National Premier Leagues: Capital Football
Round 1: PREVIEW

A new season of National Premier League Football gets underway this weekend with Round 1 commencing on Friday evening at McKellar Park.

Friday 4th April
Belconnen United v Tuggeranong United (McKellar Park)
National Premier Leagues: Capital Football kicks off with a Friday night blockbuster at McKellar Park as Belconnen United takes on Federation Cup winners Tuggeranong United in Round 1 as the 2014 season commences. Belconnen will feel that they have some unfinished business this term as, after finishing second on the ladder in 2013, they went down to back-to-back defeats against Canberra FC and Canberra Olympic to prematurely end their hopes of silverware. Under new Head Coach Dean Ugrinic the Blue Devils have adopted a patient passing style with plenty of width and a fluid, interchangeable front line that will be out to cause problems for United’s defence. Tuggeranong themselves recruited well in the off-season and will hold no fear as Steve Forshaw takes his new team to his old stomping ground. A number of players with Blue Devils links will form part of the Tuggeranong squad for this clash with the added incentive of starting the year with what would be a major scalp. United’s young back-line are sure to be given a thorough examination by the home team’s attack and how they cope with that will determine the outcome. An early goal for Belconnen could prove to be decisive.

Sunday 6th April
Canberra FC v Cooma Tigers (Deakin Stadium)
League Champions Canberra FC start the defence of their round-robin title with a home fixture against Cooma Tigers at Deakin Stadium on Sunday afternoon with the pressure on Ray Junna and his team to go better than last season and claim Grand Final silverware. The expectations that always surround Canberra FC have been hyped further this term after the disappointment of defeat to Canberra Olympic in the 2013 showdown and Junna, facing his first challenge as an NPL Head Coach, will hope to hit the ground running here. A 4-0 success over the Tigers in the NPL Pre-Season Cup goes someway to providing an indication of what the result may be, however the Tigers went into that match minus the talismanic Robbie Cattanach and the return of the ACT Player of the Year will certainly add to the impressive array of fire-power that Cooma Coach Gaby Wilk has at his disposal. 2013 was a let-down for Cooma in many respects after their tremendous 2012 season had culminated in a memorable Grand Final success over Belconnen United but Wilk has reinvigorated his troops with a number of astute signings to complement the quality already at Nijong Oval. They couldn’t have asked for a tougher start to the season though with Canberra FC likely to be amongst the front-runners.

Canberra City v Monaro Panthers (Gungahlin Enclosed)
Two teams who have a point to prove will meet at the newly built Gungahlin Enclosed as National Premier League football takes to the venue for the first time when Canberra City and Monaro Panthers lock horns on Sunday afternoon in Round 1. Last season was best forgotten for both City and the Panthers who under-performed but pre-season optimism has been fuelled in both camps by some good performances in the NPL Pre-Season Cup. City has looked a stronger outfit defensively and Head Coach Nick Palagyi has formed a structure that will be tough to break down and gets the best out of a hard-working and talented bunch. Meanwhile, his opposite number Njegosh Popovich has been busy rebuilding the Panthers after a raft of players departed in the off-season. Popovich has managed to craft together a squad based on pace and enthusiasm with his young team demonstrating their undoubted potential to the full in pushing Canberra FC and Canberra Olympic all the way in pre-season, on both occasions being unfortunate to lose. With a smidgeon of luck and belief in their own ability there is no reason why City and the Panthers should not covet a top four position. Getting off to a winning start here would help in that ambition.

Woden Valley v FFA COE – Match Postponed due to FFA COE tour of Italy.