Canberra Croatia FC are making their third appearance in the Round of 32 of the
Australia Cup and have been drawn to play South Australian NPL league-leaders
North Eastern Metrostars SC.
With a proud record in the Capital Football Federation Cup behind them, the twenty times cup winners are still waiting for a victory in the Australia Cup proper and will be keen to ensure that it is a case of third time’s a charm, when they welcome MetroStars to Deakin Stadium on Wednesday 30 July.
In this year’s National Premier League action, Canberra Croatia have been dominant, and with two thirds of the season behind them they currently stand six points clear at the top of the table, having scored an impressive 53 goals in fourteen matches to date, averaging almost 4 goals per game.
Youngster Nick Pratežina is in equal first place for this year’s NPL Golden Boot and is leading the charge with eleven goals, followed by veteran Thomas James on ten, and another youngster, Maxx Green, on eight and Daniel Sparrow on seven, whilst Thomas James is also the league-leading provider of assists, with thirteen to his name, and also has the distinction of scoring Canberra Croatia’s first-ever goal in the Australia Cup, having scored in the 4-1 loss to Broadmeadow Magic in 2018.
This proficiency in front of goal continued in the Federation Cup run, where they
netted sixteen goals in four matches.
But it is not all about attack, with the team only conceding fifteen goals in the League and one in the Federation Cup Final, having not conceded any in their run to the Final.
Five of these goals were conceded in a single league game after they were reduced to ten men, but somehow still managed to find a way to score four and almost snatch a draw at the death.
Canberra Croatia’s extended Australia Cup squad is a real blend of youth and experience, with Mathew Grbeša the oldest player at 38 and approaching his 300th NPL game, whilst twins, Andrija and Anthony Rakić, are only seventeen and have a handful of senior appearances behind them.
The average age of the extended squad is below 25 years of age, whilst the regular starting eleven averages 26 years of age, with many of the squad being home-grown talent that has progressed though the Club’s junior ranks.
Living up to the Club name, the squad also has a distinct Croatian flavour, with over half the squad being of Croatian descent, including another two sets of brothers: Nikola and Marko Jadrić, who returned to the Club this year having spent some time plying their trade in the Croatian and Slovenian leagues, as well as Daniel and Nicholas Subašić, who also have younger brothers Marcus and Cristiano playing in the Club’s U23s and U16s.
Even at only 26 years of age, Daniel Subašić is already a veteran of the squad with over 200 NPL appearances, all of which have been with Canberra Croatia since debuting as a 16 year old, and he will be the only player in the current squad making it three appearances out of three in the Round of 32 of the Australia Cup – and hoping to extend his run into the Round of 16 for the first time!
SQUAD | 1 – Sam BROWN; 4 – Mathew GRBEŠA; 5 – Jack PERAIĆ-CULLEN;
6 – Ryan KEIR (c); 7 – Daniel COLBERTALDO; 8 – Keegan VUČETIĆ; 9 – Thomas JAMES;
10 – Nicholas PRATEŽINA; 11 – Jason UGRINIĆ; 12 – Nikola JADRIĆ; 13 – Riley ZSUSZA;
14 – Daniel SUBAŠIĆ; 15 – David ŠEŠELJA; 16 – Ivica MAJETIĆ; 17. Nicholas SUBAŠIĆ;
18 – Marko JADRIĆ; 19 – Tony SPASESKI; 20 – Anthony RAKIĆ; 21 – Andrija RAKIĆ;
22 – Maxx GREEN; 23 – Jason MATEŠA; 24 – Daniel SPARROW; 30 – Jampel DORJI;
Coach – Dean UGRINIĆ; Assistant Coach – Andy RAKIĆ
When | Wednesday 30 July
Kick off | 7:30PM AEST
Where | Deakin Stadium, Canberra
Live | 10 Play
