Second place is up for grabs in Round 7 of the National Premier League Women’s, as Canberra Croatia visit Canberra Olympic at O’Connor Enclosed.
Reigning champions Olympic have come on leaps and bounds since starting their season with back to back defeats, and will no doubt be in a confident mood as they look for their fifth league win in a row.
Despite their fantastic run in the NPLW being extended last weekend, with a 5-0 victory over ANU WFC, Frank Cachia’s team have struggled in matches against members of the top four, most recently blowing a 2-0 lead against Belconnen in the cup to lose 3-2.
Having won midweek with a late Jamie Berkeley penalty against Gungahlin United, now second-place Canberra Croatia can put themselves six points clear of Olympic with a win this Sunday.
Musie Elongo’s team have lost just once in 2025, an unfortunate defeat to Belconnen United, and are in fine form heading into another difficult match early in the season.
Having last met in the 2024 Preliminary Final, where Olympic recovered from a two-goal Croatia lead to book a place in the Grand Final, this weekend’s Canberra Classico is a significant opportunity for the Deakin-based side to
Over at Kambah 2 Tuggeranong United hosts Majura FC in what will soon become the battle of the league’s two bottom sides, once ANU WFC have withdrawn from the competition next week.
Following a big win against ANU in Round 4, Ian Toms’ squad haven’t been able to harness the momentum generated and claim further points in the league.
Last week’s encounter with Canberra Croatia will offer encouragement for Tuggeranong however, as despite suffering a narrow 2-1 defeat, the home side kept a strong opposition to a minimal number of goals, and managed to find the back of the net for a third match out of their last four.
Majura FC are recovering from experiencing the full ruthlessness of Belconnen United in an 8-0 drubbing last week, however the side’s ability to put ANU to the sword in Round 1 will offer encouragement that Davide Ruberto’s side can do the same against Tuggeranong on Sunday.
Belconnen United entertains West Canberra Wanderers at McKellar Park for the next match of the round, in a contest between the early season top two.
The Wanderers have since fallen to fifth after defeats to teams inside the top four, outlining the side’s struggle to overcome opponents vying for high positions on the NPLW table.
Despite the slight fall-off in results, Steve Rohan-Jones’ team will no doubt take plenty of positives from an outstanding display against Gungahlin United in Round 6, in a match that would have felt that the 1-1 scoreline was two points dropped, particularly given the dominant way in which they ended the match.
The task at hand for the visitors is not an easy one however, as Belconnen United will be looking to make it seven wins from seven to maintain their three-point gap at the top of the NPLW table.
The Blue Devils have scored 18 goals in their previous two matches alone, and despite struggling in parts of their narrow victories over Gungahlin United and Canberra Croatia, Scott Conlon’s team have always found a way to get the result they need.
The final match of the round will see Gungahlin United host ANU WFC’s final match in the NPLW this season, having made the decision to withdraw from the competition after Round 7.
The University side have found life difficult in the top tier, having begun the campaign without plenty of key individuals from previous seasons.
With six losses from six games, 33 goals conceded, no goals scored, there hasn’t been much to smile about for Amalia Edevane’s outfit, however a positive performance against Gungahlin, would send them off on a good note.
Despite being favourites to win the match, Marcial Munoz’s Gunners have only collected one point from their previous two matches against West Canberra and Canberra Croatia, and have slid into fourth place on the table.
Though their form has dropped off somewhat, on their day Gungahlin can cut teams open effortlessly and clinically, having recently put eight goals and nine goals respectively past two of the bottom three this season, which will make for bleak reading for an ANU side that are the worst defensive side in the league.
FIXTURES
ROUND 7
Sunday 25 May
Canberra Olympic v Canberra Croatia (O’Connor Enclosed, 13:00)
Tuggeranong United v Majura FC (Kambah 2, 14:00)
Belconnen United v West Canberra Wanderers (McKellar Park, 15:00)
Gungahlin United v ANU WFC (Gungahlin Enclosed, 15:00)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Belconnen United | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 6 | +36 | 18 |
| 2 | Canberra Croatia | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 7 | +12 | 15 |
| 3 | Canberra Olympic | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 12 | +6 | 12 |
| 4 | Gungahlin United | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 24 | 8 | +16 | 10 |
| 5 | West Canberra | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 7 | +13 | 10 |
| 6 | Majura FC | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 28 | -21 | 3 |
| 7 | Tuggeranong United | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 34 | -29 | 3 |
| 8 | ANU WFC | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 33 | -33 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
11: Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers)
8: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United)
7: Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United)
6: Bonnie YOUNG (Gungahlin United)
5: Liliana ALTAMORE (Belconnen United), Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Megan CASTLE (Gungahlin United)
4: Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers), Carmel LYNCH (Majura FC)
3: Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Leah CARNEGIE (Canberra Olympic), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United), Own GOALS
2: Acacia ARGENTO (Tuggeranong United), Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Sharon CHAO (Gungahlin United), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Sofia FURLANETTO (Majura FC), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Alyse JENSEN (Canberra Olympic), Ailish MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Riley MCQUEENIE (Canberra Croatia), Sofia MERKOUREAS (Canberra Croatia), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Croatia)
1: Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Angelina BABIC (Canberra Croatia), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Sienna BIRNIE (Canberra Olympic), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Lisa CARY (Belconnen United), Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Elvein IBRAHIM (West Canberra Wanderers), Mollie JONSSON (Tuggeranong United), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Sofia MARTINIELO (Majura FC), Jessica MITCHELL (Tuggeranong United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Olympic), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers), Eliza-Jane NORRIS (Canberra Croatia), Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United), Ellie RAYMOND (Canberra Croatia), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Maddison SAWKINS (Belconnen United), Maddie STEINACKER (Belconnen United), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United), Rachel VAN AALST (Gungahlin United), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
TOP ASSISTS
7: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United)
5: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United), Bonnie YOUNG (Gungahlin United)
4: Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Audrey WARD (West Canberra Wanderers)
3: Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers),
2: Megan CASTLE (Gungahlin United), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United), Chelsea HATELY (Gungahlin United), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Olympic), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United), Abigail RICHARDS (Majura FC), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
1: Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Esperance ANDERSON (Tuggeranong United), Eliza BAKER (Majura FC), Jamie BERKLEY (Canberra Croatia), Sienna BIRNIE (Canberra Olympic), Tiana BOOTS (Canberra Croatia), Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Olivia BUYTEWEG (Gungahlin United), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Rhiannon DAVIS (Canberra Olympic), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers, Alyse JENSEN (Canberra Olympic), Ariana KASHAN (Majura FC), Claire KENNEDY-SPENCER (Tuggeranong United), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Olivia MARTINIELLO (Majura FC), Ailish MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Amy MOORE (Gungahlin United), Demi NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Stephenie NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Madison SAWKINS (Belconnen United), Allegra SENTI (West Canberra Wanderers), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Croatia), Rachel VAN AALST (Gungahlin United)
(Words: Sam Watson)
