There’s a huge round ahead in the Football Queensland Premier League (FQPL) as the top three teams attempt to boost their promotion hopes across two massive Sunday matches.
Before then comes an Ipswich Derby for a Friday night treat, setting a high bar for what should be a thrilling weekend.
Watch all the action live on NPL.TV, free for Australian subscribers.
Feature Match:
Ipswich Knights v Western Pride
At least one place in the FQPL Finals Series is still very much up for grabs with just three points separating fourth and eighth.
Fourth-placed Wolves FC hold the advantage on goal difference but Ipswich Knights and Western Pride, the teams directly below them, are right in the mix for end-of-season action.
That makes Friday night’s Ipswich Derby all the more important, though the two sets of players hardly need any more motivation for the Eric Evans Oval encounter.
Their previous meeting ended in a 2-1 win for Knights, who must improve after a suffering a 6-2 defeat on the road to Mitchelton FC last weekend.
Pride, meanwhile, are back in action for the first time since hitting six goals past Southside Eagles, the second time they have reached that mark this season.
The winner of this must-watch Feature Match could emerge from the weekend in pole position to extend their season beyond the final round.
Match Details
Friday, 30 October, 7:30pm
Eric Evans Oval
Live Stream Link
Key Matches:
SWQ Thunder v Mitchelton FC
Can SWQ Thunder retain top spot for another weekend, or will Mitchelton breathe new life into their own promotion hopes?
These are the key questions confronting the competition’s first and third-placed teams after the mid-week washouts only added to the sense of tension.
The bulk of the pressure heading into the weekend rests on SWQ, as the leaders hold just a single-point advantage over Logan Lightning – who have played two fewer matches.
Thunder find themselves in this precarious position after losing twice in October, although a 2-0 win over Wolves last time out got the team back on track.
They beat Mitchelton by the same scoreline in August, with Joseph Scott and Jackson Franke on target, and a repeat result would be welcome at Clive Berghofer Stadium.
Mitchelton, who have scored 14 goals in their past three games, will be out for revenge, particularly as they have the chance to move within a point of their opponents.
Match Details
Sunday, 1 November, 3:00pm
Clive Berghofer Stadium
Live Stream Link
Sunshine Coast FC v Logan Lightning
The Tunder-Mitchelton match kicks off just an hour before Sunday’s other crucial clash between Sunshine Coast FC and a Logan side aiming to snatch the FQPL lead.
Having lost just once all season, Logan might expect to be strong favourites against their eighth-placed opponents.
But writing Fire off would be to discount their impressive run of results.
Chief among their recent achievements is the 2-1 upset they secured against SWQ three weekends ago, one of the club’s three victories throughout a perfect October.
Fire’s undefeated streak sits at five matches in total, meaning Logan will have to be in top form on the Sunshine Coast.
And with Rick Coghlan’s men having racked up six successive victories throughout September and October, it’s set to be a cracking contest at Kawana Western Precinct.
Match Details
Sunday, 1 November, 4:00pm
Kawana Western Precinct
Live Stream Link
Other Round 11 Matches:
Rochedale Rovers v Southside Eagles
Friday, 30 October, 7:15pm
Underwood Park
Live Stream Link
Souths United v Wolves FC
Saturday, 31 October, 6:30pm
Wakerley Park
Live Stream Link
Players to Watch:
Yuta Hirayama (Western Pride): With 11 goals to his name, Hirayama holds a slender one-goal lead in the FQPL Golden Boot battle. This weekend’s derby would be a significant time for the Japanese forward to extend his lead.
Ugo Moneke (Logan Lightning): A bundle of energy and excitement going forward, Moneke has proved a top-notch addition to Lightning’s attack this term and should be central to the action on the Sunshine Coast.
Alex Sartori (Mitchelton FC): Mitchelton striker Sartori was selected in the most recent FQPL Team of the Week after scoring twice against Holland Park Hawks and his good form continued with another goal against Knights last Saturday.
Image: David Wilson Photography
