Two games only were played in the Women’s NPL this week, and the hierarchy was respected, with Canberra Croatia and Gungahlin winning away. With the postponement of this round’s clash between Canberra Olympic and Belconnen United, the Deakin side sits at the top of the table.
Canberra United Academy were “hosting” Canberra Croatia on their turf, at Deakin Stadium on Thursday evening, a game the team coached by Zoran Glavinic won by the thinnest of margins, 1-0.
Used to playing on synthetic at Hawker, the Academy looked right at home on Deakin’s grass, dominating for large parts of the game. A draw would have been on the cards if they had been more lethal in the final third.
The game started on high intensity early on, with a real battle in the midfield, and a Croatia team not as keen to press high as they had been in recent weeks. As a result, the Academy’s confidence seemed to grow, and Matthew Moore’s troops were eventually the one doing the most pressing, and frustrating their opponents at times, forcing more physical duels.
Unfortunately for the players in green, Canberra Croatia is a team happy to exploit any sight of goals the create, and Brittany Palombi’s teammates showed their efficiency once more on Thursday.
After a few half-chances, Bella Barac collected the ball in the middle of the box at the half hour mark. The striker grabbed the opportunity and connected perfectly with the ball, launching an unstoppable missile over Eliza Evans. The keeper who had saved her team already once early on, was helpless this time.
The rest of the game saw the Academy pushing, and Canberra Croatia managing their advantage. Evans’ post was hit once in the first half, and Chloe Lincoln saw two attempts rattling the woodwork in the second act, but the small advantage would remain her teams at the final whistle.
The only game played on Sunday took place at Wanderers Park, with Gungahlin United visiting the West Canberra Wanderers. Andrew Woodman’s plan worked eventually, avoiding the upset the Wanderers inflicted to Olympic last week, with the Gunners recording a comfortable 5-1 win.
Gungahlin started the game on the front foot, imitating Olympic last week with two goals in the first half. Both came from Darby Whiteley, the winger who won two duels in four minutes against Samantha Briggs.
An assist from Stella De Marco offered Whiteley her first on the day, Natalie De Marco was at origin of the second. West Canberra answered promptly, with a great Alyse Jensen run past three defenders. The skilled midfielder then lodged a powerful shot in Emily Kelly’s top left corner.
With a single goal deficit at the break, the Wanderers hoped for another upset. Unfortunately, a superb sequence of play between Michelle Heyman and Ginger Oliver four minutes in the second act saw the latter hitting the post, only for Whiteley to complete her hat trick on the rebound.
The visitors sealed the fate of the game thanks to Heyman, served ideally by Stella De Marco at the edge of the box. The Liberty A-League all-time leading goal scorer displayed her skills with a powerful hit Briggs could do nothing about.
A fifth goal ten minutes before the final whistle came off the boot of the Canberra United striker, helped by a Wanderers’ deflection, and the Gunners could consider the job done. They are now a mere three points behind Canberra Olympic and Belconnen United, but more importantly, seven points clear of the Academy.
RESULTS ROUND 13
Thursday 6 July
Canberra United Academy 0 Canberra Croatia 1 (Barac 31’)
Sunday 9 July
Canberra Olympic v Belconnen United – Match Postponed
West Canberra Wanderers 1 (Jensen 17’) Gungahlin United 5 (Whiteley 9’, 14’, 49’, Heyman 60’, 81’)
ANU WFC v Tuggeranong United – Match Postponed