Welcome to the Friday Forecast ahead of Semi Final weekend in the Statewide Cup competitions. This is always an entertaining weekend of action and with no tomorrow for the losers, the sides will be leaving it all out there on the pitch.
In the Lakoseljac Cup we have the Devonport Strikers looking to claim a third consecutive Cup triumph, but standing in their way is the only side to have defied them in 2023, the Clarence Zebras. Then on Sunday the underdog narrative kicks into gear with South Hobart taking on Championship opponents in Hobart United.
In the Women’s Statewide Cup, we have a pair of Semi-Finals that we saw as recently as last weekend. Will the defeated Strikers and Lions be able to flip the results in the Cup? Or will we see a repeat and have the defending Champions and the current WSL ladder leaders marching on?
Lakoseljac Cup - Preliminary Round 6 of the Australia Cup
Cup Kings Devonport Seeking Another Final Berth
The first Semi-Final in the Lakoseljac Cup will pit the Devonport Strikers up against the Clarence Zebras at Valley Road.
The Strikers have been the undisputed Kings of the Cup in recent years. They've won the past two editions of it and since their modern dynasty began in 2016 they’ve advanced to the final five times, winning four times. Potential final opponents South Hobart have been their opponent in four of those deciders, with the Strikers holding a 3-1 record in those games. Sitting atop the NPL table, undefeated in 2023 in all competitions and after years of consecutive road cup draws, they are even drawing home ties now. Quite simply, things couldn’t be going much better for the boys from the Portress. They are strong on every line of the pitch and are favoured to advance here.
The Zebras have been the big improvers in the NPL this season, currently sitting in fifth, though they are only outside the top 4 places in lieu of goal difference. Offering some hope for the Zebras in their bid to cause a boilover will be their efforts in Round 1 against the Strikers at Valley Road. They provided an opening weekend shock by earning a 1-1 draw against the Strikers. That remains the only time the Strikers have dropped points this season, meaning the Zebras are the only side that has achieved a positive result against them. The Strikers have won 8 straight since that opening-day slip-up. The Zebras defended extremely well and were well organised structurally to claim that result, a similar defensive discipline will be required on Saturday. If they can hold steady at the back, then the in-form Curtis Miley and brilliant Xuan Cappellino have the ability to threaten the Strikers back the other way.
Underdogs United Look To Keep Incredible Run Going
On Sunday the second Lakolsejac Cup Semi Final will take place at KGV as South Hobart take on Hobart United.
Hobart United have undoubtedly been the feel-good story of the 2023 Lakoseljac Cup and they are the lone side remaining from the lower divisions. This is the furthest the club has ever progressed in the competition and they’ve impressed en route to the Semi-Finals. They swept aside Somerset 5-1 in the Qualifying Round, won impressively on the road to Ulverstone 5-2 in the Round of 16, before grinding out a tense 1-0 win over Riverside in the Semi-Finals. Their defensive discipline was crucial that day and against such a high-powered attacking opposition here will need to be even better this time around.
They will meet a South Hobart side whose hopes of an NPL title appear to be evaporating early. They are already 8 points behind the Strikers and as such the Cup perhaps offers them a more realistic chance of silverware this year. With the National stage of the Australia Cup Round of 32 awaiting the Cup champions, it's arguably a bigger prize than the league is these days anyway. Their best performance of the year came in the Quarter finals when they dismantled Knights 7-2.
Whilst South should win this game, they’ve shown the occasional tendency to be somewhat wasteful with their scoring chances this year. If that problem rears its head once again, United have got some weapons that can jag a goal and as Riverside learned, they can also carry a real threat from set pieces. Whilst you certainly would never complain about getting lower-division opponents in a Semi-Final, mentally United should be the freer side here. All the pressure and weight of expectation is on South Hobart, United have nothing to lose. The longer the game remains tight, the more that might start to creep into the thinking of the players, so it's vital Hobart United hang in there early and invite those South Hobart mental demons in.
Women's Statewide Cup
South Seeeking a Repeat From Last Week
In the first Semi Final of the Women's Statewide Cup at Valley Road we have Devonport taking on South Hobart. This is a straight-up rematch from a week earlier, where South Hobart scored a 3-1 win over the Strikers to seize control of the Super League title race. Now they are out to repeat that performance and punch their ticket through to the decider.
As such South Hobart probably deservedly enter this match as favourites, but the Strikers showed enough in that game to suggest they are every chance of reversing the result this week. South shaded the contest and were good value for their victory, but Devonport created some dangerous scoring chances whilst the game was at 2-1 and could easily have taken something from the match. Jenna Farrow made a pair of huge stops to deny Jazmin White, one in each half to preserve the lead before Choi finally iced the game late on. A missed penalty in stoppage time could’ve seen South’s lead further extended, but it could so easily have been 2-2 deep into the match.
It could also have been 3-1 South well before the late stages of the match if not for Kacee Ponting’s efforts in the Striker's net. In dire need of a new keeper following the departure of Hayley Julian, the Strikers have done well to scramble and find an accomplished replacement in season in the form of Ponting, without her, South would’ve won the match comfortably, but the Strikers will be hoping they can clamp down on the chance creation and give her a quieter day this time around.
The 2022 Cup Final Rematch
The second Semi-Final will also feature a rematch from last weekend, as Launceston United clash with the Kingborough Lions, although the venue will be flipped from Floorworld Park to KGV.
It’s not only a rematch of 6 days earlier where United ran out 3-2 victors, but a rematch of last season’s thrilling decider which United also won 3-1.
United have looked a strong outfit this season and whilst they aren’t quite hitting the heights of 2022 will enter this one as favourites. They controlled the bulk of the contest against the Lions on Sunday and got back to winning ways after a patchy few weeks of form had seen them slip down the table. The returning Adilat Otto bolstered a midfield that has missed the brilliance of Madi Gilpin of late as she provided some timely reinforcement to help secure the win.
Yet for all of United’s dominance in both possession and territory last week, they didn’t create that many good scoring opportunities, finding themselves frustrated by the Lions defence and they left the door ajar for a Lions outfit that simply wouldn’t quit.
The Lions showed the fight and resilience they will need on Saturday, as well as the ability to take their chances when they arrived. That will be vital again this weekend, especially if Laura Davis is unable to take the pitch. Davis limping off injured in the first half was a sight no Lions fan would have wanted to see. She possesses a threat in the final third that nobody can replace and they look a far more potent side out there with her. If she misses, it will be on the likes of their key senior players like Kannegiesser and Moutsatsos to provide the scoring punch.
Lakoseljac Cup
Saturday 20 May
Devonport Strikers v Clarence Zebras, 3:00pm, Valley Road
Saturday 21 May
Hobart United v South Hobart, 2:00pm, KGV
Women's Statewide Cup
Saturday 20 May
Devonport v South Hobart, 12:00pm, Valley Road
Kingborough v Launceston United, 2:00pm, KGV
Under 21 Statewide Cup
Saturday 20 May
Launceston City v South East United, 2:00pm, Buckby Motors Park
Sunday 21 May
Riverside Olympic v Devonport Strikers, 3:00pm, Windsor Park
Under 17 Girl's Statewide Cup
Saturday 20 May
South Hobart v Devonport, 12:00pm, Darcy Street
Launceston City v Clarence Zebras, 11:00am, Buckby Motors Park
Under 17 Boy's Statewide Cup
Saturday 20 May
Launceston City v Clarence Zebras, 11:45am, Buckby Motors Park 2
Launceston United v South Hobart, 12:00pm, Birch Avenue