Article: Jeremy Magan
Photo: Anthony Caffery Photography

Belconnen United vs Canberra Olympic | Saturday, 5^th September – 4:30pm @ Hawker Football Centre
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The Match of the Round is the only Saturday game this week, as second-place Belconnen United host fourth-placed Canberra Olympic at Hawker Football Centre. The Blue Devils want to bounce back after their first NPLW loss since 2017, succumbing to Canberra Croatia 1-0 at Deakin Stadium last Sunday. Playing Olympic and their offensive armada might be the best way to boost their confidence back up two weeks before the Finals start. Ahmed Ugool’s players didn't make any mistakes last week against Canberra Croatia, but they failed to take their chances and really challenge the backline of Canberra Croatia. Their ability to correct that and put Maguire, Jalocha and co. in position to score goals will be the key to Saturday’s matchup. Anything else than a win would be a disappointing result for the Blue Devils. 

Andrew Woodman’s squad is in full swing. The NPLW most famous twins are on top of the goal-scoring ladder after their dominant victory in Monaro, and the team is two points away from mathematically securing their Finals birth. Olympic will do everything they can to take advantage of the wounded Blue Devils. Nicole Begg will be caught in a duel with Michaela Thornton that could be the key to the match. If Begg can combine with Sykes and Dawson like she has been able to the last couple of games, Olympic has every chance to score its first goal against Belconnen since April 2018. A win over the Blue Devils would prove that Olympic is a real threat for the NPLW title in 2020. 

Canberra Croatia vs Tuggeranong United | Sunday, 6^th September – 2:30pm @ Deakin Stadium
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Canberra Croatia has the opportunity to ensure they will finish 2020 on top of the ladder with a win against Tuggeranong United. Nik Brozinic's side has won their first six games and will want to keep the streak alive, and potentially finish the short season with a perfect record. They have the firepower to do it, and have proved against Belconnen last week that the likes of Brittany Palombi don’t even need a clear shot to find the back of the net! On the other end of the pitch, they will be looking to claim their third clean sheet in a row and will be confident against a side that has only scored five goals this season. 

Don’t assume that Tuggeranong United will just smile and wave, though. Michael Aldred’s side got their first win last week against Wagga City and will want to use the momentum to cause an upset in Deakin. Since Emma Stanbury’s arrival to the club, the Tuggies have been able to create more goal-scoring opportunities for their strikers, and although they know they are about to face some of the strongest defenders in our league, they also know Canberra Croatia has conceded a few goals early in the season. They will need a strong performance defensively and offensively if they hope to get a result on Sunday.

Gungahlin United vs Wagga City Wanderers | Sunday, 6^th September – 3pm @ Gungahlin Enclosed 
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Off a surprising loss in Woden, Gungahlin United want to get back on their feet and take the three points on Sunday. They were not able to play their usual fast passing game at Melrose and were not dangerous enough in front of goals. They also lost Elke Aitolu with an injury in the last 15 minutes of the game. Diego Iglesias’ squad has a tough task ahead though. Wagga has performed well this season and shown some real physicality in the midfield and pace upfront.

Sam Gray is working for the future and building a team able to defend high, press hard and attack with pace. Their defeat last week came as a bit of a surprise against Tuggeranong, but it also shows how young their team is. The Gunners seem like the perfect opponent for the Wanderers. They like to use their three centre midfielders to develop their game in an area Wagga loves to close and dominate. It will be the opposition of two styles, and whoever scores first might well end with up all three points. 

Canberra United Academy vs Monaro Panthers | Sunday, 6^th September – 4:20pm @ Hawker Football Centre
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Canberra United Academy still has a mathematical chance to get to the Finals if other results go their way, but they have to win their last two games and will have to boost their goal difference in doing so. Against Monaro, Scott O’Donell’s squad need their third win of the season and need to put their opportunities in the back of the net. The Academy has a hardtail end of the season. They faced Canberra Croatia and Canberra Olympic before their BYE, and after Monaro this week, they will finish their season against the Blue Devils next week. If the mission is not impossible, it is fair to say it won’t be easy either.

The Panthers are still licking their wounds after their encounters with Canberra Croatia and Olympic last week. Star player Raechel Hardwicke yet again scored a world but conceding that many goals would affect any team. Paul Townsley’s job would not have been easy this week. The Queanbeyan squad is playing their last game of 2020 on Sunday, and will battle to get their first win of the season, the best way to end another complicated year.