Between the Kanga Cup and NPLW and NPL games almost every night, the ACT is spoiled for choice with football always on this week. The weekend of Women’s football starts on Friday with the battle of the bottom of the table and ends on Sunday with a classic of Canberra’s football that should draw crowds at McKellar.
Tuggeranong United and ANU WFC will battle it out under the Friday Night Lights at Kambah 2 as the only two teams without a win this season both hope to finally get off the mark, after a tie the first time around.
Both teams have had similar stories told throughout the season. Their goalkeepers have been nothing short of extraordinary, their defensive work rate worthy of accolades, but their lack of end product offensively has proved costly.
Offensively, they offer different outlets. Tuggeranong’s trio combines speed and grit, adapted to their fast-attacking style, with great use of the width. The ANU has shown more build from the inside of the field, using Sofia Chaverra as an anchor at times, although in recent games the pace of Angelina Babic, rewarded with a goal last week, has been an asset.
Friday is the perfect opportunity for one of the two teams to reap the fruit of their hard work all season. The encounter will offer the crowd who brave the Canberra evening more than enough intensity to stay warm at Kambah.
West Canberra Wanderers is hosting a team from the top of the table a second time this week, with a visit from Gungahlin United on Sunday. The Wanderers came close to a late point against Olympic on Sunday, kept in the game as is often the case this season by the heroics of their defence and goalkeeper.
Steve Rohan-Jones’ team could not resist the offensive armada of the Gunners the first time the two met, with four goals conceded within the first half hour. With only two wins against the bottom teams, West Canberra is looking to create some chaos at the top with an upset they came close to creating on a couple of occasions this season already.
Gungahlin comes to Melrose four days after a trip to Deakin with the simple intent to keep the pressure up on the front two. They have not lost a point to either of the three teams at the wrong end of the table yet and have only conceded once – against the Wanderers. Anything else than the three points would be a disappointing result for Nick van Aalst’s troops.
All eyes on McKellar on Sunday afternoon to end the weekend with a highly expected duel between Belconnen United and Canberra Croatia. The Blue Devils bounced back from their loss to Olympic with a solid performance against the ANU last week but will want to confirm their form against a top team.
Their last duel against their archrivals ended in a seven-goal thriller they dominated with two late goals (5-2) at Deakin, but Croatia have seen improved, while Belconnen lost their unbeatable status.
Zoran Glavinic will need a near-perfect performance from his team three days after facing the Gunners at home. Between key players coming back from injury and other hitting form, the Deakin outfit had looked better in recent weeks, yet did not always convince offensively.
Facing a side with the talent and depth of Belconnen United will be a true test for Croatia, and provide an understanding of where they stand, a few weeks before it is Finals time.
FIXTURES
ROUND 14
Friday 12 July
Tuggeranong United v ANU WFC (Kambah 2, 19:30)
Sunday 14 July
West Canberra Wanderers v Gungahlin United (Melrose Synthetic, 12:45)
Belconnen United v Canberra Croatia (McKellar Park, 15:00)
All matches are streamed live on BarTV Sports.
TABLE (correct as pf 11/07/24)
P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
1 | Canberra Olympic | 12 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 9 | +24 | 33 |
2 | Belconnen United | 11 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 47 | 12 | +35 | 27 |
3 | Gungahlin United | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 30 | 15 | +15 | 22 |
4 | Canberra Croatia | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 26 | 20 | +6 | 19 |
5 | West Canberra Wanderers | 11 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 27 | -16 | 8 |
6 | Tuggeranong United | 11 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 33 | -30 | 2 |
7 | ANU WFC | 11 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 40 | -34 | 2 |
TOP SCORERS
11: Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United)
10: Reilly YUEN (Belconnen United)
9: Madelyn WHITTALL (Canberra Olympic)
7: Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia)
6: Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Hattie CRAM (Belconnen United), Alex MARTENS (Gungahlin United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United)
5: Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United), Sarah WHITFIELD (West Canberra Wanderers)
4: Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Alyse JENSEN (Belconnen United)
3: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United), Megan CASTLE (Canberra Croatia), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Tianah MIRO (Canberra Olympic), Alex NEALAND (Gungahlin United)
2: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Jaya BOWMAN (Canberra Olympic), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers), Nicole JALOCHA (Canberra Olympic), Pascale LA HEI (Belconnen United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Croatia), Sheridan MCELLIGOTT (ANU WFC), Ella PALFRAMAN (Canberra Croatia), Sofia PALYWODA (Belconnen United), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Own GOALS
1: Tehya ASPLAND (Canberra Olympic), Angelina BABIC (ANU WFC), Eliza BAKER (ANU WFC), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Amy BONGIORNO (Canberra Croatia), Olivia BUYTEWEG (Gungahlin United), Sofia CHAVERRA (ANU WFC), Sharon CHAO (Gungahlin United), Stella 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), Elvein IBRHAIM (Tuggeranong United), Sarah MATTHEWS (Tuggeranong United), Amy MOORE (Gungahlin United), Saskia NEWMAN (ANU WFC), Demi NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), 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