|
CHRONOPOULOS SHINES IN ENTERTAINING DRAW
A stellar performance between the sticks
by the Stallions number one, James Chronopoulos has helped his side
etch out its third straight draw, against Wollongong FC on Saturday
night.
The young keeper was
in everything from the start and pulled off numerous acrobatic saves
to keep the Stallions in the contest.
The home side looked
hungry from the outset and determined to get their first win of the
season.
Tolgay Ozbey was
sharp up front and his speed was causing FC’s defence problems. It was
the former Golden Boot winner who was brought down outside the box,
that set-up the game’s first goal.
And what a goal it
was.
Nahuel Arrarte’s
beautifully curled free-kick gave the visitor’s Justin Pasfield no
chance, the ball sailing into the top corner in the 21st
minute.
Stung by that,
Wollongong turned up the heat and created numerous opportunities in
the remainder of the half. Enter Chronopoulos.
First he denied
Osagie Ederaro’s header from point-blank range, puling off one of the
saves of the year. He was at it again, not long after when Ilija
Prenzoski’s shot seemed certain to be heading inside the bottom
corner, before Chronopoulos’ timely intervention.
Wollongong’s momentum
slowed in the second half, while the Stallions back four, marshaled by
skipper Luke Casserly, were desperate in defence.
It was Casserly who
dived full-stretch to block Balla Conde’s scorching effort from just
metres out in the 65th minute, while Daniel Cummins shot on
the turn a few minutes later was nabbed at the near post, again by
Chronopoulos.
The only sore point
for the young Stallions keeper came in the 75th minute when
his poor clearance fell to Prenzoski, Wollongong’s most dangerous
player, whose cracking shot was too good.
Despite being on the
back-foot for most of the second half, Marconi managed to carve out
the best opportunity of the game in the 93rd minute when
Ozbey waltzed through the defence, but with what was ultimately last
the last kick of the game, his shot with only Pasfield to beat was
straight at the Wollongong keeper.
MATCH STATS
Marconi Stallions 1
(Nahuel
Arrarte 21’)
Wollongong FC 1
(Ilija
Prenzoski 73’)
Venue:
Marconi Stadium.
Referee:
Kris Griffith-Jones
Assistants:
Alison Flynn and Sarah Ho
Marconi Stallions:
James Chronopoulos; Wade Oostendorp (Nathan Moulds 46’), Luke Casserly,
Tallan Martin (Ante Deur 79’), Kain Rastall (Jason Trifiro 56’),
Tolgay Ozbey, Matthew Gordon, Christopher Nunes, Nahuel Arrarte, Ben
Bronneberg, Umut Tokdogan.
Substitutes Not Used:
Tim McGowan, Cem Akili
Wollongong FC:
Justin Pasfield; Alfredo Esteves, Michael West, Steve Hayes, Ilija
Prenzoski, Mitchell Long (Lachlan Cahill 73’), Ballamadou Conde,
Danial Cummins, Tynan Diaz, Osagie Ederaro, Matt Bailey.
Substitutes Not Used:
Jamie Pitt, Karouna Michael, Daniel Nash
Yellow Cards:
Rastall 50’ (MS); Cummins 19’ (WFC)
|
