With Belconnen United and Canberra Olympic’s clash postponed, Round 16 of the OPC National Premier League Women’s kicks off at Gungahlin Enclosed, as Gungahlin United look to put the pressure on Canberra Croatia’s hold on second place.

With this being the last time the two sides meet in the regular season, there remains plenty riding on the outcome, as for the Gunners, it would see them restore the four-point gap between themselves and Sunday’s opponents, and bring Marcial Munoz’s side closer to achieving a place in the Qualifying Final come finals time.

Gungahlin dropped points in their previous match against West Canberra Wanderers, a theme against finals-rivals that has been common this campaign, having only beaten the Wanderers and Canberra Olympic in their top four-challenging contests this season.

Croatia meanwhile have maintained a buffer between themselves and the chasing pack, and will know that an 100% record from now until the end of the season will guarantee second place, with the gap seemingly too big to catch Belconnen, although still mathematically possible.

With a game in hand still remaining, Croatia will be confident about the prospect of a trip to Gungahlin, particularly when considering their relentless goal threat in recent weeks, having scored 27 goals in their last four matches. 

The only other match of the round sees West Canberra Wanderers host Tuggeranong United in a Southside Derby between two sides with polarising NPLW fortunes.

Steve Rohan-Jones’ Wanderers remain firmly in the race for a first finals appearance since 2022, despite currently sitting in fifth place on the table, and will undoubtedly label this match a must-win when considering the club’s difficult run to end the 2025 regular season.

Two five-goal hauls in West Canberra’s matches against Tuggeranong this season point towards a victory for the home side, however Ian Toms’ team are coming off an improved showing against Majura the weekend before, going down narrowly 3-2 to a last minute winner. 

United had the greater weight of chances against their competitors for bottom spot, and ultimately gave up a lead to make it ten losses from eleven, and with potential relegation a consideration for the club, holding onto a win this time round would be immensely valuable.

 

FIXTURES

ROUND 16

Sunday 27 July

West Canberra Wanderers v Tuggeranong United (Melrose Synthetic, 15:00)

Gungahlin United v Canberra Croatia (Gungahlin Enclosed, 15:00)

 

TABLE

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Belconnen United	14	14	0	0	98	9	+89	42
2	Canberra Croatia	12	9	1	2	50	14	+36	28
3	Gungahlin United	13	6	3	4	45	19	+26	21
4	Canberra Olympic	12	7	0	5	38	24	+14	21
5	West Canberra	14	6	2	6	36	29	+7	20
6	Majura FC	12	2	0	10	11	60	-49	6
7	Tuggeranong United	12	1	0	11	8	89	-81	3
8	ANU WFC	7	0	0	7	0	42	-42	0

 

TOP SCORERS

19: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United)

16: Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers)

14: Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United)

12: Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia)

10: Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Megan CASTLE (Gungahlin United), Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United), Bonnie YOUNG (Gungahlin United)

9: Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United),

8: Talia BACKHOUSE (Belconnen United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United)

7: Own GOALS

6: Liliana ALTAMORE (Belconnen United), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Olympic), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United)

5: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers), Alyse JENSEN (Canberra Olympic), Carmel LYNCH (Majura FC), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United)

4: Sharon CHAO (Gungahlin United), April HILL (Canberra Croatia), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers)

3: Tehya ASPLAND (Canberra Olympic), Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Leah CARNEGIE (Canberra Olympic), Sofia FURLANETTO (Majura FC), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Sofia MERKOUREAS (Canberra Croatia), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)

2: Acacia ARGENTO (Tuggeranong United), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Hannah BOURKE (Canberra Croatia), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Olivia MARTINIELO (Majura FC), Ailish MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Pia MCGHIE (Canberra Croatia), Riley MCQUEENIE (Canberra Croatia), Tianah MIRO (Canberra Olympic), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Ellie RAYMOND (Canberra Croatia), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Croatia)

1: Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Liana ALVES (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), Audrey MCLAREN (West Canberra Wanderers), Jessica MITCHELL (Tuggeranong United), Abigail MOSS (West Canberra Wanderers), Saskia NEWMAN (Canberra Croatia), 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), Audrey WARD (West Canberra Wanderers), Lauren WATT (Tuggeranong United), Maggie WRIGHT (Majura FC), Reilly YUEN (Canberra Croatia)

 

TOP ASSISTS

12: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United)

10: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia)

9: Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United)

8: Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United)

7: Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia), Bonnie YOUNG (Gungahlin United)

6: Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United), Audrey WARD (West Canberra Wanderers)

5: Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United)

4: Talia BACKHOUSE (Belconnen United), Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United), Ailish MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Riley MCQUEENIE (Canberra Croatia), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United)

3: Tiana BOOTS (Canberra Croatia), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Megan CASTLE (Gungahlin United), Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers), Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Olympic), Tianah MIRO (Canberra Olympic), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers), Madison SAWKINS (Belconnen United)

2: Tehya ASPLAND (Canberra Olympic), Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Lisa CARY (Belconnen United), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Alyse JENSEN (Canberra Olympic), Chelsea HATELY (Gungahlin United), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers), April HILL (Canberra Croatia), Claire KENNEDY-SPENCER (Tuggeranong United), Jada LAMOND (Gungahlin United), Carmel LYNCH (Majura FC), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Amy MOORE (Gungahlin United), Abigail RICHARDS (Majura FC), Madeleine STEINACKER (Belconnen United), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Croatia), Rachel VAN AALST (Gungahlin United), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)

1: Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Esperance ANDERSON (Tuggeranong United), Eliza BAKER (Majura FC), Layla BARBOUR (Majura FC), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Sienna BIRNIE (Canberra Olympic), Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Olivia BUYTEWEG (Gungahlin United), Lena CHRISTOPHERSON (Tuggeranong United), Lucy D’ARCY (Gungahlin United), Rhiannon DAVIS (Canberra Olympic), Tayla HAMPSON (Canberra Olympic), Annaliese GROVE (Gungahlin United), Ariana KASHAN (Majura FC), Stefi LEJINS (Belconnen United), Olivia MARTINIELLO (Majura FC), Pia MCGHIE (Canberra Croatia), Demi NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Stephenie NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Ariana RATHOUSKI (Belconnen United), Juliana ROBERTSON (West Canberra Wanderers), Allegra SENTI (West Canberra Wanderers), Ivy STEVENS (Gungahlin United), Sonja TOMANOVITS (West Canberra Wanderers), Jane VANZINO (Canberra Olympic), Maggie WRIGHT (Majura FC)