Canberra Olympic host Belconnen United on Sunday for one of the games of the season in WNPL. The two teams at the top of league have each won one of the two trophies so far in 2024 and are both favourites for the two remaining trophies.
On form, it is hard to say whether Frank Cachia’s or Scott Conlon’s team arrives at O’Connor Enclosed with the better chance to get one up their rival. Olympic is on a run of five successes during which they scored 16 times. The last, and only time they dropped points this season, was at the hands of this weekend’s opponent.
The Blue Devils have also only lost once this season, a week before winning the Federation Cup final. They bounced back well with eight goals last week and remain the best offence and defence in the league, with a goal difference that gives them an undeniable advantage over their opponents.
Belconnen took all three points back in May, with two second half goals from Sofia Palywoda and Lauren Preston. It was a home game for the Blue Devils, and getting a similar result at Olympic’s impregnable fortress would be akin to a small miracle. O’Connor is the place to be on Sunday for an exciting encounter that could give us a serious hint into who the 2024 Premiers might be.
Canberra Croatia will play at Deakin for the fourth time this month, hosting ANU WFC. After two losses, to Olympic and Belconnen – in the Federation Cup final – Zoran Glavinic’s team earned a point against Gungahlin last week.
A win at home feels overdue and would all but secure a spot in the Finals, with seven games remaining. Brittany Palombi finally rekindled her relationship with the back of the net last weekend and could use this Sunday to add to her seven goals in the league so far this season.
The University team are still chasing a first win. Their defence has been nothing short of heroic in recent weeks, despite some heavy defeats. The other end of the pitch is where the ANU has been lacking this season, and where they need to show up against a team with the strength of Canberra Croatia if they want to get a result.
Another team after their first success in 2024 is Tuggeranong United, back at Kambah this weekend against West Canberra Wanderers. Like ANU, Sarah West’s team has also been lacking in the end product, with only two goals scored so far.
Yet the team is obviously improving and creating better opportunities every week. The severe defeat last week at the hands of Belconnen could have seen a different outcome, without a superb save from Monique Pinkiewicz when Tuggies were only trailing by one goal.
The Wanderers have been the better of the three teams at the bottom of the table, succeeding against both Tuggeranong and the ANU this season. Their meeting against their southern rivals earlier this season was decided by a single Sarah Whitfield goal late in the game. They have since gone to develop strengths of their own, challenging the likes of Olympic and Croatia, and will visit Kambah as favourites.
FIXTURES
ROUND 12
Sunday 30 June
Canberra Croatia v ANU WFC (Deakin Stadium, 14:30)
Canberra Olympic v Belconnen United (O’Connor Enclosed, 14:00)
Tuggeranong United v West Canberra Wanderers (Kambah 2, 15:00)
All matches are streamed live on BarTV Sports.
TABLE
P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
1 | Canberra Olympic | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 8 | +19 | 27 |
2 | Belconnen United | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 43 | 7 | +36 | 24 |
3 | Gungahlin United | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 28 | 15 | +13 | 19 |
4 | Canberra Croatia | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 25 | 20 | +5 | 16 |
5 | West Canberra Wanderers | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 24 | -15 | 7 |
6 | ANU WFC | 9 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 35 | -30 | 2 |
7 | Tuggeranong United | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 30 | -28 | 1 |
TOP SCORERS
10: Reilly YUEN (Belconnen United)
9: Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United)
7: Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia)
6: Hattie CRAM (Belconnen United), Alex MARTENS (Gungahlin United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United), Madelyn WHITTALL (Canberra Olympic)
5: Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
4: Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Sarah WHITFIELD (West Canberra Wanderers)
3: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Alex NEALAND (Gungahlin United)
2: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Jaya BOWMAN (Canberra Olympic), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Megan CASTLE (Canberra Croatia), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers), Nicole JALOCHA (Canberra Olympic), Alyse JENSEN (Belconnen United), Pascale LA HEI (Belconnen United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Croatia), Sheridan MCELLIGOTT (ANU WFC), Tianah MIRO (Canberra Olympic), Ella PALFRAMAN (Canberra Croatia), Sofia PALYWODA (Belconnen United), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Own GOALS
1: Tehya ASPLAND (Canberra Olympic), Eliza BAKER (ANU WFC), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Amy BONGIORNO (Canberra Croatia), Olivia BUYTEWEG (Gungahlin United), Sofia CHAVERRA (ANU WFC), Sharon CHAO (Gungahlin United), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Corinne DENTON (Gungahlin United), Jade EMMS (Belconnen United), Rhiannon FENSOM (Canberra Croatia), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Lauren HALL (West Canberra Wanderers), Sarah MATTHEWS (Tuggeranong United), Amy MOORE (Gungahlin United), Saskia NEWMAN (ANU WFC), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Bessie RIETHMULLER (Canberra Olympic), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Allegra SENTI (West Canberra Wanderers), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Olympic), Jane VANZINO (Canberra Olympic), Matylda WELLS-SHEATHER (Tuggeranong United), Kayla WRIGHT (Gungahlin United), Nadia ZAKMAN (Canberra Croatia)
Words: Jeremy Magan