booked their spot in the third edition of the Cup after wins in NSW's final preliminary round.
The five sides will join 2015 PS4 National Premier Leagues Champions Blacktown City in the Round of 32 Draw, to determine whether they will play host to a Hyundai A-League or rival State League club.
The draw, which will take place either on Wednesday 29th June or Thursday 30th June, will be broadcast LIVE on Fox Sports.
Wollongong Wolves (N Bernal 66’) 1 v Wagga City Wanderers 0 @ Hooka Creek Park
It was a courageous effort as Men’s State League outfit Wagga City Wanderers, who travelled four plus hours for the trip down South, gave it everything they had but could not complete the fairy-tale story going down 1-0 to PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s side Wollongong Wolves.
The game was scoreless at half time before striker Nicolas Bernal popped up with a neat header in the 66th minute which gave Jacob Timpano’s team the advantage and overall victory.
It came after the home side had a penalty saved a minute earlier.
It’s the second time the Wolves have progressed to the round of 32 after going through in 2014 when they bowed out to the Central Coast Mariners.
Manly United FC 1 (R Cardozo 76’) v Mounties Wanderers @ Cromer Park
Cometh the man cometh the hour, Manly United’s new recruit made an instant impact as Richie Cardozo rocketed Paul Dee’s men to a round of 32 placing with a 1-0 victory over PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Men’s side Mounties Wanderers.
Cardozo, who signed with the club earlier this week, scored in the 76th minute that all but separated the two teams in what was a tense affair played out at a chilly Cromer Park in Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
It’s Manly United’s second crack at a round of 32 spot after they competed in 2014 when they took on fellow rivals Sydney Olympic where they bowed out.
Parramatta FC 3 (A Vais 12’, M Sama 23’, D Rezo 72’ pen) v Bonnyrigg White Eagles 5 (M Gil 10’, A Peterson 53’, R Younis 66’, Y Kokado 87’, A Kadric 90’) @ Melita Stadium
Eight goals, two red cards, two penalties, this match had it all as the Bonnyrigg White Eagles won in a thriller, 5-3 over a spirited nine-man Parramatta FC side at Melita Stadium.
The 2015 PS4 NPL NSW Men’s Champions took an early lead in the 10th minute as Mun-Soo Gil opened the scoring.
The home side responded almost immediately as Andrew Vais equalised in the 12th minute before Marco Sama put Franco Cosentino’s men in the lead in the 23rd minute.
Half time approached and it was the second half that brought out the thrills and spills that made this match the firecracker it was.
Robust striker Aaron Peterson put the visitors back on level terms in the 53rd minute but it was what transpired after that changed the nature of the match.
A mini-melee saw Ante Tomic see red for Parramatta FC in the 58th minute before goalkeeper Luke Turnbull was also given his marching orders in the 63rd minute giving away a penalty.
Robbie Younis stepped up and had his penalty saved by reserve keeper Jayden Diacono but got on the end of the rebound to gift his side a 3-2 lead.
With 9 men, the home side failed to give up and were awarded a penalty in the 72nd minute which Daniel Rezo duly converted.
It seemed like the game was destined for extra time as the home side pushed everyone behind the half-way line but tragedy struck three minutes from time when Yuta Kokado broke Parramatta FC hearts with a goal in the 87th minute.
It was all she wrote in the 90th minute as rising youngster Asmir Kadric sealed the match and a spot in the Westfield FFA Cup Round of 32 – a first for the club.
Sydney United 58 FC 2 (C Payne 16’, T Uskok 35’) v Sydney Olympic 1 (M Gaitatzis 22’) @ Sydney United Sports Centre
It what was a match of epic proportions at the Sydney United Sports Centre as two former NSL giants went toe to toe, it was current PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s league leaders Sydney United 58 FC that proved too strong as they defeated Sydney Olympic 2-1.
The competition’s top goalscorer Chris Payne got Mark Rudan’s men off to the best possible start with a well taken goal in the 16th minute.
The Reds then won a penalty in the 20th minute but failed to capitalise via the always consistent Panni Nikas who had his spot kick well saved by Blues legend keeper Paul Henderson.
Two minutes later and the scores were level.
A fantastic free kick via Michael Gaitatzis bamboozled Tom Manos in the United 58 FC goal and it was game on.
That score didn’t last long however as former Central Coast Mariners player Tomislav Uskok swooped in from a Nikas free-kick to give the home side the lead.
In what were some tense moments for both teams soon after the game fizzled in the end with the Reds marching onto the next stages of the Westfield FFA Cup with a 2-1 victory much to the joy of the vocal home fans.
It’s the third time in three successive season’s Sydney United 58 FC have qualified for the Westfield Round of 32.
The club took part in the inaugural round of 32 of the FFA Cup after defeating Far North Queensland Fury 4-1 before bowing out in the round of 16 in front of over 8,000 spectators at Edensor Park to Hyundai A-League side Sydney FC 3-1.
The following year, the club defeated South Hobart FC on penalties before losing out to Victorian outfit Heidelberg United 2-0.
Marconi Stallions 2 (B Vella 14’, S Perre 73’) v Bankstown Berries 0 @ Marconi Stadium
Former NSL giants and now PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Men’s outfit Marconi Stallions grabbed the headlines at Marconi Stadium with a hard fought 2-0 victory over fellow rivals Bankstown Berries.
The star of the show was Stallions keeper Chad Taylor who kept Jeff Suzor’s men in the match with a number of crucial saves but it was goals in each half, one by Brandon Vella in the 14th minute and the other in the 73rd minute via Sam Perre that sealed the Stallions fate and spot into the next round of the Westfield FFA Cup.
