Canberra Croatia and Canberra Olympic remain the only two teams undefeated in the WNPL as both won on the weekend, a welcome boost of confidence before their midweek clash in the Federation Cup Semi-Finals.
The Deakin side, Canberra Croatia, travelled to McKellar Park on Saturday to face an injury-laden Belconnen United. The absences and injuries forcing Scott Conlon to line up forward Reilly Yuen in goals. The interim keeper defended her line well for most of the game but could not do much on the three goals she conceded.
Jennifer Bisset struck first. After a corner cleared only as far as the edge of the box, the experienced midfielder armed a precise left footed effort to pick the bottom right corner. Masked by a forest of legs, Yuen could only watch the ball rolling in. A few minutes later Shania Settin’s effort landed just under the crossbar, before Diane Wilson made it three from close range.
The Blue Devils once again had to trust their captain Talia Backhouse to show them the way. After a foul that earned Rhiannon Fensom a red card, Backhouse’s left footed free kick took a deflection, wrong-footing Angelica Pahina – Nat Vasta’s replacement after she broke her ankle last week. Unfortunately for the home team, that was the only goal they were able to score.
The first game on Sunday was played in the Riverina, where the Wagga City Wanderers were hosting Canberra United Academy. For the first game of the post-Sam Gray era, the Wanderers could not get a result, losing emphatically 5-0.
Sofia Christopherson put her team ahead at the half hour mark, showing bravery to beat the ‘keeper to a through ball to tuck home, but most of the action happened in the second half. Four minutes after coming back for the locker room, Charli Gregson coolly doubled her team’s advantage.
Alissa Barbour won her duel with Ebony Warner-Chilstone just passed the hour played, Christopherson recorded a double minutes later and a powerful cross in the dying minutes of the game forced Casey Smith into an own goal.
The Academy simply was too strong for the Wanderers on Sunday and prepared ideally for their semi-final against Belconnen midweek. Wagga, on the other end, are now the only team without a point in the competition.
Canberra Olympic were hosting the undefeated West Canberra Wanderers at O’Connor Enclosed. Sarah Whitfield and her troops, who had not conceded a single goal in their first four games, unfortunately had to fetch the ball in the back of their net five times on Sunday.
Nicole Jalocha’s run on the wing and cross at the 17th minute offered Meg Roden her first goal of the day, before a prolific sequence just after the half hour, where Olympic scored three times in as many minutes. Michaela Thornton’s pace and intensity were all over her first goal, before Tianah Miro’s powerful shot went through Sam Briggs’ gloves. Another run on the left wing, by Victoria Jamieson this time, offered Meg Roden the opportunity to copy and paste her first chance and record her 5th goal of the season.
Up by four half time, the hopes of a comeback were thin for the visitors. Nicole Begg and her troops wrapped it up 15 minutes after the break, with a long through ball for Thornton, who left Briggs no chance in 1v1.
Gungahlin United were aiming to build on their first win of the season last week but could not get more than a point against a brave Tuggeranong United outfit.
The Gunners started the game the perfect way, scoring twice in the first 15 minutes. Sharon Chao, like a real poacher, scored the first goal for her team by volleying a loose ball within the box. When a cross from Erika Pennyfield found Natalie De Marco all alone in the box, the skilful midfielder took her time to pick the bottom right corner and give her team what looked like a comfortable lead.
The Tuggies did not let their head drop and started putting more intensity into the game. A real battle of the midfield ensued, with Gungahlin still getting a few opportunities. The home team came back into the tie just before half time however, thanks to Sophie Burns, the quickest at the rebound after a shot from the edge of the box hit Gaby O’Brien’s crossbar.
The Gunners’ keeper did her part in delaying Tuggeranong’s equaliser but could do nothing to stop Lauren Hall’s perfect header at the 70th minute. Despite the better chances to score the 5th goal of the game, Gungahlin had to settle for the draw, offering Paulo Romero and his troops their first point of the season.
RESULTS
Saturday 7 May
Belconnen United 1 (Backhouse 72’) Canberra Croatia 3 (Bisset 13’, Settin 27’, Wilson 39’)
Sunday 8 May
Wagga City Wanderers 0 Canberra United Academy 5 (Christopherson 27’, 69’, Gregson 49’, Barbour 66’, Smith 87’ (og))
Canberra Olympic 5 (Roden 17’, 32’, Thornton 33’, 61’, Miro 34’) West Canberra Wanderers 0
Tuggeranong United 2 (Burns 43’, Hall 70’) Gungahlin United 2 (Chao 8’, N. De Marco 13’)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Canberra Croatia | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | +30 | 13 |
| 2 | Canberra Olympic | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | +25 | 13 |
| 3 | West Canberra Wanderers | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | +2 | 12 |
| 4 | Belconnen United | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | +6 | 9 |
| 5 | Canberra United Academy | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| 6 | Gungahlin United | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -6 | 4 |
| 7 | Tuggeranong United | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | -18 | 1 |
| 8 | Wagga City Wanderers | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | -39 | 0 |
