Clean Sheet Key To Usai's Fire Revenge
Words: Steve Pitman & Michael Flynn
Image: Michele Pitman
Brisbane Strikers goalkeeper Sebastian Usai is out for a third straight clean sheet – and revenge! – against a Sunshine Coast FC side that denied him a Queensland State League winner’s medal.
Usai returned to Strikers this season following a stint with North Queensland Fury in the Hyundai A-League before five injury-ravaged seasons in the United Kingdom that included time with Blackburn Rovers.
He is the first goalkeeper to achieve consecutive clean-sheets in PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland this season and said the combination between himself and his defenders continues to blossom.
“I am absolutely delighted with getting a few clean sheets and with the way that the back five have come along,” Usai explained of his recent returns.
“We are starting to understand each other and we are bonding on and off the park, which is great.”
“I certainly think the talent within the five of us is just huge. There’s the experience of Sammy Knight and Greig Henslee, while Jake Marshall is probably the best 17-year-old centre back I’ve ever seen.”
“With Chris Maher as well we have no excuses to be conceding any goals, really,” he added.
Strikers are at home to traditional rivals Fire for the first time this season on Saturday night, and Usai admitted his memories of his last outing against the former Queensland State League powerhouse are still raw.
In the Queensland State League 2010 Grand Final, Fire snatched an early goal before holding on for a smash-and-grab win - one of three times Fire bettered Strikers in a Queensland State League decider.
“That was an absolute nightmare,” Usai said recalling that result.
“From the kick off in the first thirty seconds they dribbled in, we’ve gone to clear on the eighteen yard box, and the ball has trickled back to Tyson Holmes and he’s smashed it in from twenty-two yards into the top corner.”
“I don’t think I had another difficult save to make the whole time and we lost 1-0. We just couldn’t score that day – it was very frustrating,” he concluded.
While Fire proved Strikers nemesis in the former state competition, history has favoured the capital city club since the advent of the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues in 2013.
Strikers have lost just once to Fire in six meetings in the national second tier – keeping Fire scoreless twice last year to record a league double for the second straight year.
PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues 2016 – Round 7
Saturday, April 16
Brisbane Strikers FC v Sunshine Coast FC
Perry Park, Brisbane
Kick-off at 6:00PM
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