Josh Mori shines as MetroStars rack up 8-0 thumping of newly-promoted Cumberland United in National Premier Leagues SA clash
Coach Robbie Saraceno says MetroStars’ 8-0 thumping of Cumberland United has highlighted the club’s hunger to make up for recent near misses and the quality of a Socceroos great’s son. Our NPL SA soccer weekend wrap.
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AN eight-goal thumping, inspired by the son of a Socceroos great, has highlighted MetroStars’ hunger to make up for recent near misses, coach Robbie Saraceno says.
The Klemzig club dished out a soccer lesson to newly-promoted Cumberland United on Saturday, as they got their National Premier Leagues SA campaign up and running.
A Christian Esposito hat-trick and an eye-catching brace to Josh Mori, son of 29-goal national team striker Damian Mori, helped MetroStars rack up the 8-0 rout at AA Bailey Reserve.
Saraceno said it was the ideal response to last weekend’s underwhelming round-one defeat to Adelaide Olympic.
He said the one-sided success also made a powerful early statement, after his charges had lost the preliminary final in each of the past three seasons.
“Olympic were quite good last week and gave us a bit of a reality check,” said Saraceno, leading the club in its 25th year.
“But we challenged the boys in the sense of making sure they can bounce back with a good performance and they did.
“The most pleasing thing was when we scored that sixth goal, if there was a 50-50 tackle to be won we were still going into it and putting our body on the line and defending well.
“It’s a pretty important year for us ... and the boys are burning as much as the coaching staff are.
“Hopefully we can go a little better than we have the last three years.”
Teenage winger Luis Benedetti curled in a stunning opener on his maiden senior start to get the ball rolling for the visitors in the 19th minute.
It was one-way traffic from there as off-season recruit Mori, impressive in a playmaker role, got the first of his double with another fine finish.
MetroStars were ruthless after the break, adding six more through Mori, Dylan Smith, Fabian Barbiero and Esposito’s treble.
“We want to be a really quick moving team, not only with the ball, but with the personnel,” said Saraceno, who also praised summer addition Kyle Crout.
“Once that (first) goal went in, it made Cumberland come out to play a bit more and gave us a couple of openings that we punished them with.
“He (Mori) gives us that pace going forward, he’s good on the ball and he takes it after his Dad a little bit finishing-wise in front of goals.
⤴ï¸ðŸ”🗑ï¸@NE_MetroStars 👌 pic.twitter.com/BBu9wjRb9l
— NPL SA (@FootballSA_NPL) March 1, 2020
“That’s one of the areas we had to improve in, making sure we get some depth up front, and he’s come in and done that really well.”
Meanwhile, promoted Modbury Jets became the surprise early-pacesetters as they came from-behind to beat nine-man Para Hills 2-1 in Friday night’s northern derby at Jet Park.
Samed Altundag put the Knights in front late in the first half.
But Shaun McGreevy and Daniel Pritchard scored in a three-minute blitz after the break to secure back-to-back wins for the new league leaders.
Para Hills had Logan Marley-McFall and Isaac Mullen sent off.
A late Binyam Kebede strike continued Adelaide United youth’s unbeaten start to the campaign, as the young Reds salvaged a 1-1 draw with Croydon.
New signing Sam Carmichael had earlier handed the Kings a 69th-minute lead at their adopted Jack Smith Park home.
Last season’s beaten grand finalist Adelaide Comets registered their first victory of the year with a 1-0 success over Adelaide Olympic at the Parks.
Recruit Ninko Beric grabbed the only goal of the game.
Reigning champion Campbelltown City was held to a goalless draw with Raiders at the Croatian Sports Centre.
Adelaide Blue Eagles host Adelaide City in the remaining round-two fixture at Marden Sports Complex on Monday night (8.15pm kick-off).