Young Aussies Feature – National Youth League History

As season 3 gets underway, here’s a quick look at how the first two seasons eof the NYL nded up.

Season 2008/09:

NYL Grand Final:

Sydney FC 2-0 Adelaide United
(Hayder 21, Mileski 77)

Top scorer: 13 Monterosso, Adelaide United

Each side played 18 times and the two top sides at the end of the season faced each other in a Grand Final Play-off. The competition kicked off with Queensland Roar beating Melbourne Victory 2-0.

The end of season table toppers went on a huge winning streak, which saw them go undefeated until Round 11, winning every game along the way. Their impressive run was finally stopped by the bottom side Newcastle Jets. Melbourne Victory also defeated them the next two times they met but it wasn-t enough to stop Sydney taking out the first ever National Youth League.

Adelaide United weren-t too far behind though and despite a stuttering start, they put together a successful run of their own and they only lost three matches throughout the competition.

Queensland Roar were the other team that had a good debut season but Adelaide just edged them out by two points at the end of the season and set up a Grand Final match up with Sydney at their own Hindmarsh stadium.

Sydney ran out winners 2-0 against Adelaide with goals in the middle of both halves enough to give Sydney the title.

Final Standings:

Season 2009/10:

NYL Grand Final:

Perth Glory 1-2 Gold Coast United
(Evans 75) (Harold 82, Minniecon91)

Top scorer: 17 Monterosso, Adelaide United

In an expanded competition, which saw the new A-League teams add their youth sides to
the setup, each side played 24 matches after which fourth played the league winners, whilst second played third.

This year-s league table was in stark contrast to the previous season where Sydney ran away with the title. After the 24th game was played, only five point separated the top five sides in the league, with the Central Coast Mariners ending up on top of the pile by only one point.

After 27 rounds, the table toppers faced off against Gold Coast United who overcame the hosts 3-1 in a hard fought match. Two early goals inside five minutes and one in the last ten were enough to ensure the final berth for United.

In the other semi, Perth Glory defeated Adelaide 1-0 and booked their place alongside Gold Coast. The final saw three late goals decide and Gold Coast-s Tahj Minniecon scored a 90th minute winner in a cracking finale at the Etihad stadium.

Final standings: