There was cup action aplenty during the week as the Women’s Federation Cup sorted out it’s finalists whilst the Australia Cup Quarter Finals were concluded with West Canberra Wanderers learning who their opponents would be next week.
FEDERATION CUP: OLYMPIC AND BLUE DEVILS IN FEDERATION CUP FINAL
A first half blitz from Belconnen United moved them into the Federation Cup Final after a year’s absence, their 6-2 win over Canberra United Academy an eminently watchable semi-final played in difficult conditions at Woden Park. The Blue Devils led 3-0 inside half-an-hour, a lead they never looked likely to relinquish.
Belconnen couldn’t have asked for a better start to the contest as Leah Carnegie, one of the more experienced players on the park, opened the scoring after only ninety seconds of the match. When Keira Bobbin made it two on the 13th minute, it was already evident that the Academy were in for a tough task.
That became even harder after Olivia Bomford made it 3-0 before the interval but it was the fourth of the evening that sealed the contest, Tatum Mazis netting ten minutes into the second half.
Bomford made it five with another precise finish before a brief Canberra United Academy resurgence, a brace of goals within the space of two minutes from Sofia Christopherson and Latisha Babic giving the visiting team a glimmer of hope of an unlikely comeback. That was swiftly annulled when Reilly Yuen made it six, sending the Blue Devils to the Final.
Canberra Olympic moved into the Final with a supreme display to see off the cup holders Canberra Croatia 3-1 at Hawker Football Centre with two goals in five minutes before half-time doing most of the damage.
After a cagey opening, in which Olympic had the better of the possession, they took the lead in the 40th minute. A long ball from Ali Cook released Michaela Thornton in behind the Croatia defence, and the midfielder showed poise to skip round Angelica Pahina in the Croatia goal and slot into the empty net.
Thornton was a big part of the second goal as well, her run into the channel and subsequent pass across the face of the goal finding Nicole Jalocha in space on the stroke of half-time. Jalocha had time to take a touch and pick her spot to make it 2-0 at the break.
Croatia started the second half much better but went further behind to a freaky own goal. Vanessa Ryan chased a long ball down the right flank and her cross was inadvertently sliced into her own net by the unfortunate Isabella Tammaro.
Croatia pulled one back when Sienna Birnie pounced from close range following a Brittany Palombi free-kick, but they couldn’t mount a sustained push to force an unlikely comeback and Olympic saw out the rest of the match to reach the Final.
AUSTRALIA CUP: KNIGHTS PROGRESS TO LAST FOUR
O’Connor Knights progressed into the semi-finals of the Australia Cup Qualifying competition, where they will face West Canberra Wanderers, after seeing off a gallant Queanbeyan City 4-1 in front of a large, noisy, and passionate crowd at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval.
The NPL side took the lead in the 11th minute when Phakedi Manda reacted quickest in amongst a goalmouth melee to lash home from around the penalty box mark as the Knights dominated the opening exchanges. City, who are five from five in the Capital Premier League, responded magnificently and equalised when Hussein Fureje scored directly from a corner.
After that the match was very much in the balance and swung on two penalty decisions, one not awarded to City before, moments later, Knights were given a spot-kick when Niko Kresic was fouled in the area. Patrick O’Rourke nonchalantly slid home the penalty and the top-flight side were ahead.
Three minutes later the secured the tie. Michael Adams overturned a loose ball in midfield and advanced to lay off a pass to the impressive full-back Patrick Shore, who fired a low drive past Phil Taleski in the City goal. A fourth goal, created by Adams and finished by Connor Mynott-Smith completed the scoring and sent the Knights marching on.
CAPITAL PREMIER LEAGUE: MAGNIFICENT SEVEN FOR UNITED
Tuggeranong United moved to within three points of Queanbeyan City at the top of the Capital Premier League with a 7-1 victory over Weston-Molonglo FC at Greenway Enclosed. United, who have been amongst the goals this season, were never in doubt of claiming the points and led 5-0 by the interval.
Euan Peterkin started the scoring early on before Adam Firych netted the first of his pair of goals, the second coming four minutes into the second half. Luke Stevens bagged his fifth of the campaign just past the half-hour mark and there was still time for two from Sam Walker before the interval spared the Magpies any further punishment.
After Firych had made it six, Harrison Buesnel continued his early season scoring spree with another goal to bring up a magnificent seven before Weston-Molonglo stopped the rot. A Late strike from Josh Dehelean gave the visitors something to celebrate, but it was far too little to make any difference to the outcome.
RESULTS
Wednesday 11 May
AUSTRALIA CUP QUALIFYING QUARTER FINAL
O’Connor Knights 4 (Manda 9’, O’Rourke 59’, (p), Shore 62’, Mynott-Smith 82’) Queanbeyan City 1 (Fureje 35’)
CPL: ROUND 1
Tuggeranong United 7 (Peterkin 13’, Firych 26’, 49’, Stevens 31’, Walker 35’, 44’, Buesnel 56’) Weston-Molonglo FC 1 (Dehelean 85’)
WOMEN’S FEDERATION CUP SEMI FINAL
Belconnen United 6 (Carnegie 2’, Bobbin 13’, Bomford 28’, 63’, Mazis 55’, Yuen 84’) Canberra United Academy 2 (Christopherson 74’, Babic 76’)
Thursday 12 May
WOMEN’S FEDERATION CUP SEMI FINAL
Canberra Olympic 3 (Thornton 40’, Jalocha 45’, Tammaro 67’ (og)) Canberra Croatia 1 (Birnie 72’)
