National Premier League Women’s action continues in Round 10 with Canberra Olympic hosting Tuggeranong United in an early afternoon match at O’Connor Enclosed.
Frank Cachia’s team come into the weekend off the back of an impressive away win over top four rivals Gungahlin United, and will be aspiring to maintain their place in the finals positions after spending some time in 5th on the table.
Olympic bounced back from a demoralising Round 8 defeat to Belconnen United superbly, performing to a high standard against a difficult opponent, with the quality across the park making the eventual difference, as the likes of Tatum Mazis, Tianah Miro, Tehya Aspland and Madison Cachia all looked at their best in the attacking third.
While defensively they also caught the eye, the overall strength of Olympic, despite the drop-off from last campaign cannot be ignored, and Tuggeranong United will not be particularly comforted by their match-up this Sunday, having fallen to the heaviest defeat in NPLW history against Belconnen in the previous round.
Ian Toms’ side were no match for the quality of the table-toppers, and have overall struggled for points in 2025, having only picked up three from a Round 4 victory against ANU WFC.
Bouncing back from their Round 9 result will be difficult, however Tuggeranong can take encouragement from their Round 3 clash against Olympic, where the then-away team pegged back their opponents on two occasions, in a valiant loss at O’Connor Enclosed.
The second game of the round will see Canberra Croatia look to avenge their Federation Cup final defeat against Belconnen United at Deakin Stadium.
Musie Elongo’s team haven’t played since the two sides’ final meeting, and will undoubtedly be motivated to be the first side to beat Scott Conlon’s outfit in 2025, particularly after posing the most significant challenge to the Blue Devils’ winning streak in an unfortunate 4-3 defeat in Round 3.
A victory on Sunday would put Croatia eight points within top spot, and if their two games in hand are won, two points away from taking the lead in the NPLW.
Belconnen will be wary of the quality of their opponents, and of the last time the two met in the league, where they were gifted a fortunate winner in the latter part of the match, after blowing a 3-0 lead.
Despite having this in mind, the table-toppers are coming off a 20-goal haul against Tuggeranong, and a dominant display against Croatia in the cup final, and will no doubt be in confident spirits heading to Deakin Stadium.
Majura FC host the final match of the round against Gungahlin United at Ainslie Field 2, in a contest between two sides that despite their proximity on the table, remain in vastly different scenarios.
Davide Ruberto’s team remain on just three points after their solitary victory against ANU WFC in Round 1, and have struggled to challenge many sides since, particularly on the goals front.
Despite a 3-0 loss in the previous round to current second-placed West Canberra Wanderers, the return of talismanic striker Carmel Lynch will no doubt improve the team’s output in front of goal, and potentially aid her side in becoming more competitive with their NPLW opponents.
Their opponents Gungahlin United however, come into this clash off the back of an 8-0 success over Majura in the last meeting between these two, and will therefore be confident of putting away the Dickson-based outfit with relative comfort.
Round 9 saw Marcial Munoz’s side fall to defeat for the first time in two matches however, narrowly losing 3-2 after what was an even contest for much of the 90, in what will surely be a bitter defeat for the Gunners squad.
The loss saw Gungahlin drop out of the finals race, and with West Canberra without a game this round, an opportunity to reclaim their top four position will make three points a must.
FIXTURES
ROUND 10
Sunday 22 June
Canberra Olympic v Tuggeranong United (O’Connor Enclosed, 14:00)
Majura FC v Gungahlin United (Ainslie Field 2, 15:00)
Canberra Croatia v Belconnen United (Deakin Stadium 15:00)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Belconnen United | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 7 | +66 | 27 |
| 2 | West Canberra | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 29 | 14 | +15 | 16 |
| 3 | Canberra Croatia | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 10 | +12 | 16 |
| 4 | Canberra Olympic | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 21 | 19 | +2 | 15 |
| 5 | Gungahlin United | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 38 | 14 | +24 | 14 |
| 6 | Majura FC | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 31 | -24 | 3 |
| 7 | Tuggeranong United | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 59 | -53 | 3 |
| 8 | ANU WFC | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 42 | -42 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
13: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United), Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers)
11: Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United)
9: Megan CASTLE (Gungahlin United), Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United)
8: Bonnie YOUNG (Gungahlin United)
6: Liliana ALTAMORE (Belconnen United), Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United)
5: Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United), Own GOALS
4: Sharon CHAO (Gungahlin United), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Carmel LYNCH (Majura FC), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United)
3: Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Leah CARNEGIE (Canberra Olympic), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers)
2: Acacia ARGENTO (Tuggeranong United), Talia BACKHOUSE (Belconnen United), Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Sofia FURLANETTO (Majura FC), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Alyse JENSEN (Canberra Olympic), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Olympic), Ailish MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Riley MCQUEENIE (Canberra Croatia), Sofia MERKOUREAS (Canberra Croatia), Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Ellie RAYMOND (Canberra Croatia), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Croatia)
1: Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Tehya ASPLAND (Canberra Olympic), Angelina BABIC (Canberra Croatia), Sienna BIRNIE (Canberra Olympic), Lisa CARY (Belconnen United), Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Elvein IBRAHIM (West Canberra Wanderers), Mollie JONSSON (Tuggeranong United), Claire KENNEDY-SPENCER (Tuggeranong United), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Sofia MARTINIELO (Majura FC), Audrey MCLAREN (West Canberra Wanderers), Jessica MITCHELL (Tuggeranong United), Abigail MOSS (West Canberra Wanderers), Eliza-Jane NORRIS (Canberra Croatia), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Maddison SAWKINS (Belconnen United), Maddie STEINACKER (Belconnen United), Rachel VAN AALST (Gungahlin United), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
TOP ASSISTS
10: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United)
8: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia)
7: Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United), Bonnie YOUNG (Gungahlin United)
6: Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Audrey WARD (West Canberra Wanderers)
5: Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United)
4: Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United)
3: Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Megan CASTLE (Gungahlin United), Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers), Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United), Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United)
2: Talia BACKHOUSE (Belconnen United), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Alyse JENSEN (Canberra Olympic), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Chelsea HATELY (Gungahlin United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Olympic), Amy MOORE (Gungahlin United), Abigail RICHARDS (Majura FC), Madison SAWKINS (Belconnen United), Rachel VAN AALST (Gungahlin United), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
1: Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Esperance ANDERSON (Tuggeranong United), Eliza BAKER (Majura FC), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Jamie BERKLEY (Canberra Croatia), Sienna BIRNIE (Canberra Olympic), Tiana BOOTS (Canberra Croatia), Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Olivia BUYTEWEG (Gungahlin United), Lena CHRISTOPHERSON (Tuggeranong United), Lucy D’ARCY (Gungahlin United), Rhiannon DAVIS (Canberra Olympic), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers, Ariana KASHAN (Majura FC), Claire KENNEDY-SPENCER (Tuggeranong United), Jada LAMOND (Gungahlin United), Stefi LEJINS (Belconnen United), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Olivia MARTINIELLO (Majura FC), Ailish MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Tianah MIRO (Canberra Olympic), Demi NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Stephenie NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Ariana RATHOUSKI (Belconnen United), Juliana ROBERTSON (West Canberra Wanderers), Madeleine STEINACKER (Belconnen United), Allegra SENTI (West Canberra Wanderers), Ivy STEVENS (Gungahlin United), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Croatia), Sonja TOMANOVITS (West Canberra Wanderers)
Words: Sam Watson
