Ex-NSL champion West Adelaide to face amateur side as FFA Cup SA round one draw is completed
Former National Soccer League champion West Adelaide faces a potential banana skin in the opening round of the FFA Cup SA as it travels to face amateur league opposition. Find out your club’s fate from today’s draw.
Local Soccer SA
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Soccer SA. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Former National Soccer League champion West Adelaide faces a potential banana skin in the opening round of the FFA Cup SA as it travels to face amateur league opposition.
The three-time state cup winner was drawn to play Sunday top flight amateur side Tea Tree Gully City in the knockout competition’s David versus Goliath tie.
West was the unlucky National Premier Leagues SA club plucked to feature in the first round of the cup, during Monday’s draw live streamed by The Advertiser.
The remaining 10 top-tier outfits received a bye to the next phase, while Adelaide United youth was not eligible.
New West coach Steve De Giovanniello has endured a winless start to the league campaign, despite boasting the likes of former Adelaide United playmaker Marcelo Carrusca.
The pair will need to negotiate the tricky trip to Tilley Reserve to take on Tea Tree Gully, which narrowly avoided relegation to the Sunday amateur second division last season.
Football Federation SA general manager of football development Paul Marcuccitti said the mouth-watering clash demonstrated the beauty of the cup.
“That’s what made it more exciting than ever last year with the amateur teams joining for the first time and a couple of them getting some famous results,” Marcuccitti said.
“It’s great to have them in and we’re looking forward to seeing what types of match-ups we’re going to get.”
In other standout ties, last year’s giant-killer Ghan Kilburn City will meet State League Two club Mount Barker United.
Amateur league Ghan shocked most observers by reaching the last 16 of the competition in 2018, dumping out five-time winner White City before going down to Adelaide City.
The two lowest ranked sides in the draw face tough assignments.
Second-tier Collegiate League team Cardijn Old Collegians host State League Two Vipers.
Noarlunga United amateurs, who play in Sunday division two, are also at home to federation opposition in Adelaide Hills.
Saturday top flight amateur club BOSA made the round-of-16 last campaign and would look to produce a similar run, starting away to Collegiate League Rostrevor Old Collegians.
Sunday amateur frontrunners Brahma Lodge and Elizabeth Downs take on Saturday counterparts Adelaide Wanderers and Adelaide Cobras amateurs respectively.
Seven-time cup-winner West Torrens Birkalla faces four-time victor Port Adelaide Pirates and White City meets Western Strikers (one) in battles of past powerhouses.
All ties will be played on the weekend of March 29-31. Fixture details will be confirmed by FFSA in coming days.
The winner of the FFA Cup SA will join A-League side Adelaide United and NPL champion Campbelltown City as the state’s representatives in the national FFA Cup round-of-32.
FFA CUP SA — ROUND ONE
Cove v Eastern United
Rostrevor Old Collegians v BOSA
Seaford Rangers v Playford City
Adelaide Red Blue Eagles v Noarlunga United
Adelaide Cobras amateurs v Elizabeth Downs
Salisbury United v USC Lion
Mount Barker United v Ghan Kilburn City
Adelaide Victory v Fulham
Brahma Lodge v Adelaide Wanderers
Modbury Jets v Adelaide Cobras
Elizabeth Vale v Adelaide Titans
Noarlunga United amateurs v Adelaide Hills
Western Strikers v White City
West Torrens Birkalla v Port Adelaide Pirates
Pontian Eagles v Mercedes Old Collegians
Cardijn Old Collegians v Vipers
Adelaide University v Modbury Vista
Adelaide University Grads Red v UniSA
Sturt Lions v Gawler
Old Ignatians v Sacred Heart Old Collegians
Northern Demons v Cumberland United
Tea Tree Gully v West Adelaide
Raiders embrace ‘underdog’ tag, new recruit scores winner
An NPL side enjoying its second season in the top flight is making a strike for the top of the table, while another club coach says his side is playing a brand that’s ‘nice, it’s good, it’s sharp’. Check out The Messenger’s reports from the weekend’s action.
Top women’s soccer coach quits, cites ‘difference of opinion’
A top flight women’s soccer coach has quit mid season because “differing opinions” despite leading the side to first spot on the table with just one loss after six rounds.