ANU FC roared to the top of the early Capital Premier League table with a stunning 5-1 away win over Brindabella Blues, goal difference being the differential that separates five teams that all have recorded at least one win after the second Round of the competition.
The University side warmed up for their Australia Cup Qualifying test against National Premier League Tuggeranong United with a comprehensive display at Ipan Park in Calwell, a result that never seemed in doubt once Jacob Hart and Hassan Alnuwaysir had put them 2-0 up at the break.
Jack Gibson added a double within nine minutes of each other in the second-half, before Alnuwaysir notched his second of the match with ANU ramping up the ante. An injury time consolation for Blues striker Curtis Schaeffer was of scant reward for a well-beaten home side.
White Eagles got their season off to a flyer under new management, as Dom English watched on as the Eagles hammered Canberra Juventus 4-0 at Woden Park, a result that pushed them into second on the nascent league table.
In what was a tense and tight opening forty-five minutes, a single goal from Braulio Melo for the Eagles gave the home side a narrow lead at the half-time interval, meaning the second goal was likely to be crucial.
It came for the hosts three minutes after the resumption of the match as Marcus Grzic struck. That left Juventus to chase the game and Eagles were able to pick them off late on via goals from midfielder Liam Vickers and the experienced Goran Milutinovic to round off a competent success.
A goal in each half gave Queanbeyan City a winning start to 2024 and meant that West Canberra Wanderers have now lost both their opening games of the campaign, both defeats coming at home, this time City claiming the three points with a 2-0 victory.
Having been defeated at Melrose Synthetic by Wagga City Wanderers in the only match that survive the weather in Round 1, West Canberra were hoping for better and gave as good as they got in the first-half until Abderrahim Dellahi gave City the head, the attacker having netted in the Australia Cup win over Canberra Juventus in midweek.
The second-half promised an even contest, and it took a second City goal on the hour to seal the destination of the points. New signing Misko Naumoski got it, the former NPL star doubling Queanbeyan’s advantage and beginning what the City faithful will hope is a title charge.
Belconnen United, one of the pre-season favourites for promotion from this division, were forced to come from behind to defeat Wagga City Wanderers at Rawlings Park, the Blue Devils recovering from 0-1 down to win 3-1 in the Riverina.
With both teams gearing up for massive Australia Cup Round 4 matches in midweek against NPL opposition, Wanderers meeting Yoogali SC in the Riverina Derby on Tuesday and Belconnen meeting Gungahlin United 24-hours later, this match was a vital test of their credentials.
Jacob Ochieng gave Wagga the lead early on, his eleventh minute goal breaking the deadlock, only for veteran Dustin Wells to draw Belconnen level fourteen minutes later. Abraham Kemp then had the Blue Devils in front three minutes into the second-half, before a third from Luke Vallone with twelve minutes remaining secured a big away win.
RESULTS
ROUND 2
13 April
West Canberra Wanderers 0 Queanbeyan City 2 (Dellahi 31’, Naumoski 60’)
White Eagles 4 (Braulio Melo 14’, Grzic 48’, Vickers 86’, Milutinovic 90+8’) Canberra Juventus 0
Wagga City Wanderers 1 (Ochieng 11’) Belconnen United 3 (Wells 25’, Kemp 48’, Vallone 78’)
Brindabella Blues 1 (Schaeffer 90+3’) ANU FC 5 (Hart 25’, Alnuwaysir 31’, 83’, Gibson 56’, 65’)
TABLE
P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
1 | ANU FC | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 3 |
2 | White Eagles | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 3 |
3 | Belconnen United | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
4 | Queanbeyan City | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
5 | Wagga City Wanderers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 3 |
6 | West Canberra Wanderers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 |
7 | Brindabella Blues | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 0 |
8 | Canberra Juventus | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
2: Hassan ALNUWAYSIR (ANU FC), Jack GIBSON (ANU FC, Morris KADZOLA (Wagga City Wanderers)
1: Abderrahim DEALLAHI (Queanbeyan City), Marcus GRZIC (White Eagles), Jacob HART (ANU FC), Bojan JANKULOSKI (West Canberra Wanderers), Abraham KEMP (Belconnen United), Braulio MELO (White Eagles), Goran MILUTINOVIC (White Eagles), Misko NAUMOSKI (Queanbeyan City), Curtis SCHAEFFER (Brindabella Blues), Jacon OCHIENG (Wagga City Wanderers), Luke VALLONE (Belconnen United), Liam VICKERS (White Eagles), Dustin WELLS (Belconnen United)