Belconnen United v Tuggeranong United – McKellar Park – 5pm Saturday

Belconnen United will look to jump back on the winners list in the league when they host Tuggeranong United at McKellar Park on Saturday evening. A tough draw with Gungahlin last weekend was followed by a 4-2 extra time win over the same opponent in the Federation Cup on Thursday night and careful rotation will be needed to ensure that fresh legs start the game against Tuggeranong. Jessie Williams grabbed an extra-time brace in that match but having played 114 minutes may not pull up in time to start this matchup. With all five substitutes used on Thursday Night in the cup match, Antoni Jagarinec should still be able to call on a nearly full strength side in this season tie breaker.

For Tuggeranong, a heavy loss at the hands of Canberra FC last week was a big setback in their chase for the top four, and although they are only two points behind Woden-Weston, need other results to begin going their way too. After a 1-0 defeat of Belconnen in Round one Tuggies were humbled 5-0 at McKellar by the same opponent in Round nine, and need to avoid a similar fate here. That result was the product of a fast start by the hosts that threw Tuggeranong out of their rhythm, and the visitors this time out need to try and dictate the pace of the game from the outset.

 

Canberra FC v Monaro Panthers – Deakin Stadium – 3pm Sunday

Mark Risteski will hope his side can solidify their spot in second on the ladder when they host seventh placed Monaro this weekend at Deakin. After a convincing five-goal win over Tuggeranong last weekend last year’s Grand Finalists are beginning to peak at the right time heading into finals. Now undefeated in four matches the hosts bring serious momentum into this matchup, which ended in a 4-0 win the last time they met at Deakin. With no major injury issues for the side, the hosts appear to be the convincing favourites heading into this one.

For Monaro, a 4-2 win over Olympic last weekend came around thanks to a late Zoe Szeremet brace, and the forward is shaping as one of the form players in the competition heading into the final few weeks. While the Panthers are realistically out of the finals conversation they can still mess with the fortunes of other teams, and they will set out with the three points in mind this time out. Angelo Maralit’s side could count themselves unlucky in the 4-0 loss at Deakin last time having had a penalty ruled out and a contentious call on a ball off the crossbar, and they can definitely challenge the hosts in this one.

 

Gungahlin United v Woden-Weston – Gungahlin Enclosed – 3pm Sunday Live on BarTV Sports

Gungahlin United and Woden-Weston will meet live on BarTV Sports on Sunday as the PS4 NPL Women’s gets its streaming debut. United will come into this match off the back of an extra-time loss to Belconnen in the Federation Cup on Thursday Night, and the main task for Diego Iglesias heading into this match will be making sure he has fresh legs on the park. United fielded a largely full-strength team in the cup match, and was the second testing clash against Belconnen in the space of five days. Now playing their third game in a week, this match could prove to be a big test. Their opponents this weekend sit seven points back of them currently, but if that gap turns to four it suddenly sounds a lot smaller, so a result here, even a draw is imperative to lock themselves into the top four.

For the Wanderers, they also went down in cup action on Thursday, to the Academy at Woden Park. However, Diego Elmoudawar’s side did not go to extra time, and he will hope they can pull up nice and fresh for this matchup. Similar to Gungahlin, that was the second match with the Academy in five days, and they will need to reverse the recent trend of results against Gungahlin here. Both matchups so far this season have finished as 3-0 wins for this weekend’s hosts, but with Woden-Weston under pressure from Tuggeranong for the last finals spot, the onus is on the visitors here to take the initiative.

 

Canberra United Academy v Canberra Olympic – Match Rescheduled