LUCKLESS CURTIN DOWNED BY BALGA

9 Aug 2015 by Curtin Football Committee

Curtin University Football Club were defeated 2-1 by Balga Soccer Club on Saturday as their hapless season continued. The home side dominated for large periods of the game but could not put their chances away as Oliver Rigler and his Balga defence stood firm for the visitors. Curtin’s only goal came from the boot of Dilip Thapa who fired home from distance in the first half.

In wet conditions Curtin started the brighter of the two and were in the lead after just 10 minutes, Carlo Chiellini picked out Thapa in space and his searing drive nestled in Rigler’s bottom corner. Chiellini then had the next two chances of the match but he fired over on both occasions. Khaled Salhah also had a chance to score for Curtin but Rigler made a fine save down to his left.

Balga then drew level through George Duku as the striker pounced on a slip from Curtin keeper Mackenzie Ferguson to score in an empty net. Jonathan McGahern then put the visitors in front with a fine strike from the edge of the box to give Balga the lead against the run of play. Controversy was to follow as Duku was only shown a yellow card by the referee when all believed he should have been sent from the field.

Curtin continued to probe for an equaliser, finding promise from both Kristian Beven and Kye Middleton down the flanks but the home side was wasteful in the final third. With 15 minutes to play Eddie Tikoft was shown a second yellow card and the home side had a mountain to climb. They continued to dominate possession however and Balga, seemingly worried, resorted to time wasting tactics and took all three points.

Team: Ferguson, Beven, Keegan (McMulkin), Thapa, Young, Chiellini, Tikoft, Salhah, Jakszuk (Barnes), Middleton, Matkovic.
Written by: David Cantoni