Pig'N'Whistle Canale Cup Semi-Final Preview

It’s Semi-Final time in the Pig ’N’ Whistle Canale Cup as the season draws close to a frenetic conclusion. There’s one tie to be played tonight and one next week so we’ll focus on the first semi-final taking place this evening out at Brisbane Knights Sports Complex.

Brisbane Knights (CL1) v Rochedale Rovers (FCPL) 7.30pm - Tue 15 Aug at Brisbane Knights Sports Complex.

Brisbane Knights - the ‘Giant Killers’ of 2017 - are one step away from reaching the Pig ’N’ Whistle Canale Cup Final but will face their stiffest hurdle yet when Flight Centre Premier League leaders Rochedale Rovers travel to Rocklea on Tuesday night. In the Westfield FFA Cup, Knights dispensed of Lions FC in RD2 with a shock 3-1 win before moving Mitchelton aside in RD3 with a 1-0 success. They eventually bowed out of that competition to eventual National Round of 32 finalists Peninsula Power following a 5-0 home defeat. In this competition, due to their progress in the Westfield FFA Cup, Knights entered the fray at the last 16 stage where they grabbed a late winner to knockout Souths United at Wakerley Park, before progressing to their biggest win over Flight Centre Premier League opposition in last week’s Quarter Final with a 4-1 win at Holland Park Hawks. The common denominator has been all their successes have come on the road. They’re now back at home facing a Rochedale side on the verge of claiming the Flight Centre Premier League title which could prove beneficial to Knights. Rovers fielded a number of reserves in the penalty shootout win over Taringa Rovers in their Quarter Final last week and can perhaps count themselves fortunate to have made it through. They will naturally have one eye on the Flight Centre Premier League title race and their final game of the season at home to Mitchelton on Saturday, knowing a win or even a draw will seal the title; so it will be interesting to see what Coach Scott MacNicol decides to do for this clash with regards squad selection. Knights must also make sure the job is done at the weekend for them to be involved in the post season finals series in Capital League 1, but one thing you can count on is that they’ll be throwing everything at Rovers tonight and will want to break the home ground cup hoodoo that saw them depart the Westfield FFA Cup. Prediction: Extra time will beckon and fitness will be the telling difference with Rochedale eager to make it a league and cup double in 2017 before heading off to the FQPL in 2018.