NFPL Matchweek 3 Preview

by NFPL

Matchweek 3 is the final NFPL Matchweek before the holiday break. After this week, we'll have a better idea of who's looking to top each division and conference with a strong start to the season. Not every team will have played an equal number of games, but with varied opposition we should be able to make some deductions.

With that being said, we have a juicy 4-game slate of games for Matchweek 3 in both the Women's Division and the Men's Division! All four games are played on the evening of Saturday, December 17th, 2022. Keep reading for details on these matches.

Women's Division

Futsal Indy (H) vs. Futsal Factory Academy (A)

Matchweek 3 kicks off in Indianapolis as the Futsal Indy Women host the Futsal Factory Academy Women. As is frequently the case in the NFPL, the result of the match can depend on how well the away team travels. If FFA are able to bring a deep bench to Indianapolis, this will be a great game. If they travel light, then Futsal Indy will likely make it tough on them. 

Fresh off a thrilling Matchweek 2 victory over Grand Rapids OLé, the ladies of FFA will be feeling confident and looking to extend their lead on top of the division. 

Match Details:

Men's Division

Columbus Futsal (H) vs. FC Tryzub (A)

With the first of our cross-conference matchups this season, Columbus Futsal will host FC Tryzub in their home opener at Westwood Fieldhouse. 

Expect a packed house, a loud crowd, and a great game in Columbus. FC Tryzub have a physical, skillful team that will matchup well against a Columbus team that has a similar makeup. If FC Tryzub travel with enough substitutions, they can steal some vital points from Columbus. If Columbus play their best game, they have a shot to win cleanly and they'll be looking forward to the opportunity to be top of the table going into the holiday break. 

Key Players:

Columbus Futsal:
• Yul Illidge
• Victor Barbosa
• Marcelo de Matos

FC Tryzub:
• Andrew Gavrylshyn
• Bohdan Ruchka

MATCH DETAILS:

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Futsal Indy (H) vs. Futsal Factory Academy (A)

We've got two teams here that are looking for their first win for the season, which means this should be an absolute dogfight. In Matchweek 2, Futsal Factory Academy played a close game against reigning champions Grand Rapids OLé, with the visitors pulling away in the second half for a 5-3 victory. 

Elsewhere in Matchweek 2, Futsal Indy played an immediate rematch against Joy Athletic and took an L at home with a 5-11 scoreline. There's no doubt that Joy Athletic are one of the better teams in the league, and Futsal Indy certainly played better at home than they did on the road.

Where does that leave us? With both teams hungry for a win and spectators excited for what should be a cracking match of futsal here in the NFPL. The Men will play directly after the Women in Indianapolis. 

KEY PLAYERS:

Futsal Indy:
 • Joao Couto
 • Luis Soriano
 • Ben Diatta

Futsal Factory Academy:
 • Robert Damron
 • Ben Pritchard
 • Drew Ducker

MATCH DETAILS

Joy Athletic (H) VS. Cadence SFC(A)

With one of the top teams in the league, Joy Athletic, hosting Cadence SFC, a notoriously weak team on the road, we fear the absolute worst for the visitors from Chicago. 

The Minnesota-based futsal club will be looking to maintain their perfect record going into the holiday break, and having won their home opener with a ridiculous scoreline of 18-3, Cadence SFC will have to play out of their skin to get a result on the road. 

KEY PLAYERS

Joy Athletic:
 • Bennett Kouame
 • Mika Folstad 
 • Philip Caputo

Cadence SFC
• Matthew Maciulis
• Guilherme Nunes 
• Edrik Padilla

MATCH DETAILS

WHERE THINGS STAND

Teams will have an opportunity to regroup or build on success after Matchweek 3 with the holiday break extending until January 6th. Lots to play for! Best of luck to all of the players and managers, both Men and Women, on the court this weekend!

Follow along and stay tuned to the National Futsal Premier League social media channels for game updates and more! Catch the full standings and schedule here.