LAURIE WILLIAMS
SOCCER
LVSL
By LAURIE WILLIAMS
THE 2023 Latrobe Valley Soccer League championship season comes to a crescendo this weekend as fierce Morwell rivals Falcons 2000 and Fortuna 60 face each other on Sunday with the league title on the line.
After speaking with many from within the local footballing fraternity, no one can remember a game that has had as much riding on it than this one since the turn of the century.
What’s even more intriguing is that Fortuna will host the game on Falcons’ synthetic pitch.
Fortuna has hosted all of their home games in the second half of the season on the ground while Falcons train on the pitch during the week, so it’s hard to gauge who has the actual advantage for this Sunday’s fixture.
The two clubs have had vastly differing history over the last decade. Falcons have been the powerhouse of the competition winning four league titles in the last six completed seasons including last years title. They will be looking to emulate the back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018.
For Fortuna, who amassed many league titles in the early 2000s, haven’t won a senior men’s trophy for over ten years and for a club as steeped in history as theirs, the pressure will be on to win that elusive bit of silverware that they have building towards over the past two years.
The season to date has had more moves than a game of snakes and ladders.
Over the course of the season, challenger after challenger have dropped off and now only two remain. Falcons have a slight advantage in that not only do they head into the contest in winning form, but they also have a one point advantage with only a draw needed to win the title.
For Fortuna, they will have to regroup after a shock loss to Pegasus and they now know that only a win will do.
Despite the loss to Pegasus, Fortuna will be buoyed by the 4-0 win they had over their rivals in their first fixture of the season.
The Orangemen play an attack-minded game and caught their opponents off guard and were simply too good on the night. But as they say, things change quickly in this game and since that loss Falcons have won seven out of eight games and have worked themselves into form at the right time of the season.
From a statistical viewpoint everything points to Fortuna having the edge. They have averaged a mammoth 5.17 goals per game while Falcons only average 3.41. Defensively Fortuna also have the better record, conceding 21 goals as opposed to Falcons who have let through 24.
All of that will count for nothing though if Fortuna cannot get the win on Sunday. It will be an enthralling contest nonetheless with many expected to be in attendance to witness a tough, physical encounter.
The table currently sees Falcons on 40 points, one point ahead of Fortuna (39), however Fortuna have a far greater goal differential (+67, compared to Falcons’ +35).
IN other matches Newborough/Yallourn are home to Moe in the local derby, Olympians are sure to add another victory against Churchill although it will be the big chance for the Rams to gain points in their final league match for the season and Pegasus are sure to finish the regular season with a big win over Tyers in Round 22.
