PS4 NPL SEMI-FINALS
MATCH PREVIEWS

Sunday 28th August 2016
PS4 NPL
Qualification Semi-Final
Canberra Olympic v Tigers FC
(McKellar Park, 15:00)

The two most consistent sides of the PlayStation® 4 National Premier League season meet in the Qualification Semi-Final as Canberra Olympic and Tigers FC clash at McKellar Park. The top two have been the best sides in the competition this season, obviously, and are sure to put on a display worthy of that status. The winners, of course, qualify directly for the Grand Final with the defeated side backing up next weekend in the preliminary Final against the winner of the Belconnen United versus Canberra FC match. 

The Tigers 1-0 win over Canberra Olympic at O’Connor Enclosed in Round 3, courtesy of a goal from Alex Oloriegbe, now no longer with the club, was the continuation of a run of eleven unbeaten matches with their hopes of a perfect season ended, ironically enough, by Olympic in the return fixture in Round 12. Jeremy Habtemariam and Philippe Bernabo-Madrid got the all-important goals in the 2-1 win that day.

Tigers may enter the match with some doubts over several players but, perhaps most tellingly, will be the absence of Golden Boot winner Stephen Domenici who starts the first of a two-game ban for picking up a total of seven yellow cards throughout the regular season. His absence from leading the line is a major loss to Gaby Wilk and his team and with Daniel Barac also side-lined with a foot injury, the Tigers will be relying on Nicolas Abot to score the goals to fire them into the Grand Final. 

Sunday 28th August 2016
PS4 NPL
Elimination Semi-Final
Belconnen United v Canberra FC
(Deakin Stadium, 15:00)

One of the traditional heavyweights of Canberra football will be forced to look on from the sidelines after this weekend with Belconnen United and Canberra FC meeting in the Elimination Semi-Final. For the victor there is the opportunity for a shot at Grand Final glory in next week’s Preliminary Final whilst, for the vanquished, it will mark the end of the road of the 2016 season. And with both the Blue Devils and FC used to, more often than not, be the ones holding up the silverware, defeat is unthinkable. That should make for an entertaining match with the prize on offer large. 

Those looking for clues to the outcome may like to take into consideration the pair of league fixtures played this season. FC claimed a narrow 1-0 win in the match at McKellar Park back in Round 3, thanks to a Domenic Giampaolo goal late on, whilst Belconnen recorded a revenge win at Deakin Stadium in Round 12. Goals in either half from Dustin Wells and Nikolas Popovich giving the visitors the glory.

Recent form has been patchy from both. Canberra FC defeated the FFA COE three weeks ago but, perhaps significantly, have lost twice since then, to the CU Academy (2-4) and Gungahlin United (2-3) suggesting that they are suffering an indifferent slump. Belconnen, are hardly riding the crest of a wave either. Their win over Woden-Weston FC last week broke a two-game losing spell, summing up what has been a roller-coaster year for the boys in Blue.