The Women’s National Premier League is as tight as ever after two rounds, with six teams tied at three points. All four games in Round 3 are played on Sunday, with a potential classic taking place at Deakin Stadium.
After a difficult start of the season, West Canberra Wanderers will try and finally take off at home on Sunday afternoon against the Canberra United Academy. The Wanderers need to bounce back after the first two rounds and their Federation Cup elimination.
They have been in the game until the final whistle for the two league encounters but need to refine their end product. There is plenty of talent in the team, and the added experience of Sarah Whitfield helped in Round 2, but they now need to find success.
The Academy will face some of their former players on Sunday, with Nikita Perry, Eliza-Jane Norris, the Nikias sisters and Alyse Jensen all swapping the green for black and red in recent seasons.
Matthew Moore’s squad is still building up to first grade level, suffering against the efficiency of Canberra Croatia in their previous match. The duel against two young teams in terms of experience, and experience playing together, promises to be incredibly open on Melrose synthetic.
Canberra Olympic welcomes Tuggeranong United to O’Connor Enclosed later that day. The team managed by Nicole Begg, coming off a tiring week, play their first home game of 2023 on Sunday.
They will enter the pitch as favourites aiming to get back on track after an away defeat to Belconnen United, the first game they were kept blank in front of goal since 2021. The visitors impressed in Round 1 against the Wanderers, and a more physical ANU team obviously came prepared on Friday to take the win at Kambah.
Facing Olympic will be a daunting task for Tuggeranong, but they are never as good as when they have to level up to more experienced squads.
Deakin Stadium will host the game of the weekend and a classic of the local competition as Canberra Croatia and Belconnen United battle it out at the former’s home ground after both teams won three important points in Round 2.
Zoran Glavinic’s troops did well to put their Olympic woes behind them while Brittany Palombi opened her season tally at Hawker Football Centre in the win over the Canberra United Academy. They will be tested this weekend against the pace and ambition of the Blue Devils, however.
Scott Conlon can only be happy about his team’s season so far. Belconnen have seen off two potential finals contenders already, and finally overcame the one team they could not in 2022 at Woden Park last week. Bessie Riethmuller has been ultra efficient in her new colours, and keeping her scoring streak alive with a goal at Deakin would make it even sweeter.
Another team on home soil debut will be the surprising ANU WFC. The newcomers of the NPL competition have impressed with their cohesiveness and intensity in their first games, regardless of the results.
On Sunday they face Gungahlin United at ANU South Oval, a team they did not fare well against in the Federation Cup Quarter Final where, despite taking the lead as they have done in all three competitive matches played in 2023, they were on the wrong end of a 6-1 reverse.
The Gunners managed to reaffirm that cup win with a narrow success over West Canberra Wanderers last time out thanks to Darby Whiteley. The striker recorded a brace either side of the break against ANU WFC two weeks ago in the cup and will be eager to reiterate to performance to ensure her team remains in the top half of the table after Round 3.
FIXTURES
Sunday 23 April
West Canberra Wanderers v Canberra United Academy (Melrose Synthetic, 12:45)
Canberra Olympic v Tuggeranong United (O’Connor Enclosed, 14:30)
Canberra Croatia v Belconnen United (Deakin Stadium, 14:30)
ANU WFC v Gungahlin United (ANU South, 15:00)
TABLE
P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
1 | Belconnen United | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 6 |
2 | Canberra Croatia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 3 |
3 | Canberra Olympic | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
4 | Tuggeranong United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
5 | Canberra United Academy | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 3 |
6 | ANU WFC | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 3 |
7 | Gungahlin United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 3 |
8 | West Canberra Wanderers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
4 Bessie RIETHMULLER (Belconnen United)
2 Kiera BOBBIN (Belconnen United), Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia), Roxie SWART (ANU WFC)
1 Latisha BABIC (Canberra United Academy), Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Ella-Rose BROWN (Gungahlin United) Sarah MATTHEWS (Tuggeranong United), Charli MITCHELL (Canberra Croatia), Alexandra NEALAND (Canberra United Academy), Rainey NILES (Tuggeranong United), Nikita PERRY (West Canberra Wanderers), Darby WHITELY (Gungahlin United), Elisha WILD (Canberra United Academy)
Words: Jeremy Magan