ANU FC and Brindabella Blues FC will be fighting for the one remaining spot in the Capital Premier League Grand Final when the duo clash at Deakin Stadium this weekend for the right to play League Champions Queanbeyan City in the Grand Final.
ANU FC finished the regular season in second position, just two points behind the Queanbeyan side who they lost against in the Qualification Final, 2-0. Their failure to score in this match was the team’s first CPL game they have drawn a blank in all season.
Despite this loss, they will have a second chance to reach the 2024 CPL Grand Final and may have another opportunity to fight for redemption against Queanbeyan, after this week’s preliminary Final match.
Brindabella Blues on the other hand, who finished in fourth position on the league table, will be going into this week following their 1-0 win after extra time against Belconnen United. This win for the Blues was a season ending loss for Belconnen who were sitting five points ahead of them on the ladder in third.
This will be the clubs’ fourth meeting of 2024, with ANU FC claiming six of the available nine points with two wins, and Brindabella taking home the remaining three points with their one win from their three previous meetings.
This year’s track record shows a Round Two 5-1 win and a Round Sixteen 4-0 win for ANU, but the Brindabella side claimed the win in Round Nine with a score of 2-1.
Some of the Brindabella Blues most recent results include only one loss in their last six CPL matches. Of their squad, thirteen different players have scored throughout the season, with Curtis Schaeffer claiming the spot as the team’s top scorer with ten goals. Their best result of this season has been their 8-0 win over the Canberra White Eagles FC in Round Eleven.
ANU’s most recent results include winning nine of their last ten CPL matches, with their only loss of these last ten occurring just this previous weekend in the Qualification Final to Queanbeyan.
A dozen different players from the squad have secured themselves at least one goal in 2024, with Jack Gibson claiming the team’s number one spot with 18 so far. ANU’S best result of this season was their 6-0 win over the West Canberra Wanderers which also occurred in Round Eleven.
The fourth and final matchup between ANU FC and the Brindabella Blues for the 2024 CPL competition will take place at Deakin Stadium at 4pm.
MATCH DETAILS
PRELIMINARY FINAL
ANU FC v Brindabella Blues
(Deakin Stadium, 16:00)
Words: Kate Reedy
