Perth the Perfect Place

Article from - Not the Footy Show    -     http://notthefootyshow.com/2011/12/29/perth-the-perfect-place/

Perth has once again been chosen as the perfect place for a pre-season camp for a top football team in the region.

Malaysian Super League side Felda United will arrive into Perth today for a week long camp that will see them take on State Premier League sides Bayswater City and Armadale.

Felda United were promoted to the Malaysian Super League in 2011 and in their first seasons in the countries to league finished 11th out of 14 teams. They were also quarter finalists in both the Malaysian FA Cup and the Malaysia Cup in 2011.

The team for 2012 boasts national team player Fakri Sharani, and two up and coming players currently in the Malaysian under 23 side Yong Kwong Yong and Sivanesan.

In 2012 the Malaysian Super League has allowed teams to have the services of foreign players, and Felda United have signed two Argentineans who will be in camp with their new team mates in Perth.

Matthias Favano whose nickname in “The Prince” is a centre back/midfielder who has played in a number of countries, including Chile, Uruguay and Poland before signing with Felda United.

Santiago Bianchi is a 28 year old striker who started his career with Velez Sarsfield, before being loaned out to a number of other Argentine clubs. Felda United is his first overseas club.

Felda United will play Bayswater City at Alfred Skeet Reserve in Armadale on Saturday 31st December at 4pm, and Armadale at the same venue on Tuesday 2nd January at 7pm.

Felda United would like to thank Football West, Inglewood United, Bayswater City and Armadale for making them feel so welcome in Western Australia.

Quick reminder that the big pre-Xmas night and match against Negeri Sembilan is still on for 7pm on Fri 23 Dec.

The Malaysians had a training game against Gosnells City at Alfred Skeet last night which ended in a 1-1 draw.  The visitors played some quick and skilful football, but were thwarted a number of times by a solid defensive performance from Gosnells including a penalty save in the second half.

SOEM OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD that there will be a junior kick around / Futsal session from 6pm onwards at Alfred Skeet and we are looking to get plenty of kids down in either their Armadale or Futsal shirts to have a bit of fun.......and also so that we can get mascots walking out on to the pitch with the senior teams just prior to kick off at 7pm.

Bring your shirt, bring your camera, get a photo with a Malaysian international player............4 or 5 of these players are full Malaysian internationals with about 150 international caps between them !!

Any queries please shout, otherwise hopefully see as many of you as possible on Friday night at your clubhouse.

Cheers

John O’G

30.4.2011

PERTH NARROW THE GAP ON BALCATTA

Midfielder Vlad Naumovski had given Perth SC all three points by scoring on the hour to see off Armadale 1-0 at Alfred Skeet Oval. The win moves Perth to within two points of league leaders Balcatta, only a week out from the two clubs meeting at Dorrien Gardens. “It was definitely a battle out there today. The first half they kept the ball really well and they had a few chances that they couldn’t convert,” said Naumovski, struck the winning goal on the hour. “The second half we played better and got the goal. It’s great to score but it’s great for the team to get another win and keep the pressure on the league leaders.”

The early signs were encouraging for Armadale with James Robinson and Paul Lloyd unlocking the visitors defence on several occasions. But it wasn’t until the half hour that the game really came to life when James Robinson slipped the ball into the path of Parys Okai whose shot flashed past the far post. Perth returned fire two minutes later with Dom De Felice’s first time effort drifted just over the crossbar after Jason Dos Santos’s cross was only partially cleared. The loss of Dos Santos to a serious knee injury delivered the visitors a massive just before half time. Tom Robison almost snatched Armadale the lead moments later but his diving header from a Craig Young cross was wide of the target.

Perth’s positive start to the second period was rewarded on the hour when David Onoforo’s effort was blocked by goalkeeper Neil Young, Robbie Sciascia crashed the follow up into the post with the ball rebounding kindly for the winger who squared for Naumovski to fire into the net. An unmarked Tom Robinson should have done better than head straight at Devon Spence ten minutes later from a Okai cross. Armadale wasted another chance to draw level in the 86th minute with Spence standing up to Tom Robinson after he’d been played in by Okai. The hosts’ final chance of salvaging the afternoon came four minutes later when Tom Robinson’s angled strike was saved low at the near post by Spence.

Perth coach Ronnie Campbell conceded was delighted with his teams fighting spirit. “We knew it would be a hard game today and Armadale were the better team in the first half … we were lucky to be 0-0 at half time. But we improved in the second half and got the all-important goal which is great,” said Campbell. “It was good to see young Vlad pop up with the winner - we’re playing him out of position really, but he’s been scoring for us regularly and I was delighted for him today. We had to defend strongly, especially near the end, and our back five were again outstanding with another clean sheet.”