Canberra Olympic v Gungahlin United | Friday, 7pm @ Woden Park

Canberra Olympic and Gungahlin United will open Round 16 as they meet tonight at Woden Park. Olympic suffered defeat at the hands of the Rhinos in Griffith last weekend after being presented with the chance to leapfrog Canberra FC into first and will want to bounce back from that here. They remain just a point behind first spot but have played a game more and will face Canberra FC in a catchup game after the final round. Olympic had the majority of the ball but were let down in the final third and Frank Cachia will be hoping his side can be more ruthless this time around. They fell 1-0 to Gungahlin United the last time they met as they were stymied by a strong defence, but the two teams have had vastly different paths since then. A win here for Olympic will put the onus on Canberra FC to pick up points in their outing on Sunday, while anything less than that will give them the chance to surge ahead.

Gungahlin have had three losses and two draws in the five matches since that win over Olympic and are now five points off a top four spot with just three games left to play. Their remaining matches are tonight, and then a meeting with Monaro and a catchup clash with Tigers so the road home is far from easy. A win here would be a big statement to stay in the top four race but a loss or draw and points for Tigers or Belconnen could eliminate them from the race for fourth. Marcial Munoz rued missed chances last week after his side hit the post on several occasions and blew some other opportunities, and their goal scoring needs to turn around now. This side has had an up and down season but are still a very talented group, and have the chance to turn it around and make a last ditch charge at an unlikely finals berth.

 

Tigers FC v Riverina Rhinos | Saturday, 3pm @ Calwell

Two sides who picked up somewhat unexpected wins last weekend will meet at Calwell on Saturday as Tigers FC host the Riverina Rhinos. Tigers snatched an important three points from Canberra FC in Cooma thanks to goals from Nicolas Villafane and Jeremias Ibarra and with four wins in their last five matches they are charging towards the top four as the end of the season draws near. They sit just one point behind Belconnen United and could conceivably finish the round in fourth spot if results go their way. Up until last weekend they had struggled against the top teams but turning around the 7-2 loss to Canberra FC will have cleared a big hurdle for them and they have momentum on their side, as they meet a team that they beat 7-0 earlier in the season.

The Rhinos were jubilant after their victory over Canberra Olympic last weekend and rightly so. A brilliant defensive performance for much of the game was capped off by Samuel Scarfone’s winner and the result sent them into 7^th spot on the table. The afore-mentioned 7-0 loss to Tigers came on a weekend when they were undermanned, but they will need to be as strong at the back here as they were last week. A lack of an out and out striker has been clear at times this season but the creativity in midfield is one of their biggest assets and this should be a brilliant battle in the middle of the park.

 

Canberra FC v Belconnen United | Sunday, 3pm @ Deakin Stadium & LIVE on BarTV Sports

It’s a crunch meeting for both Canberra FC and Belconnen United at Deakin Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with any result having potential ramifications for either side.

Canberra FC dropped points in a loss to Tigers FC last weekend but remained in top spot as the Rhinos saw off Canberra Olympic. They remain a point ahead in first spot but with a game in hand, and they will know Olympic’s result when they kick-off on Sunday afternoon. Paul Macor will need to ensure his side lift their heads after the 4-1 loss to Broadmeadow Magic in the FFA Cup Round of 32 on Wednesday night and make sure they are all back to 100% ahead of a big game. Thomas James passed a fitness test to start that game and should be right for this outing as Canberra FC taper for the pointy end of the season. They have lost only once in the league at Deakin this season and when these two met at McKellar earlier this year it was a convincing 5-0 win for Macor’s side, and he will be hoping for more of the same here.

Belconnen have won three of their last four and are undefeated since a loss to Gungahlin in Round 10 after a rocky start to the season. They now sit in fourth spot on the table with three games to play and are a point ahead of Tigers FC but have played one more game. They face a tough outing here and with a 5-0 league loss and 3-0 cup semi-final loss to their opponents so far this year, United will need to be at their best. Dropping points could be disastrous if Tigers pick up at the maximum at Calwell but they will know where they stand when kick-off comes around on Sunday afternoon. After struggling on the scoreboard initially in the season United have netted 11 goals in their past three outings but they face the league’s best backline here and capitalising on chances will prove pivotal. Their own defence has improved as well and will face a test here against the ladder leaders looking to bounce back from two losses.

 

Monaro Panthers v Woden-Weston | Sunday, 3pm @ Googong

Woden-Weston are just a Belconnen United point away from being knocked out of the finals race officially, but they will no doubt come out guns blazing against Monaro after a week off with the bye. The last time these two met in the league they turned on a thrilling 4-4 draw at Woden Park and there is sure to be plenty of attacking here. The Wanderers have been an exciting team to watch all season and are full of attacking weapons which will test the Monaro defence here. They have proven vulnerable at the back though themselves, particularly on the counter and need to be wary of an equally adept Panthers team.

Monaro are entirely out of the finals race and fell 3-0 to Belconnen last weekend, but don’t expect them to back off here as a result. In the 4-4 earlier in the season they came from behind a few times and are a side that refuses to lie down. Their problems stem from the backline though, having not conceded less than three goals in a league match since a narrow round six loss to Belconnen United. They have shown at times that the forward prowess is there, but too often have shipped too many goals to get themselves back into the match. Capitalising on chances in this match will be key as there will likely be a few if the earlier result between the two is anything to go by. This should be an open and entertaining encounter out at Googong.