A world-class goal from midfielder Zac McLaren ten minutes before half-time gave Monaro Panthers a hugely important 1-0 victory over Tigers FC at the Riverside Stadium as the Panthers moved into the top four ahead of Gungahlin’s game with Tuggeranong United a day later
McLaren lined up an outrageous effort from 45 metres out after receiving possession just inside the Tigers half before launching a superbly executed lob that arced supremely over the head of Tigers goalkeeper Jakob Cole to land in the back of the net, a strike that combined power with accuracy.
It was a fitting moment to win the match with the Tigers unable to find a response, despite presentable openings for both Nik Taneski and Jake Bishop, the forward thwarted by Jordan Thurtell in the Monaro goal, the latter by the lack of an accurate finish.
To compound matters for Tigers, Nikos Kalfas was carried off on a stretcher after suffering a twisted knee, whilst midfielder Amilio Kista was sent off, issued a straight red card for what appeared to be dissent. Panthers had earlier seen Jenno Ceruti helped off with a nasty looking head injury.
At O’Connor Enclosed a free-kick seven minutes into stoppage time converted by Regan Walsh ensured the league leading O’Connor Knights were able to recover from 0-2 down to secure a 2-2 draw with Canberra Croatia in a typically feisty derby match that featured eight yellow cards and a red.
The red was for Knights centre-back Lachlan Fields, the O’Connor man dismissed for bringing down Marco Gayer who was breaking through, but the ten-men rediscovered their mojo and fought back to set up the dramatic derby day denouement that Walsh provided from the set-piece.
Earlier, it was Croatia who had started brightly, Ryan Keir bundling the ball home in the fourth minute after his initial header from a corner had been magnificently kept out by Seb Arranz. When a wonderfully slick move ended with Stephen Domenici banging the ball into the top corner after 26 minutes, all was well with the visitors.
However, the Knights hit back and a well-taken finish on the turn from Aisosa Ihegie reduced the gap before Walsh had his moment to steal a point at the very death.
Canberra Olympic made sure that they were still in the title hunt with a 3-1 success over West Canberra Wanderers at Melrose Synthetic, condemning the home side to a fifteenth league defeat of the season in the process.
Alen James had rammed Olympic ahead in the nineteenth minute, only for the Wanderers, having been beaten by Tuggeranong in midweek, to hit back. A mammoth clearance from Philip Taleski, on his NPL debut in goal, fell for Harry Truman to tee up Patrick Shore to level the scores.
Striker Nik Popovich was on hand to restore the lead in the 38th minute, the forward bustling his way past the Wanderers defence to slot home his ninth goal of the season and give Olympic a half-time lead. It was an advantage they weren’t able to seal until the final minute when Callum Smith added the third from the penalty spot.
Gungahlin United regained their top four spot with a routine 3-1 win over Tuggeranong United at Kambah 2 in a fixture in which striker Maxx Green scored twice for the ninth time in all competitions in 2023.
Green has turned into the almost complete centre-forward and was afforded just two opportunities and showed his lethal awareness, burying both past Tuggeranong goalkeeper Pete Philippa as the home side conceded their first goals in two NPL matches, at the end of a busy week.
The opener arrived at the 35th minute mark, Green spinning his marker and gliding home an astute finish, but it wasn’t until George Timotheou drove a strike through a crowded penalty area in the 67th minute that the Gunners could relax. Even then they weren’t totally comfortable until Green added the third, curling an effort home with thirteen minutes to play.
Tuggeranong pulled one back late on as Lewis McKinney opened his account for the club with a cooly taken penalty after substitute Joaquin Abot was upended inside the penalty area.
RESULTS ROUND 15
Saturday 22 July
West Canberra Wanderers 1 (Shore 26’) Canberra Olympic 3 (A. James 19’, Popovich 38’, Smith 89’ (p))
O’Connor Knights 2 (Ihegie 78’, Walsh 90+7’) Canberra Croatia 2 (Keir 4’, Domenici 26’)
Monaro Panthers 1 (McLaren 35’) Tigers FC 0
Sunday 23 July
Tuggeranong United 1 (McKinney 83’ (p)) Gungahlin United 3 (M. Green 35’, 77’, G. Timotheou 67’)