Canberra Croatia can claim a 25th Capital Football League Championship this weekend with a victory over Gungahlin United at Deakin Stadium. The red machine are just three points from reclaiming the silverware from Tigers FC and an expectant crowd will no doubt be in attendance to see them home.
A draw may be sufficient, depending on whether Monaro Panthers fail to beat O’Connor Knights in the other Saturday evening encounter in Round 18, but a maximum return would ensure that the trophy would be heading for the Deakin Club trophy cabinet, a 63rd major award of their illustrious history.
Judging by their recent form however, the champions-elect won’t be playing for the point and their goal-hungry line-up will be keen to reverse their only blemish on an otherwise exemplary league record, the Round 11 home defeat to Gungahlin United.
On that afternoon, Philippe Bernabo-Madrid, playing his 100th NPL match, provided the difference with the solitary goal of a tense encounter to keep Gunners in the title race. Since then, fortunes have quickly gone in different directions, Croatia ever upwards whilst Gungahlin have struggled to maintain consistency.
There has been little love lost between this pair in their last handful of fixtures, and the Gunners would love nothing more than to spoil the planned party. Expect another rip-roaring encounter between the top two and two of the modern games’ most likely title contenders.
Monaro Panthers will be aiming to secure three points when O’Connor Knights visit the Riverside Stadium on Saturday evening, the Panthers knowing a win and a Gungahlin defeat would put them into the box seat to end the National Premier League season in second place with three rounds remaining.
The Panthers showed their character by pushing Croatia as hard as anyone in recent weeks with a 2-2 at Deakin Stadium showing them at their gritty best in the second stanza, as they came from behind to lead before coughing up an equalising goal as the Golden Boot leader, Daniel Barac, completed a brace.
O’Connor will go into the contest off the back of a midweek match-up with Canberra Olympic, a testing encounter on a notoriously tricky Gungahlin Enclosed surface and with the Panthers match being their third match in seven days, there may be an element of fatigue in the Knights ranks.
O’Connor showed amazing commitment themselves in Round 17. Looking down and out at 0-2 against Tigers FC at Hawker Football Centre, the Knights fought back with two goals in stoppage time, levelling the match in the 99th minute via a goal from midfield playmaker Michael Adams.
At the foot of the table West Canberra Wanderers have it all to do again as they slumped back to the bottom of the pile following their narrow defeat to Canberra Olympic at O’Connor Enclosed. They welcome Tigers FC to Melrose Synthetic, looking for a repeat of the 3-1 win they claimed in their last meeting.
Having forced their way up to sixth, the Wanderers would be disappointed that their stumble to Olympic coincided with Belconnen United spring a surprise victory over Gungahlin United at McKellar Park. With only twelve points left to play for, Wanderers need to get straight back on track.
Tigers meanwhile need to get over the trauma of conceding twice late on against the Knights if they are to keep alive their hopes of making the top four finals series and a chance to defend their Grand Final trophy, claimed in such style in the 2021 victory over Monaro Panthers.
The synthetic field might play its part, but both will go for the win meaning an exciting match, which could well produce plenty of goalmouth action should be in store, and a nervy afternoon for both sets of supporters.
Belconnen United and Canberra Olympic complete the weekend’s Round of football with both harbouring ambitions of a place in the top four, whilst also sparing anxious glances at what will be happening over in Woden as the threat of sliding through the relegation trapdoor is still possible.
Olympic eased their fears at one end, whilst keeping them on a upward trajectory at the other, by winning against West Canberra Wanderers in Round 17 allowing them to have their destiny in their won hands. How they respond from a midweek match with O’Connor might prove critical.
The Blue Devils needed to show their resilience at McKellar last week, their reaction to dropping to the foot of the ladder exemplary as they took advantage of a depleted Gungahlin United to secure a critical three points and move out of the danger zone. A further collection of the maximum haul here would be most welcome for Blue Devils fans.
FIXTURES
ROUND 18
Saturday 20 August
West Canberra Wanderers v Tigers FC (Melrose Synthetic, 14:15)
Canberra Olympic v Belconnen United (O’Connor Enclosed, 15:00)
Canberra Croatia v Gungahlin United (Deakin Stadium, 17:00)
Monaro Panthers v O’Connor Knights (Riverside Stadium, 17:45)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Canberra Croatia | 17 | 13 | 3 | 1 | +35 | 40 |
| 2 | Gungahlin United | 17 | 9 | 4 | 4 | +12 | 31 |
| 3 | Monaro Panthers | 17 | 7 | 8 | 2 | +15 | 29 |
| 4 | O’Connor Knights | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | -7 | 21 |
| 5 | Tigers FC | 17 | 6 | 8 | 6 | -12 | 17 |
| 6 | Canberra Olympic | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 | -15 | 16 |
| 7 | Belconnen United | 17 | 4 | 3 | 10 | -17 | 15 |
| 8 | West Canberra Wanderers | 17 | 3 | 4 | 10 | -11 | 13 |
