Almost two years after Adelaide United beat Melbourne City in the 2019 FInal, the FFA Cup returns on the national stage with an NPL team facing A-League opposition in the Round of 32.
Moreton Daily Stadium will be the stage for the game between two Queensland sides in the form of the Peninsula Power and Brisbane Roar.
Power’s senior men’s team have risen from the third-tier of Brisbane football to now competing in NPL Queensland, becoming Premiers in 2020 and leading the table so far in 2021.
They have 15 wins from 19 games this season, losing only three times and drawing just once while accumulating 46 points.
The club from Redcliffe has reached the Round of 32 only once in its history before, hosting Melbourne City in 2017.
Key Players
Their most lethal weapon this year has been 24-year-old striker Andy Pengelly who has 25 goals in 22 appearances in all competitions.
The Ipswich-born forward started his career with Western Pride before moving to Brisbane Strikers where he won the 2019 NPL Queensland Golden Boot by scoring 41 goals in 26 games.
A big move to Singapore Premier League club Lion City Sailors followed where he played only two games before returning to Australia due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
He joined the Power for this campaign, destroying defences in the NPL QLD once again, and will prove to be a formidable force against the Brisbane Roar for the upcoming clash.
Pengelly has been earmarked for a move to the A-League where at the young age of 24, he could follow the footsteps of former NPL QLD striker Dylan Wenzel-Halls to the top tier.
There is no doubt that tomorrow’s performance plays a pivotal role.
How will they line up?
Managed by Warren Moon’s ex-assistant Aaron Philp, Peninsula will likely lineup in a 3-5-2 formation against the Roar at Dolphin Stadium.
The team has deployed different variations of 3-5-2 and 3-4-3 during their season in the National Premier League, occasionally using a back-four as well.
Despite usually being a very attacking team under Philp, Power will most likely sit deep against the Roar and invite pressure, looking to hurt their A-League opponent on the counter.
With the Roar playing one friendly since pre-season has commenced, and the NPL QLD being a stop-start affair for much of the campaign, Moreton Daily Stadium will be rocking.
Peninsula Power take on the Brisbane Roar on the 14th of September at 7:30pm AEST
Image Supplied: Peninsula Power/Kylie Wells