Football Matter with Cyclops - 16th April

Local

‍

Seniors

Fixtures resume this weekend with all six teams playing. The Premiers and Reserves are away to Brothers on Sunday with the Reserves kicking off at 3.00 and the Premiers at 7.00. On Friday, the Colts are at home against Saints Eagles Souths at 6.30 and the Ladies are away to Estates at 8.30. The Division 1 and Division 2 teams are both away to Warriors with Division 2 kicking off at 6.30 and Division 1 at 8.30.

Female Football week is coming up in the month of May. Keep an eye out for events and activities to support our Female Footballers. Burdekin FC Ladies Day, Save the Date - Saturday 22nd August!  

Burdekin Panthers have a brand-new shade structure that has now been completed, over the concrete grandstands at International Park. Burdekin FC was successful in obtaining a grant for this project. A fantastic and welcome addition to the fields. 

Junior

A short break from Junior soccer this week as families enjoy the school holidays, with no games scheduled. Action will return next Saturday, the 18th, with all matches set to be played at home. It’s a terrific opportunity for players, families, and supporters to come together on familiar turf and enjoy a big day of soccer. We look forward to seeing everyone back refreshed and ready for an exciting round of home games! 

‍

Masters

The Masters had another good turnout, and in perfect conditions, a replay of the FA Cup Quarter Final, Manchester city beat Liverpool 3-1 with two goals from Chris Achille and one from George Koukouris. The Masters play every Monday night. All players are welcome, male, and female, useful and hopeless, halt and lame. Be there, International Park for 6.30 Kick off.  

‍

National and International

In the World Cup department, the Socceroos, under Coach Tony Popovic, have just one more match, a friendly against Mexico, before the squad of twenty-six players is announced by 1^st June. The Socceroos travel to the USA to play Mexico on 31 May at the Rosebowl in Pasadena. Australia’s first Group D match is against Turkey in Vancouver on the 14^th June. They then play the USA in Seattle on 20^th June and Paraguay in San Francisco on 26^th June.

The Matildas have defeated Malawi 5-0 to begin the FIFA Series 2026™ in Kenya. Emily van Egmond and Sam Kerr were on the scoresheet in the first half before Alex Chidiac, Holly McNamara and Leticia McKenna - on debut - made it five. the Matildas are in the Kenya Group along with Malawi, India and Kenya.

In England, in the EPL with six rounds left to play Arsenal is now only six points ahead of Manchester City who have a game in hand. Arsenal lost 1-2 at home to Bournemouth and Man City won 3-0 away to Chelsea. At the foot of the table West Ham beat Wolves 4-0 and moves out of the drop zone, two points clear of Spurs who lost 0-1 at Sunderland. Oh, and in the Championship, Coventry City look sure of promotion.

In Germany, the Bundesliga has five rounds to go. Four of the top six teams won, and Bayern are almost certainly champions again, leading Dortmund by twelve points. Leipzig and Stuttgart are a further eight points behind. At the foot of the table Heidenheim won but together with Wolfsburg still look doomed, together with St Pauli or Werder Bremen.

‍

In Spain’s, La Liga with seven rounds left, Barcelona who won again, now have a nine point lead over Real Madrid who could only manage a draw at home to Girona. Third placed Villarreal is a further nine points behind, four points ahead of Atletico. In the relegation zone,it looks like “Adios Amigos” to Oviedo and Levante and Elche or Alaves could be joining them.

In Italy’s Serie A with just six rounds left, Inter, who won 4-3 at Como, stays nine points clear of Napoli who drew away to Parma. Third placed AC Milan lost and is now three points behind Napoli, but three points clear of Juventus who won 1-0 away to Atalanta. At the foot of the table, for Pisa and Verona it looks like Goodnight Luigi, and Cremorne or Lecce could be joining them.

‍

Finally, in France, PSG who have yet to play  this week, still has a four point lead over Lens who have a six point break over third placed Lille with Marseille a further point behind.  At the foot of the league, it looks like Au Revoir for Metz and Nantes and Auxerre could be joining them in Ligue Deux.

In the A League, with just two rounds left, Newcastle drew with Adelaide 1-1 and is three points clear of Auckland who drew 2-2 with Victory. Sydney who beat Western Sydney 2-0 moves up to third place four points behind, ahead of Adelaide on goal difference. The Roar drew 2-2 away to Central Coast and drops to eleventh place. Western Sydney and Perth Glory continue to hold up the table.

In the A League Women after twenty rounds, Melbourne City top the table six points clear of second place Wellington. Canberra is third a further point behind and Brisbane is fourth on goal difference. Adelaide and Melbourne Victory make up the top six. The Elimination Finals start this Saturday with Canberra at home to Victory and Brisbane at home to Adelaide.

The Soccer Quote of the Week  

is from Brazilian Star Pele. “I was born to play football, just like Beethoven was born to write music and Michelangelo was born to paint".

‍