West Canberra Wanderers completed their expected progression into the Federation Cup Semi-Finals but were made to work hard for the victory by a gallant ANU WFC team who put in their best performance of the season to date in a spirited Federation Cup Quarter Final at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval.
Shorn of Head Coach Amalia Edevane, undertaking a UEFA B-Licence course in Germany, stand-in coach Cristal King inspired a defensive display of courage and determination as the University, team who had conceded seventeen goals prior to the match, frustrated the Wanderers.
Having scored eight against ANU in the NPL match a few days previously, Wanderers were kept at bay until the 33rd minute, the ANU rearguard finally breached by a set-piece as Alexandra Gidis stole in unopposed at the back post to smuggle a free-kick over the line from close in.
It was 2-0 not long after, Zoe Halpin unmarked in the box allowed time to control and turn to steer home the second, and from there on in the visiting team looked in control of the contest until the break.
ANU WFC hadn’t troubled the scoreboard in 2025 in their three NPL matches, but threw that statistic out of the window, and in some style, three minutes into the second-half as Shayma Taweel advanced to lash a superlative long-range strike into the top corner of the net way out of the reach of Wanderers’ goalkeeper Gabrielle O’Brien.
There was a hint of a comeback, but it was stymied by Wanderers goal-machine Tamara Cochrane. Already with ten league goals to her name, Coachrane took command of a loose ball in the middle of the park halfway inside the ANU WFC half, strode forward and hammered a low shot across substitute ‘keeper Annabelle Evans.
And the game was put to bed just past the hour as Perri Nash got on the end of a cross into the box to flick a superb finish past Evans at the near post and book a last four tangle with Canberra Croatia.
RESULT
FEDERATION CUP QUARTER FINAL
Thursday 1 May
ANU WFC 1 (Taweel 48’) West Canberra Wanderers 4 (Gidis 33’, Halpin 39’, Cochrane 59’, Nash 63’)
