There was a welcome return to form for the White Eagles who found the going much to their liking at Hawker Football Centre as they swept past Weston-Molonglo FC with a six-goal hammering of the Magpies, all the damage down by the interval, by which time the hosts led by five.
An early double-blow set the tone for what was to follow as Dejan Santrac and Ben Townsley-Mann both found the back of the Weston net inside the opening ten minutes of the match. If that was a horror start for the visiting team more was to follow by the end of the opening forty-five minutes.
Cuneyt Caglar helped himself to a double by the half-time whistle, and later went on to notch the inaugural hat-trick of the Capital Premier League season, with Charlie Williams also finding his name on the scoresheet. It was efficient, it was deadly, and it was ruthless. Some display.
Queanbeyan City remain the early front-runners, going three wins from three as they edged out Tuggeranong United by a solitary goal in front of a boisterous home crowd at their High Street ground.
Both City, and their opponents, had made excellent starts to the 2022 CPL season and anticipation was high that the game was likely to be a tough and close encounter and that was exactly what transpired.
The crucial moment came a quarter of an hour from full-time when winger Hussein Fureje struck for the home team, a goal of some significance perhaps, even this early on as Queanbeyan continued their bright start under Goran Josifovski.
ANU FC recovered from their disappointment last weekend against high-flying Queanbeyan, as they rediscovered their mojo in dispatching Brindabella Blues 3-1. Goals in the first half from Isaac Ellis and Carl Hynes had them firmly in control heading into the interval after conceding early and appearing in good form for their enticing Australia Cup Quarter Final match-up with Monaro Panthers.
Max Mottl scored the third goal for the University, all this after Curtis Schaeffer had been credited with opening the scoring for the visiting Blues, although many felt it was perhaps an own goal from Alasdair Moore, not that Moore wanted it of course!
Elsewhere, the Riverina Derby between Yoogali SC and Wagga City Wanderers ended with honours even as the two sides shared four goals in an entertaining 2-2 draw. The first half was something of a disappointment, but the match burst into life in the 58th minute when Jake Ploenges struck for Wanderers, precipitating four goals in twelve manic minutes.
Yoogali responded to the setback in fine form, goals from Adam O’Rourke and Isaac Donadel putting them ahead ten minutes after falling behind and yet Wanderers struck back immediately with Morris Kadzola netting his first Wagga goal, a strike that, ultimately, meant the game ended all-square.
Saturday 23 April
CPL: ROUND 3
White Eagles 6 (Santrac 5’, Townsley-Mann 9’, Caglar 21’, 45’, 49’, Williams 35’) Weston-Molonglo FC 0
Queanbeyan City 1 (Fureje 75’) Tuggeranong United 0
ANU FC 3 (Ellis 30’, Hynes 38’, Mottl 60’) Brindabella Blues 1 (Schaeffer 16’)
Yoogali SC 2 (O’Rourke 60’, I. Donadel 68’) Wagga City Wanderers 2 (Ploenges 58’, Kadzola 70’)
IMAGE: Canberra White Eagles Facebook
