NPLW Round 8 Wrap

 

 

Canberra Olympic FC 1 (Sykes 56’) beat West Canberra Wanderers 0

The two in-form teams of the competition, undefeated in their last 3, were meeting at O’Connor in a showdown that looked a lot like their previous encounter for round 1 of the season: an entertaining game, and at the end a short win for Olympic.

The home team did not waste any time to bring the danger around Janet King’s area, with Ashleigh Sykes making her first run in the box after just 50 seconds. The ball was off target, but the warning was received by West Canberra, who tried and respond, as usual, with shots from distance to start with. Both teams settled defensively, and the game became a battle of the midfield, with very few clear opportunities. Aurelia Haynes was the busier of the 2 keepers, having to dive in Liz Edwards’ feet to save her team, before beating away a tricky free kick from long range with the sun in her face. Edwards, again, was inches too short at the end of a cross in the middle of the box. A contact with Ally Cook led to timid appeals for penalty, but the referee would not give it to the former Panther. The first half ended on a goalless draw, with West Canberra mostly dominating and long-range shots from Raechel Hardwicke the only timid answer from Olympic. The intensity on the pitch translated on the stat sheet however, with no less than 15 fouls whistled in the first 45 minutes.

The Wanderers returned from the locker room with the same attacking mindset, forcing Olympic to defend very close to their 18-yard box. Haynes’ anticipations had to be perfectly timed to prevent Sofia Chaverra or Liz Edwards chances from point blank range. Ashleigh Sykes would be in charge of waking her team up. A first run, through 4 defenders, ended up in a deflected shot. On the following corner, Ally Cook’s header missed the target. A minute later, Raechel Hardwicke was in the right corner of the pitch. Thinking the former Panther had led the ball over the line, the Wanderers seemed to stop playing for a second, asking for a throw-in. Hardwicke did not think twice and crossed the ball at the near post, where Sykes was here to volley it in the back of the net. Olympic was up against the run of play, and it was only the beginning of West Canberra’s woes. 5 minutes later, frustration would get the best out of their most experienced players. After a foul whistled against Emma Guo, Tiana Jaber’s comments towards the referee were not tolerated by the official, who showed her a straight red card. Her coach and skipper, Emma Stanbury, argued about the decision and was given a yellow and sent for 10 minutes in the sin bin. Down to 9 players for 10 minutes, the visitors focused on defending well, putting their body on the line to avoid conceding a second goal. With the return of Stanbury on the pitch 10 minutes later, the Wanderers tried to revert back to some attacking football, but always found Haynes standing in their way. Janet King at the other end got the save of the match in front of Sykes, with a quick dive on her right and firm hands to deny Olympic’s leading goal scorer. The last opportunity of the game was for West Canberra, but a point-blank header at the end of a corner from Stanbury was denied on her line by Iesha De Andrade. A crucial save by the winger who allowed her team to keep their positive series alive.

With this win, Olympic goes 4^th on the ladder, a spot occupied by their opponents of the day before the match. West Canberra can have regrets after dominating the first half. Jaber’s red card other consequence will be her absence on Saturday for the Federation Cup Final at Deakin against Canberra Croatia.

 

 

Wagga City Wanderers 0 def. By Belconnen United Fc 4 (Yuen 5’, Bomford 47’, 75’, Backhouse 87’)

The Blue Devils are back on top of the ladder after their win in the Riverina. Michael Zakoski’s squad proved too strong for the Wagga City Wanderers, running out four-goal winners at Gissing Oval.

Both teams played the attacking football we come to expect from them, answering to each other all game. The home team tried to hit first, with Megan Castle going for a powerful run between 2 Blue Devils, only to be stopped irregularly by Karen Clarke outside the box. The free kick dived over the cross bar, but the visitors were warned. They did answer straight away, but Reilly Yuen, alone in front of the empty goals at the far post, could not catch the target with her left foot. Her right foot however left Samantha Emms no chance 2 minutes later, at the end of a similar situation for Belconnen. Another run on the wing, another cut back pass, and the visitors were up 1-0 after 5 minutes. Wagga City kept their head up and went back to work. A couple of avoidable fouls by the Belconnen defence offered the home team opportunities on set pieces at the edge of the box, but neither Castle, nor Cristina Grauer-Kompos were able to really endanger Cristina Esposito. The repeated attacking waves of Talia Backhouse, Keira Bobbin and Reilly Yuen would not get a better result on the other end, and when Emms was not beating the ball away, her crossbar was here to help keep the score unchanged. Belconnen, up 1-0 at half time, had had most of the ball but missed a few opportunities to feel more comfortable on the scoreboard.

The Blue Devils only needed 1 early in the second half to double their advantage. Following a corner, a scramble in the defence saw Olivia Bomford, although alone in the middle of 5 Wanderers, get 2 opportunities to score. Emms palmed the first away but was helpless on Bomford’s second volley. Wagga City was clearly causing their visitors some problems defensively, guilty of 10 fouls by the 50^th minute. The home team tried to use these free kicks, and corner kicks, to answer, but never were able to get past Esposito. The rhythm dropped a little bit, with Wagga showing signs of fatigue and Belconnen happy to manage their 2-goal advantage. The visitors waited for the right opportunity and it came at the 76^th minute. A shot by Katie Woodman seems to go straight at Emms but Bomford pounced to steal the ball just in front of the keeper and scored her 7^th of the season. The 4^th and last goal was a gift from the Wanderers keeper. Emms missed a pass and the ball went straight to Backhouse, who took her time to wrong foot Emms from the edge of the box.

Serious performance for the Blue Devils, back at the top of the ladder thanks to the results on the other pitches this weekend. The break is welcome for the Wanderers, who record their 6^th straight losses, conceding at least 4 goals in every game. Hosting Tuggeranong in 2 weeks could be the right moment for Sam Gray and his team to bounce back.

 

Tuggeranong United FC 1 (Magee 6’) def by Gungahlin United FC 4(Aitolu pen. 12’, Pennyfield 23’, Sander 65’, S. De Marco 71’)

Tuggeranong was after a second goal and their first point this season when they hosted Gungahlin this weekend. They met half of their target, but Gungahlin left with all 3 points, the Gunners ending a series of 4 losses in a row.

It was almost the perfect situation for the home team, known for their defensive solidity this season. 6 minutes in, Maddie Magee left footed attempt was fumbled by Kailey Tonini into her own net. An uncharacteristic mistake by the experienced goalkeeper that fortunately did not have further consequences. Tuggeranong was too happy to be up on the scoreboard and started showcasing again the density and energy defensively that we saw all season. The Gunners tried to answer as fast as possible but struggled to get the ball out of their own box, under the Tuggies pressure early on. Too much enthusiasm defensively however cost the home team and Steph Coates had another penalty whistled against her at the 10^th minute. Elke Aitolu did not let her chance pass and levelled the game. The Gunners kept pushing and Jade Brown is probably still wondering how she missed a chance at the quarter of the hour. Alone in front of Sophie Rolfe and from point-blank range, the number 11 could only shoot straight at the keeper, happy to see the ball ending in her gloves. Rolfe did not have that chance minutes later in front of Pennyfield. The midfielder, ideally served by Brown in the box, saw her precise right footed strike hit the far post before rolling into Tuggeranong’s net. In 10 minutes, the momentum had changed and the Gunners would not let it switch again! The rest of the first half was mainly the players in the black jersey imposing their rhythm and bringing the danger around Rolfe’s area. Tuggeranong were sometimes able to recover the ball high on the pitch but lacked the execution in the final third to put their strikers in an ideal position.

The Gunners would lose an important player on injury, Rachel Corbett going down just before the break after a contact that did not seem dangerous. Stella De Marco was inches from scoring a superb goal just before going back to the locker room but her attempt was denied by Rolfe’s post. Tuggeranong came in the second act with intensity and tried to press the Gunners high but they were still able to bring the ball to the 18-yard box. 6 minutes in, Rolfe had to show her skills to deny Pennyfield a brace. Both teams battled it out in the midfield for the next 10 minutes, until the solution for the visitors came from their left back, Brigitte Sander. She was lucky to see her left footed cross transforming into a shot on target, and a goal, sailing past Rolfe in the top left corner. Gungahlin seized the momentum and added a 4^th goal to the tally by Stella De Marco minutes later. After a corner by Ella Brown not cleared by the defence, De Marco inherited the ball at the edge of the box and volleyed it without hesitation into the back of the net. The home team tried to respond by Magee but the goal scorer’s attempt from long range ended up off target. Gungahlin had several opportunities to make the score worse but 4-1 would be the final score.

Tuggeranong is still waiting for their first points of the season, and travelling south to Wagga after the break could be where they can find them. The 3 points put Gungahlin 5^th, a point behind 4^th place Canberra Olympic, the team they will face at home in 2 weeks.

Canberra United Academy 3 (Babic 3’, S. Grove 29’, Zakman 55’) beat Canberra Croatia FC 1(Palombi pen. 65’)

It is the end of an extraordinary series for Canberra Croatia in NPLW. Their last defeat in a regular season NPLW game was almost 2 years ago to the day, on June 6^th, 2019. The Academy can thank their keeper Chloe Lincoln, instrumental in the win against the reigning champions.

When the team at the top of the ladder visits the 3^rd, you expect an entertaining game of football. The 22 players gave us just that, and Canberra United Academy took the better start, with an all-out high press and an eagerness to bring the ball up in the dangerous zone as fast as possible. Sofia Christopherson was the main protagonist at the 3^rd minute. Resisting Jennifer Bissett and Renee Junna, the number 7 ran with the ball all the way to the left side of the visitor’s box and addressed a powerful pass in front of Ally Hinson’s goal. Latisha Babic was the fastest to pounce on the ball and tapped it in between the keeper’s legs. The start was ideal for the Academy, who kept the pressure high and fast for about 10 minutes. The visitors, maybe stunned by such an early goal, needed that time to regroup and start playing their football. Slowly, the ball started circulating in the feet of Canberra Croatia players only, forcing the Academy to defend lower and operate in counterattacks. It was time for the Chloe Lincoln show. Olivia Fogarty’s volley, Krista Hagen’s deflected shot, Brittany Palombi and Grace Gill’s attempt from long range, Jennifer Bissett from the edge of the box, anything thrown at Lincoln on target was to add to her highlights’ tape. While the game was mostly spent in one half of the pitch at Hawker, the second goal would happen at the other end. Sasha Grove, at the corner of the box on her left side, went for goal, and her deflected shot took a dive and snuck in between Hinson and her near post. Against the run of play, the home team was up 2-0 at the half hour mark. Canberra Croatia kept pushing, but also grew frustrated not to be able to break the deadlock, the battle in the midfield ended up with a bit more intensity than necessary.

Back from the locker room, Canberra Croatia took the game where they left it, near the Academy’s 18 yards, and kept pushing. Unfortunately for the visitors, on maybe the first good sequence of passes and build-up coming from Canberra United in the second half, Sasha Grove was found in the box. She tackled the ball, almost out of her reach, to push it to Nadia Zakman, who found herself alone facing Hinson. The winger kept her cool and chipped the ball over the keeper’s shoulder and in the back of the net. At 3-0, the Academy could wait for Canberra Croatia to push forward and focus on their defensive and transition game. Fogarty thought she had found the solution when her powerful left-footed effort from the edge of the box was on its way to the top left corner, but Lincoln, again, decided otherwise and pushed it away for a corner, the save of the game. Fogarty was rewarded for her hard work eventually, earning a penalty at the 65^th minute after dribbling between 2 players in the box. Palombi took the ball and quickly found the bottom right corner to score her 12^th of the season (in 7 games!). Her team kept pushing, but again when Jamie Berkeley faced Lincoln one on one, the keeper had the last word. Chantel Jones and Isabella Barac, subbed in, also had their opportunity to get on the scoresheet, but could not get on target. The score remained 3-1 despite 15 minutes of all out attacking from the reigning champions.

Canberra United Academy goes in the 2-week break with the best result possible, and a consolidated 3^rd place, 2 points behind their opponent of the day. Canberra Croatia, who had the opportunities to get at least a point from the game, has the perfect opportunity to bounce back – and lift a trophy – next week in the Federation Cup Final against the West Canberra Wanderers.