The action will start in the North on Sunday as the National Premier League reaches Round 9, with Gungahlin United and Belconnen United meeting at 2pm, two teams that combined for 14 goals in their last 2 NPLW duels.
The Gunners, who came close to getting a result at O’Connor Enclosed last Sunday, will be eager to reduce the gap between the top two with a success at home. Against a Belconnen side with a perfect record in the NPLW, Nick Van Aalst’s team will need nothing short of a complete performance at both ends of the pitch if they are to stop the league leaders.
Where will the Blue Devils stop? A week before the Federation Cup Final, Scott Conlon’s team aims to keep getting points, for the boost of confidence, but also to avoid getting caught by the competition, not far behind. If Reilly Yuen confirmed her great individual form with a brace last week, the strength of this squad lies in the collective mindset.
Against West Canberra, they conceded first, a “new” situation this season, yet came together and did more than respond. The result at Gungahlin Enclosed is the best way to get ready for next week’s Final.
Deakin Stadium is the place to be for the next couple of weekends. Days before the Cup Finals not to be missed, Canberra Croatia hosts Canberra Olympic for a clash often memorable. Zoran Glavinic’s team is yet to get a result against a team in the top three, and knocking the rivals would be a perfect way to remedy this anomaly.
This Croatia side is slowly coming together and can always count on the brilliance of their talent to make the difference upfront. Canberra Olympic will have their work cut out for them.
Frank Cachia’s team would start the game as favourites on paper. They have not lost to Canberra Croatia in the NPLW for almost two years, yet they will not forget the Deakin side ousted them from the Federation Cup a few weeks back. Last weekend, Olympic dominated Gungahlin head and shoulders for eighty minutes, albeit came close to losing points in the dying embers of the game.
This Sunday is the opportunity to put their rivals a further three points away, and the O’Connor side will not hesitate, given the chance.
ANU WFC will face the West Canberra Wanderers at Hawker Football Centre at 3pm to round up the game week. The University club, resting last week, is yet to earn a success in the NPLW this season.
Twice they came close, against Tuggeranong and when they faced these same Wanderers in Round 2, in the lead for most of the game. Facing the top four was a much less comfortable affair, and now with Georgia Ritchie between the posts, they are also chasing a first clean sheet of the year.
West Canberra’s main asset this season has been their defensive solidity, and it took a knock at McKellar on Sunday, with five goals conceded in forty minutes. Steve Rohan-Jones will want to get back to their usual fare against the ANU WFC, a team that the Wanderers have not beaten since they joined the WNPL last year.
To end that series, they will count on their talisman, Sarah Whitfield, who has scored her (and her team’s) fourth goal this season at McKellar Park.
FIXTURES
ROUND 9
Sunday 2 June
Gungahlin United v Belconnen United (Gungahlin Enclosed, 14:00)
ANU WFC v West Canberra Wanderers (Haker Football Centre, 15:00)
Canberra Croatia v Canberra Olympic (Deakin Stadium, 14:30)
All matches are streamed live on BarTV Sports.
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Belconnen United | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 5 | +29 | 21 |
| 2 | Canberra Olympic | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 5 | +10 | 18 |
| 3 | Gungahlin United | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 13 | +9 | 12 |
| 4 | Canberra Croatia | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 12 | +2 | 9 |
| 5 | West Canberra Wanderers | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 15 | -11 | 4 |
| 6 | ANU WFC | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 25 | -21 | 2 |
| 7 | Tuggeranong United | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 19 | -18 | 1 |
TOP SCORERS
9: Reilly YUEN (Belconnen United)
8: Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United)
6: Alex MARTENS (Gungahlin United)
5: Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
4: Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United), Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia), Sarah WHITFIELD (West Canberra Wanderers)
3: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic)
2: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Hattie CRAM (Belconnen United), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Nicole JALOCHA (Canberra Olympic), Pascale LA HEI (Belconnen United), Sheridan MCELLIGOTT (ANU WFC), Sofia PALYWODA (Belconnen United), Own GOALS
1: Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Jaya BOWMAN (Canberra Olympic), Olivia BUYTEWEG (Gungahlin United), Megan CASTLE (Canberra Croatia), Sofia CHAVERRA (ANU WFC), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Corinne DENTON (Gungahlin United), Jade EMMS (Belconnen United), Alyse JENSEN (Belconnen United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Croatia), Amy MOORE (Gungahlin United), Alex NEALAND (Gungahlin United), Saskia NEWMAN (ANU WFC), Ella PALFRAMAN (Canberra Croatia), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Bessie RIETHMULLER (Canberra Olympic), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Olympic), Jane VANZINO (Canberra Olympic), Matylda WELLS-SHEATHER (Tuggeranong United), Madelyn WHITTALL (Canberra Olympic), Kayla WRIGHT (Gungahlin United), Nadia ZAKMAN (Canberra Croatia)
Words: Jeremy Magan
