Women's National Premier League South Australia Preliminary Final

Adelaide City vs. Fulham United

When: Friday 16th September

Where: Elite Systems Football Centre

Kick-Off: 8:15pm

 

Form: 

Adelaide City L L L

Qualifying Final: Metro United 1 Adelaide City 0, Elite Systems Football Centre, September 9

Women's Premier & State League Cup Final: Adelaide City 2 Fulham United 3, Elite Systems Football Centre September 2

WNPL Round 21: Adelaide City 0 Metro United 1, Elite Systems Football Centre, August 26

Fulham United W W D

Elimination Final: Fulham United 3 Adelaide University 1, Elite Systems Football Centre, September 9

Women's Premier and State League Cup Final: Adelaide City 2 Fulham United 3, Elite Systems Football Centre, September 2

WNPL Round 21: Fulham United 1 West Adelaide 1, Adelaide Shores Football Centre, August 26

 

Preview:

With only one spot left in the inaugural PlayStation 4 Women’s National Premier League South Australia Grand Final, it’ll be the end of the road for one team tonight.

Adelaide City and Fulham United meet in the Preliminary Final to decide who will face Premiers Metro United to decided who is crowned the first ever WNPLSA Champions.

The clash comes just two short weeks after Fulham United came from behind against Adelaide City to seal a first Women’s Premier & State League Cup win for the first time in six years.

This win consigned Adelaide City to their sixth consecutive Cup Final defeat.

Georgia Macri was the hero on the night with a two goal performance on her way to being awarded best on ground, while Nadia Lesan also chipped in on the scoresheet.

Isobel Dahlen-Flight gave City the advantage, and attempted a late comeback as Georgia Campagnale made the scores 3-2 from the spot but time was against the Black and Whites.

One can expect another thrilling chapter to be written as City will be out for revenge, while Fulham will be desperate to show that they can match it with the League’s best.

City tasted defeat last week as they fell 1-0 to Metro United courtesy of a second half goal from Donna Cockayne.

Fulham on the other hand progressed through to the Preliminary Final without much of a hiccup, as goals from Thomai Kezios, Stella Rigon and Cassandra Tsoumbris sealed a 3-1 Elimination Final win over fourth-placed Adelaide University.

In four encounters between this pair over the regular season and Cup fFnal the two sides are split 50/50, winning two games each.

Fulham took the three points in Round 2 with a 1-0 win, while most recently they came up trumps in the Cup Final.

City also bagged a 1-0 win in Round 9, and dominated in a Round 16 clash which saw them walk away with a 4-0 win.

Both sides are blessed with proven match-winningplayers in their ranks.

For City, Daniela Di Bartolo always looks a threat with 16 goals in 20 appearances to her name in the WNPL this season.

While Fulham’s attacking duo of Victoria Balomenos and Macri is arguably the most dangerous across the league with 14 league goals between them.

There is very little separating the two sides, so it is anyone’s guess who will walk away tonight as winners.

It will surely be another great instalment of the rivalry between the two sides, with a night full of attacking football a guarantee.

Written by Brendan Simpkins - @RealSimpkins

Photo by Adam Butler