All the action is on Sunday once again this week. All eyes will be on Deakin Stadium and an important duel between Canberra Croatia and Gungahlin United. Canberra Olympic and Belconnen United keep racing for the top spot, respectively hosting ANU WFC and Tuggeranong United.
Encounters between Canberra Croatia and Gungahlin United are not for the faint hearted. Their last four meetings ended with thrillers decided by a single goal. The Deakin outfit’s successes, late in 2023 (4-3, 3-2) and this season in Federation Cup (2-1) were answered to in NPLW by Olivia Buyteweg’s last second goal in early May (3-2).
Both teams had a fruitful weekend last time out, filled with goals and a clean sheet, and each has a clear agenda for this coming Sunday. A success for the Gunners would mean keeping Belconnen and Olympic at arm’s length and confirming the success against the O’Connor side three weeks ago by taking care of another title contender.
They were frustrated against the ANU WFC and needed half-a-dozen clear chances before finally finding the back of net. A similar situation on Sunday could end with a less favourable results against a team of the experience of Croatia. Zoran Glavinic’s team is alternating hot and cold this season and is yet to beat one of the best three teams in WNPL.
The success in the Federation semi-finals against the Gunners, after ousting Olympic, showed – if there was any doubt – that Canberra Croatia has the talent to rival with the best in the league. It is time to prove it on the pitch. Success on Sunday would bring them level with Gungahlin on the table, the best way to end a busy week, with three games in eight days.
Canberra Olympic host ANU WFC with the clear objective to keep their three points lead (with one more game played) on the table. Frank Cachia’s players recorded a fourth consecutive win on Sunday – the best series in the league right now – and want the successes to keep on coming.
The key ingredient for Olympic’s early successes this season was their defence, but they are slowly showing up at the other end too, with eight goals scored in their last two outings. The quality they line up offensively, whether from their starters or their bench, will make life hard for ANU.
Thomas Crossley’s team held on for 80 minutes against Gungalin last week, coming close to scoring themselves, before conceding three times in ten minutes. Their use of the wide areas in counterattack and their intensity defensively caused problems for the Gunners and needs to be reproduced against the reigning champions on Sunday.
Getting a result at O’Connor would be a small miracle, considering Olympic has lost a game at home since August 2021.
Belconnen United meets Tuggeranong United after two weeks of celebrating the Federation Cup trophy. The Blue Devils need a win this Sunday, both to ensure Olympic stays in reach, and to bounce back in the NPLW after their defeat at the hands of the Gunners for their last domestic game.
It was the Reilly Yuen show when these two teams met back in May, with the young striker scoring all five goals of the one-sided encounter. Belconnen United will rely on the league leading goal scorers, Yuen and Alyssa Di-Campli, to lead the way once again and get back to their winning ways.
Tuggeranong United finally broke their goal scoring drought last week against Canberra Olympic, thanks to last season’s revelation, Sarah Matthews. Sarah West’s team could not keep the result in their favour but were on Sunday the most threatening we have seen them in a while, both from buildup play and in counter attacks.
Scoring two weeks in a row against the best defence’s in the league would be an accomplishment on its own, and an upset is also long overdue for the team in the South.
FIXTURES
ROUND 11
Sunday 23 June
Canberra Olympic v ANU WFC (O’Connor Enclosed, 14:30)
Canberra Croatia v Gungahlin United (Deakin Stadium, 14:30)
Belconnen United v Tuggeranong United (McKellar Park, 15:00)
All matches are streamed live on BarTV Sports.
TABLE
P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
1 | Canberra Olympic | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 8 | +15 | 24 |
2 | Belconnen United | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 7 | +28 | 21 |
3 | Gungahlin United | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 27 | 14 | +13 | 18 |
4 | Canberra Croatia | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 24 | 19 | +5 | 15 |
5 | West Canberra Wanderers | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 24 | -15 | 7 |
6 | ANU WFC | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 31 | -26 | 2 |
7 | Tuggeranong United | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 22 | -20 | 1 |
TOP SCORERS
10: Reilly YUEN (Belconnen United)
8: Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United)
6: Alex MARTENS (Gungahlin United), Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia)
5: Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
4: Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Sarah WHITFIELD (West Canberra Wanderers)
3: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United), Alex NEALAND (Gungahlin United), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Madelyn WHITTALL (Canberra Olympic)
2: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Jaya BOWMAN (Canberra Olympic), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Megan CASTLE (Canberra Croatia), Hattie CRAM (Belconnen United), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Nicole JALOCHA (Canberra Olympic), 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), Alyse JENSEN (Belconnen United), 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), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Olympic), Jane VANZINO (Canberra Olympic), Matylda WELLS-SHEATHER (Tuggeranong United), Kayla WRIGHT (Gungahlin United), Nadia ZAKMAN (Canberra Croatia)