Canberra Olympic soared to the top of the Capital Premier League table after two rounds of action with a thumping 8-0 away win over West Canberra Wanderers at Melrose Synthetic where striker Hassan Alnuwaysir bagged a hat-trick in a one-sided victory.
Having conceded seven in their midweek Hahn Australia Cup Qualifying loss to Monaro Panthers, it was another tough day defensively for the Wanderers who fell behind early to a first goal in Olympic colours for exciting French import Remi Gachet.
Gachet was to net another before half-time, the other side of a first goal of the afternoon for Alnuwaysir as Olympic took a three-goal lead into the half-time break and the points already in the bag.
A penalty from Antoni Timotheou increased the advantage three minutes after the resumption before two goals in two minutes from Mark Shields and Mate Barisic increased the scoreline. Alnuwaysir completed his treble by bagging a brace in the final three minutes.
Sergio Lindner was at the double for White Eagles as they recovered from a first day disappointment to inflict a first defeat of the season on Canberra Juventus who had begun the season with a narrow win at West Canberra.
The Eagles had control of the match by the half-hour mark as Ben Hick fired them ahead after only four minutes, before Lindner struck his first of the afternoon in the 28th minute.
The South American forward was at it again five minutes into the second-half, scoring his second of the match and third CPL goal of the season. The overseas signing now has seven goals in four competitive matches for the Eagles and looks to be a player who could fire the Eagles into top four contention.
Over at Ipan Park, Brindabella Blues shrugged off the challenge of Wagga City Wanderers scoring two second-half goals to break the deadlock and claim the three points in front of their home support.
Brindabella took the lead in the match when Wanderers defender Kyle Yeates netted an own goal, but the response from the visitors was first-class and they equalised just four minutes later through Elijah Brooker.
That was how it stayed until half-time, the teams entering the changing rooms level at one apiece, but the home team were to restore their lead nine minutes after the teams returned to the field, Deng Aleer Deny breaking the stalemate. A late third, scored by Jonathan John, stymied any hopes of a late Wagga recovery.
ANU FC fought back from two goals adrift to record a 2-2 draw against Belconnen United at Kaleen Enclosed and claim a share of the spoils after appearing to be down and out after only fifteen minutes of play.
Early goals from Kai Smith in the second minute, and Harry Billington, as the clock struck the quarter-hour mark, had the Blue Devils riding high and seemingly on the way to another three points following an opening day victory.
But ANU FC hit back before the half-time break as Alasdair Moore netted and they were given a lifeline two minutes into the second stanza when Jake Wilsener put through his own goal to gift the University side a draw.
RESULTS
ROUND 2
Saturday 12 April
White Eagles 3 (Hick 4’, Lindner 28’, 50’) Canberra Juventus 0
Brindabella Blues 3 (Yeates 13’ (og), Aleer Deng 54’, J. John 88’) Wagga City Wanderers 1 (Brooker 17’)
West Canberra Wanderers 0 Canberra Olympic 8 (Gachet 12’, 41’, Alnuwaysir 39’, 87’, 90’, Timotheou 48’ (p), Shields 72. M. Barisic 73’)
Sunday 13 April
Belconnen United 2 (Smith 2’, Billington 15’) ANU FC 2 (Moore 35’, Wilsener 47’ (og))
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Canberra Olympic | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | +11 | 6 |
| 2 | ANU FC | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 4 |
| 3 | Belconnen United | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 |
| 4 | White Eagles | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 3 |
| 5 | Brindabella Blues | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 |
| 6 | Canberra Juventus | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 3 |
| 7 | Wagga City Wanderers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | -5 | 0 |
| 8 | West Canberra | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | -9 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
3: Hassan ALNUWAYSIR (Canberra Olympic), Mate BARISIC (Canberra Olympic), Sergio LINDNER (White Eagles)
2: Remi GACHET (Canberra Olympic), Mark SHIELDS (Canberra Olympic), Own GOALS
1: Deng ALEER DENG (Brindabella Blues), Dylan BARRETO (Canberra Juventus), Harry BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Elijah BROOKER (Wagga City Wanderers), Ben HICK (White Eagles), Nicholas HOPE (ANU FC), Jayde JAMES-WARD (Belconnen United), Jonathan JOHN (Brindabella Blues), Ethan KRUG (ANU FC), Alasdair MOORE (ANU FC), Kye SMITH (Belconnen United), Antoni TIMOTHOEU (Canberra Olympic), Oliver WIDERKEHR (Canberra Olympic), Thomas YONGAI (Wagga City Wanderers)
