Monday, June 14, 2021

Extra-time may be needed in today's Cup Finals

Glenorchy Knights meet Devonport Strikers in the Lakoseljac Cup Final at 2pm at KGV Park today in what promises to be a tight tussle between the two best teams in Tasmania.

Extra-time would not be a surprise.

Both teams are in good form and should be at full strength.

KGV Park is a familiar venue for Devonport, despite it being the Knights’ home ground.

In the final league game last season, Devonport put on a superb performance there to put the Knights to the sword 4-1.

Devonport had the easier passage into the final and brushed aside Taroona 8-0, while the Knights had to battle before downing Launceston City 1-0 in extra-time.

The Knights have lost top players Alex Walter and Joffrey N’Koso to Victoria recently and this has blunted their attack a little bit.

They have replacements, but they are not up to the level of the missing duo.

They do have midfielder Eli Luttmer, returned from Victoria, whose experience and ability are proving invaluable.

Devonport have had a stable line-up and their team play can be impressive.

This could, therefore, be a contest between a well-oiled machine and a team of individual accomplished technicians.

The expected starting line-ups are:

Glenorchy Knights:  Hart, Smith, Schmidt, Castaneda, Luttmer, Bowman, Muller, Hill, Mearns, Naden, Harrison.

Devonport Strikers:  Pitchford, Denehey, E Bidwell, C Bidwell, Parke, Syson, Stone, Mulraney, Barnard, Reynolds, Barton.

Today’s curtain-raiser at 11.30am is the Women’s State-wide Cup Final between Olympia Warriors and Launceston United.

Olympia will start as favourites but the way in which Clarence Zebras cleaned them up last week is a concern for coach Matt Kilsby.

Launceston United never give in and they got to the final with a 3-2 win over Kingborough Lions United.

Launceston United were 2-0 down and fought back to 2-2 before a last-minute winner gave them their ticket to the final.

They pose a serious threat to the Warriors and an upset is certainly on the cards.

 

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