A late penalty for Canberra Croatia saw them emerge from their midweek Round 1 catch-up fixture with Gungahlin United at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval with all three points courtesy of a 2-1 win over Gungahlin United.
Goalkeeper Emily Pearce was caught in possession by Michael Thornton and hauled down the Croatia midfielder to concede the spot-kick, inevitably seeing red for the challenge, Jamie Berkeley confidently dispatching the penalty for her fifth goal of the season.
The visitors had gone in front after only eleven minutes, and it was returning striker Brittany Palombi who claimed it. Isabella Barac played a delightful through ball to notch up her seventh assist of the season, Palombi rattling home a left-foot shot for her 194th NPL goal in her 201st match.
Gungahlin equalised in the 53rd minute. Ginger Oliver struck a long-range free-kick that was pushed onto the crossbar by Croatia goalkeeper Ellie Summers, the rebound falling kindly for the inrushing Natalie De Marco who had the easy task of tapping the ball into the empty net.
Both sides had chances, Gungahlin seeing a pair of presentable opportunities go begging before Croatia struck in devastating fashion with four minutes remaining. The victory puts Croatia second, and cuts Belconnen United’s lead at the top to three points.
RESULTS
ROUND 1
Tuesday 20 May
Gungahlin United 1 (N. De Marco 53’) Canberra Croatia 2 (Palombi 11’, Berkeley 86’ (p))
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Belconnen United | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 6 | +36 | 18 |
| 2 | Canberra Croatia | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 7 | +12 | 15 |
| 3 | Canberra Olympic | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 12 | +6 | 12 |
| 4 | Gungahlin United | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 24 | 8 | +16 | 10 |
| 5 | West Canberra | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 7 | +13 | 10 |
| 6 | Majura FC | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 28 | -21 | 3 |
| 7 | Tuggeranong United | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 34 | -29 | 3 |
| 8 | ANU WFC | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 33 | -33 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
11: Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers)
8: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United)
7: Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United)
6: Bonnie YOUNG (Gungahlin United)
5: Liliana ALTAMORE (Belconnen United), Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Megan CASTLE (Gungahlin United)
4: Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers), Carmel LYNCH (Majura FC)
3: Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Leah CARNEGIE (Canberra Olympic), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United), Own GOALS
2: Acacia ARGENTO (Tuggeranong United), Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Sharon CHAO (Gungahlin United), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Sofia FURLANETTO (Majura FC), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Alyse JENSEN (Canberra Olympic), Ailish MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Riley MCQUEENIE (Canberra Croatia), Sofia MERKOUREAS (Canberra Croatia), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Croatia)
1: Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Angelina BABIC (Canberra Croatia), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Sienna BIRNIE (Canberra Olympic), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Lisa CARY (Belconnen United), Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Elvein IBRAHIM (West Canberra Wanderers), Mollie JONSSON (Tuggeranong United), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Sofia MARTINIELO (Majura FC), Jessica MITCHELL (Tuggeranong United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Olympic), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers), Eliza-Jane NORRIS (Canberra Croatia), Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United), Ellie RAYMOND (Canberra Croatia), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Maddison SAWKINS (Belconnen United), Maddie STEINACKER (Belconnen United), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United), Rachel VAN AALST (Gungahlin United), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
TOP ASSISTS
7: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United)
5: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United), Bonnie YOUNG (Gungahlin United)
4: Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Audrey WARD (West Canberra Wanderers)
3: Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers),
2: Megan CASTLE (Gungahlin United), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United), Chelsea HATELY (Gungahlin United), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Olympic), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United), Abigail RICHARDS (Majura FC), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
1: Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Esperance ANDERSON (Tuggeranong United), Eliza BAKER (Majura FC), Jamie BERKLEY (Canberra Croatia), Sienna BIRNIE (Canberra Olympic), Tiana BOOTS (Canberra Croatia), Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Olivia BUYTEWEG (Gungahlin United), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Rhiannon DAVIS (Canberra Olympic), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers, Alyse JENSEN (Canberra Olympic), Ariana KASHAN (Majura FC), Claire KENNEDY-SPENCER (Tuggeranong United), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Olivia MARTINIELLO (Majura FC), Ailish MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Amy MOORE (Gungahlin United), Demi NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Stephenie NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Madison SAWKINS (Belconnen United), Allegra SENTI (West Canberra Wanderers), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Croatia), Rachel VAN AALST (Gungahlin United)
