Three games midweek, including top-of-the-table clash between Gungahlin United and Canberra Olympic, and four Round 18 encounters this weekend: the WNPL is in full swing this week. The table on Sunday night could very be indicative of the rankings at season’s end.
With games against ANU WFC on Wednesday and West Canberra Wanderers on Saturday, Belconnen United want to keep the momentum alive after two important successes against their rivals Olympic and Canberra Croatia. The return of Keira Bobbin and Steffi Lejins at Belconnen was a relief for Scott Conlon, who has had to compose with injuries and unavailability in recent weeks.
The result was a true test of the depth of talent at McKellar Park, and players given their chance, like Maddie Steinacker and Sofia Palywoda, proved worthy of a starter status. After seeing off two title contenders, the Blue Devils need to stay focus when they face two teams lacking form, but not spirit. A misstep so close to the end could be costly.
The Wanderers are waking up in the tail end of this season, showcasing their fighting mentality and undeniable talent week after week. The thriller against the Academy on Sunday, peppered with screamer from Lauren Hall and Sarah Whitfield, did not end up with the three points for Rey Castro, but the performance was nonetheless encouraging.
A result at McKellar would be a small miracle – not that we would put that past West Canberra.
The ANU has a busy week ahead of them, with Belconnen United and Canberra Olympic on the menu. Rob Illingworth’s team has only scored two goals in the last five games after averaging a goal per game until then.
Facing the two best defences in the league comes at the wrong time, although it could be added motivation for the University club, able to come back from two goals to get a point against the Blue Devils in Round 7.
Canberra Olympic has a crucial duel with top of the table with Gungahlin United on Thursday. Three points behind the Gunners, the team coached by Nicole Begg has also played two games less than their opponents.
Success at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval could translate into a two-team run to the finish with Belconnen, but defeat on the other end could be a real blow for the title chasers.
The Gunners have been in good form in recent weeks, with four consecutive clean sheets rewarding professional performances. Andrew Woodman’s team is facing two teams they could not beat in recent weeks, Olympic on Thursday, and the Academy on the weekend.
If the importance of the Olympic cannot be overstated, avoiding the Academy “trap” will not be easy feat. Both defeats were conceded by the thinnest of margins, and the Gunners will undoubtedly be keen to avenge them.
Canberra United Academy start the week with a trip to Kambah 201 to face Tuggeranong United. If it is not mathematically over for the Academy’s quest to a top four spot, it would take some extraordinary circumstances for Matthew Moore and his team to reach post-season.
In the meantime, they have a three-game undefeated streak to extend and will faces a Tuggies’ squad that was not able to score last time they met.
With only one loss in the past four encounters, Tuggeranong feels they can ride that wave longer despite playing twice this week teams above them on the table. Canberra Croatia will indeed visit Kambah 201. Against the reigning Premiers, Paulo Romero’s players have scored each time this season, albeit while conceding four and three goals.
The newfound confidence in the club from the South could play its part in the title race, given they will face Belconnen and Gungahlin after hosting the Deakin side.
Canberra Croatia will witness from the sidelines the midweek games while getting ready for their trip down south. The worst-case scenario would place Zoran Glavinic’s team five points behind the team at the top after Sunday.
The reigning Champions cannot afford a misstep if they want to defend their Premier’s crown until the end. The best attack in the league need to prove once again that they can finish a season in strong form.
FIXTURES
MIDWEEK
Wednesday 9 August
Belconnen United v ANU WFC
Tuggeranong United v Canberra United Academy
Thursday 10 August
Gungahlin United v Canberra Olympic
ROUND 18
Saturday 12 August
Belconnen United v West Canberra Wanderers
Sunday 13 August
ANU WFC v Canberra Olympic
Gungahlin United v Canberra United Academy
Tuggeranong United v Canberra Croatia
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Gungahlin United | 17 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 37 | 17 | +20 | 35 |
| 2 | Belconnen United | 15 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 43 | 10 | +33 | 34 |
| 3 | Canberra Croatia | 17 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 40 | 17 | +23 | 33 |
| 4 | Canberra Olympic | 15 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 35 | 9 | +26 | 32 |
| 5 | Canberra United Academy | 16 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 20 | 30 | -10 | 23 |
| 6 | Tuggeranong United | 15 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 15 | 45 | -30 | 10 |
| 7 | ANU WFC | 16 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 13 | 37 | -24 | 9 |
| 8 | West Canberra Wanderers | 17 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 53 | -38 | 8 |
TOP SCORERS
15 Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia)
11 Bessie RIETHMULLER (Belconnen United)
9Hattie CRAM (Belconnen United)
7 Talia BACKHOUSE (Belconnen United), Nicole JALOCHA (Canberra Olympic), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Croatia), Charli MITCHELL (Canberra Croatia), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
5 Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United), Sharon CHAO (Gungahlin United), Olivia GURNEY (Canberra Olympic), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Olympic), Madelyn WHITTALL (Canberra Olympic), Own GOALS
4 Jade BROWN (Gungahlin United), Maddison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Tamara COCHRANE (Canberra United Academy), Roxie SWART (ANU WFC)
3 Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Sofia CHRISTOPHERSON (Canberra United Academy),Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Canberra United Academy), Rhiannon FENSOM (Canberra Croatia), Alyse JENSEN (West Canberra Wanderers), Erika PENNYFIELD (Gungahlin United), Nikita PERRY (West Canberra Wanderers/Canberra Croatia), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United), Samantha WOOD (Tuggeranong United)
2 Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Ella-Rose BROWN (Gungahlin United), Cara CERUTI (West Canberra Wanderers), Rachael CORBETT (Gungahlin United), Lauren HALL (West Canberra Wanderers), Michelle HEYMAN (Gungahlin United), Sheridan MCELLIGOTT (ANU WFC), Riley MCQUEENIE (Canberra United Academy), Alexandra NEALAND (Canberra United Academy), Rainey NILES (Tuggeranong United), Marija RATHOUSKI (Belconnen United), Madeleine STEINACKER (Belconnen United), Zoe TERRY (Tuggeranong United), Kate WALKER (West Canberra Wanderers), Sarah WHITFIELD (West Canberra Wanderers), Kayla WRIGHT (Gungahlin United), Reilly YUEN (Belconnen United)
1 Tehya ASPLAND (Canberra Olympic), Latisha BABIC (Canberra United Academy), Sienna BIRNIE (Canberra Croatia), Amy BONGIORNO (Canberra Croatia), Jaya BOWMAN (Canberra United Academy), Sofia CHAVERRA (ANU WFC), Alexandra COOK (Canberra Olympic), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Emma DOUGLAS-OLIVEIRA (ANU WFC), Edith FORDYCE-CROKER (ANU WFC), Charli GREGSON (Tuggeranong United), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Isabella HOPKINS (ANU WFC), Abby HURMAN (Tuggeranong United), Ashlyn LEWIS (Tuggeranong United), Sarah MATTHEWS (Tuggeranong United), Ailish MCDONAGH (ANU WFC), Peri NASH (Canberra United Academy), Maya OSMOND (Canberra United Academy), Madeleine PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Vanessa RYAN (Canberra Olympic), Elisha WILD (Canberra United Academy), Juliet WILLIAMS (ANU WFC), Zoe WILLIAMS (Tuggeranong United), Kayla WRIGHT (Gungahlin United), Jasmine ZABEL (Canberra Olympic)