The penultimate weekend of the OPC National Premier League Women’s campaign has arrived, and with it several key fixtures as the finals race particularly continues to go down to the wire.
Canberra Croatia host the first match of the Round, taking on Majura FC at Deakin Stadium in a match that could see them move one step closer to securing second place on the table, following positive results against Majura mid-week and West Canberra Wanderers that cancelled out recent defeats to Olympic and Belconnen United.
Musie Elongo’s team still have Gungahlin United to come the following Wednesday, before they travel to Olympic on the final day, in a match which could decide second spot on the table, and they’ll want to give themselves every chance by securing three points in each of their remaining fixtures.
Their opponents Majura will be focused on avoiding bottom place on the table, despite having a comfortable four-point lead on Tuggeranong United, and despite being dominated in a 5-1 mid-week defeat last Tuesday, a goal at the end of the match from Layla Barbour saw them finish the game on a high, and will undoubtedly push Davide Ruberto’s team to make more memories before the season concludes.
Over at Gungahlin Enclosed, Gungahlin United face Tuggeranong United in their bid to maintain their precarious fourth-placed position on the NPLW table with a win against the side currently at the bottom.
Marcial Munoz’s team have one catch-up match against Croatia remaining next Wednesday, a team the Gunners have failed to beat all season, meaning that this encounter with Tuggeranong cannot be anything other than three points if they want to take the pressure off that meeting.
Despite shipping five to Belconnen in last week’s Round 19 encounter, heavy victories over Majura and Tuggeranong in the matches before will offer plenty of confidence to a strong Gunners outfit seeking entry into the finals, and a chance to make a surprise run.
If Tuggeranong United want to avoid finishing bottom, a victory at Gungahlin Enclosed will be essential if they are to jump into sixth place, given the nature of the club’s goal difference, which remains inferior to Majura’s, if both teams were to end up level on points.
Ian Toms’ side have ended the season on a positive note however, with quality showings against Majura in a 0-0 stalemate and Gungahlin in a 4-0 defeat in recent weeks, however a 10-1 defeat to Olympic in between will be one of many difficult matches to swallow throughout the club’s 2025 season.
The final match of the round involves two of the league’s top five sides going head to head, as West Canberra Wanderers play host to Canberra Olympic, as both outfits look to secure a finals finish, with one match remaining each following this one.
West Canberra will have no choice but to label this match as a must-win, given that their final match comes at McKellar Park, away to Belconnen who remain undefeated in 2025.
Steve Rohan-Jones’ squad sit one point behind Gungahlin in fourth and four behind Olympic in third currently, making their path to finals football one that will likely come down to a reliance on either side dropping points in their final matches.
It does present an opportunity for the Wanderers to snatch a spot given that they face Olympic, and will keep in mind their recent success over the reigning treble-winners, a 3-1 mid-week victory six games ago, however Olympic have a squad full of quality that will know what it takes to reach the finals, and will likely be a difficult side to overcome when the two meet.
Frank Cachia’s team suffered defeat to Belconnen in their last match, however a victory over Croatia will undoubtedly remain in the minds of his players, who will be desperate to secure a top four finish with a victory.
FIXTURES
ROUND 20
Sunday 24 August
West Canberra Wanderers v Canberra Olympic (Melrose Synthetic, 15:00)
Canberra Croatia v Majura FC (Deakin Stadium,15:00)
Gungahlin United v Tuggeranong United (Gungahlin Enclosed, 15:00)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Belconnen United | 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 115 | 11 | +104 | 54 |
| 2 | Canberra Croatia | 16 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 59 | 19 | +40 | 34 |
| 3 | Canberra Olympic | 16 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 56 | 31 | +25 | 30 |
| 4 | Gungahlin United | 17 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 55 | 27 | +28 | 27 |
| 5 | West Canberra | 17 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 49 | 31 | +18 | 26 |
| 6 | Majura FC | 16 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 12 | 73 | -61 | 7 |
| 7 | Tuggeranong United | 17 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 9 | 121 | -112 | 4 |
| 8 | ANU WFC | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 42 | -42 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
25: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United)
21: Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers)
14: Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United), Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia)
12: Megan CASTLE (Gungahlin United)
11 Talia BACKHOUSE (Belconnen United), Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers), Bonnie YOUNG (Gungahlin United)
10: Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Olympic), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United), Own GOALS
8: Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United)
7: Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
6: Liliana ALTAMORE (Belconnen United), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), April HILL (Canberra Croatia), Tianah Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United)
5: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Alyse JENSEN (Canberra Olympic), Pascale LA HEI (Belconnen United), Carmel LYNCH (Majura FC), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United) Tianah MIRO (Canberra Olympic)
4: Sharon CHAO (Gungahlin United), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers), Reilly YUEN (Canberra Croatia)
3: Tehya ASPLAND (Canberra Olympic), Sienna BIRNIE (Canberra Olympic), Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Leah CARNEGIE (Canberra Olympic), Sofia FURLANETTO (Majura FC), Olivia GURNEY (Canberra Olympic), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Sofia MERKOUREAS (Canberra Croatia), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Ellie RAYMOND (Canberra Croatia)
2: Acacia ARGENTO (Tuggeranong United), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Hannah BOURKE (Canberra Croatia), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers), Claire KENNEDY-SPENCER (Tuggeranong United), Olivia MARTINIELO (Majura FC), Ailish MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Pia MCGHIE (Canberra Croatia), Riley MCQUEENIE (Canberra Croatia), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Croatia)
1: Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Liana ALVES (Canberra Olympic), Angelina BABIC (Canberra Croatia), Layla BARBOUR (Majura FC), Lisa CARY (Belconnen United), Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Tayla HAMPSON (Canberra Olympic), Elvein IBRAHIM (West Canberra Wanderers), Nicole KALEB (Canberra Olympic), Mollie JONSSON (Tuggeranong United), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Audrey MCLAREN (West Canberra Wanderers), Jessica MITCHELL (Tuggeranong United), Abigail MOSS (West Canberra Wanderers), Demi NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Saskia NEWMAN (Canberra Croatia), Eliza-Jane NORRIS (Canberra Croatia), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Maddison SAWKINS (Belconnen United), Maddie STEINACKER (Belconnen United), Rachel VAN AALST (Gungahlin United), Jane VANZINO (Canberra Olympic), Audrey WARD (West Canberra Wanderers), Lauren WATT (Tuggeranong United), Maggie WRIGHT (Majura FC)
TOP ASSISTS
15: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United)
11: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia)
9: Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Bonnie YOUNG (Gungahlin United)
8: Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United)
7: Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia)
6: Talia BACKHOUSE (Belconnen United), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United), Audrey WARD (West Canberra Wanderers)
5: Megan CASTLE (Gungahlin United), Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Olympic), Riley MCQUEENIE (Canberra Croatia), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United), Jane VANZINO (Canberra Olympic)
4: Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United), Ailish Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United)
3: Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Tiana BOOTS (Canberra Croatia), Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Lisa CARY (Belconnen United), Olivia GURNEY (Canberra Olympic), April HILL (Canberra Croatia), Tianah MIRO (Canberra Olympic), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Madison SAWKINS (Belconnen United), Madeleine STEINACKER (Belconnen United), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
2: Tehya ASPLAND (Canberra Olympic), Olivia BUYTEWEG (Gungahlin United), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Annaliese GROVE (Gungahlin United), Alyse JENSEN (Canberra Olympic), Tayla HAMPSON (Canberra Olympic), Chelsea HATELY (Gungahlin United), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers), Claire KENNEDY-SPENCER (Tuggeranong United), Jada LAMOND (Gungahlin United), Carmel LYNCH (Majura FC), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Amy MOORE (Gungahlin United), Ellie RAYMOND (Canberra Croatia), Abigail RICHARDS (Majura FC), Juliana ROBERTSON (West Canberra Wanderers), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Croatia), Rachel VAN AALST (Gungahlin United)
1: Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Liana ALVES (Canberra Olympic), Esperance ANDERSON (Tuggeranong United), Eliza BAKER (Majura FC), Layla BARBOUR (Majura FC), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Sienna BIRNIE (Canberra Olympic), Lena CHRISTOPHERSON (Tuggeranong United), Lucy D’ARCY (Gungahlin United), Rhiannon DAVIS (Canberra Olympic), Ariana KASHAN (Majura FC), Pascale LA HEI (Belconnen United), 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), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Ariana RATHOUSKI (Belconnen United), Allegra SENTI (West Canberra Wanderers), Caitlyn SKILLICORN (West Canberra Wanderers), Ivy STEVENS (Gungahlin United), Sonja TOMANOVITS (West Canberra Wanderers), April VAN DUREN (Majura FC), Maggie WRIGHT (Majura FC)
Words: Sam Watson
