Canberra Olympic 2 (Geraldine Longo 16’, Lily Dawson 73’)def. by Monaro Panthers 4 (Olivia Farrell 3’, Lara Burdett 66’, Zoe Szeremet 90+’, 90+2’)

A stoppage-time brace from Zoe Szeremet helped the Monaro Panthers to a last-ditch win over Canberra Olympic at O’Connor on Sunday afternoon.

Olivia Farrell got the visitors off to the perfect start at O’Connor when she scored her first goal of the season after just three minutes to put the hosts on the back foot. But Geraldine Longo put the hosts back on level terms 13 minutes later with a goal to set up an exciting afternoon. The first half continued at much the same pace, as the sides traded possession and chances at either end.

Locked at 1-1 at the interval the result was up for grabs, but neither side could grab the initiative early in the second half. But after 20 minutes Monaro took the lead again, this time Lara Burdett was on hand to finish tidily from inside the box and give her side the advantage.

Much like their earlier lead though it was short lived, as Lily Dawson scored for the hosts to restore parity seven minutes later, and leave the match hanging in the balance with 17 minutes remaining. 

The match continued in much the same vein as the first half with both sides pushing each other, but the deadlock was not broken until the final minute when speedy forward Szeremet scored her eighth goal of the season to give her side a late lead.

And she made the result official just two minutes later as she completed her brace deep in stoppage time to give the Panthers their second win of the season and pull them away from the base of the ladder. 

 

Tuggeranong United 0 def. by Canberra FC 5 (Grace Gill 6’, Marcia Wallis 28’, 73’, Bridget Wright 67’, Chantel Jones 83’)

Canberra FC jumped right back into the top two conversation on Sunday afternoon with a thumping 5-0 win over Tuggeranong United.

Grace Gill set the tone early for the visitors when she scored after just six minutes, but Tuggeranong were not content to sit back and be peppered as they began to create chances of their own and push back against the visitors.

Canberra FC were hungry though and looking to build on their 4-3 round in their last league matchup. And they built on their first goal soon after, as Marcia Wallis scored just before the half hour mark for the first of her two goals.

The visitors went into the break two goals to the good and holding the ascendancy as Tuggeranong’s top four hopes began to slip with the result. Both sides came out strongly after the break and looking to make an impact, but it was Canberra FC who made it count again as Bridget Wright scored 22 minutes into the half to seemingly seal the match for the visitors. 

Wallis added her second five minutes later as the visitors began to push the tempo and extended the lead to four goals, before Chantel Jones killed off the game seven minutes from time with her sides fifth.

The result leaves Tuggeranong clutching at the top four as they sit in sixth, with a tough clash against Belconnen United coming up this week. For Canberra FC they now sit second, but with a potential bogey clash against Monaro up in Round 16 they cannot afford to rest on their laurels.

 

Belconnen United 1 (Maddy Whittall 27’)drew. Gungahlin United 1 (Brittany Palombi 33’)

Belconnen United and Gungahlin United played out yet another close, entertaining affair on Sunday as they drew 1-1 at the AIS.

Belconnen came in having not dropped points since Round two of the league, and were looking to extend their advantage at the top of the competition. For the visitors the aim was to keep ahead of Canberra FC and in touch with Belconnen heading into the last few weeks of the season.

The game started strongly but with neither side able to break the other down as the game surged from end to end. But just before the half hour mark Belconnen took the lead, as Maddy Whittall converted from the spot to give her side the advantage.

But it took merely six minutes for the visitors to respond, and Brittany Palombi’s reply was swift and well-taken as she fired past Jessica Giovinazzo in goals to level proceedings.

The sides entered the break locked at a goal apiece as an interesting 45 minutes beckoned ahead. However, neither side was really able to create too many clear cut chances, as the game petered out in the second half. Both sides may have had an eye to this Thursday’s Federation Cup semi-final, where they will take on each other at 7pm at McKellar Park.

 

Canberra United Academy 2 (Aiofe Colvill 58', Mikayla Vidmar 82') def. Woden-Weston 1 (Laura Vandenbroucke 49')

The Canberra United Academy claimed final league bragging rights over Woden-Weston FC on Sunday as Mikayla Vidmar’s stunner gave them a 2-1 win at Hawker.

Full report here.