Canberra Croatia ended on the winning side of a six-goal thriller at Deakin Stadium with their captain Brittany Palombi involved in all four goals scored against West Canberra Wanderers in the midweek Round 4 catch-up game, Croatia prevailing 4-2.
It was a cold Wednesday night in the capital, but the twenty-two protagonists had clearly warmed up well, given how the game started. Two minutes in, the home team was on the front foot, with Amy Wiggan showing she was in for another great performance.
The Wanderers were threatening, despite no real tests for Ellie Summers. At the other end, Palombi started to adjust her aim, with a couple of dangerous balls into the area. Ten minutes in, her cross was not cleared well enough by West Canberra and Megan Castle was the quickest to take advantage of it, with a powerful left footed effort that Wiggan could not keep out.
Palombi was denied by the shot stopper two minutes later however, and the home team had to be patient to get a more comfortable lead. The captain eventually found her first goal of the evening five minutes before the break. At the corner of the box, Palombi had all the time to adjust herself, and sent a precise and powerful lob in the opposite corner.
The two goal-lead forced the Wanderers to come out from the locker room with intent, and they did just that with Alexandra Gidis finding the back of the net three minutes into the second act. A lateral run by Allegra Senti from the right ended with a great assist for Gidis, who aptly swerved the ball at the near post out of reach of Summers.
The loud celebration on the Wanderers side were short lived, with Palombi finding her second goal in a very similar way two minutes later. Both teams kept answering blow for blow, and once again a Wanderers goal would get an immediate answer from the home team.
The goal of the night at the 76th minute was the work of Lauren Hall. With zero hesitation, the midfielder lobbed Summers with a first touch hit from the centre circle. Unfortunately for the visitors, Brittany Palombi had decided it was her night.
Launched by Riley McQueenie on the left wing, she offered the last goal of the night to Arusha Chew, who used her speed to get past her defender and tap in a cross past Wiggan. The three points put Canberra Croatia within touching distance of third-placed Gungahlin United.
RESULTS
ROUND 4
Wednesday 19 June
Canberra Croatia 4 (Castle 10’, Palombi 40’, 50’, Chew 81’) West Canberra Wanderers 2 (Gidis 49’, Hall 76’)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Canberra Olympic | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 8 | +15 | 24 |
| 2 | Belconnen United | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 7 | +28 | 21 |
| 3 | Gungahlin United | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 27 | 14 | +13 | 18 |
| 4 | Canberra Croatia | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 24 | 19 | +5 | 15 |
| 5 | West Canberra Wanderers | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 24 | -15 | 7 |
| 6 | ANU WFC | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 31 | -26 | 2 |
| 7 | Tuggeranong United | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 22 | -20 | 1 |
TOP SCORERS
10: Reilly YUEN (Belconnen United)
8: Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United)
6: Alex MARTENS (Gungahlin United), Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia)
5: Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
4: Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Sarah WHITFIELD (West Canberra Wanderers)
3: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United), Alex NEALAND (Gungahlin United), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Madelyn WHITTALL (Canberra Olympic)
2: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Jaya BOWMAN (Canberra Olympic), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Megan CASTLE (Canberra Croatia), Hattie CRAM (Belconnen United), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Nicole JALOCHA (Canberra Olympic), Pascale LA HEI (Belconnen United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Croatia), Sheridan MCELLIGOTT (ANU WFC), Tianah MIRO (Canberra Olympic), Ella PALFRAMAN (Canberra Croatia), Sofia PALYWODA (Belconnen United), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Own GOALS
1: Tehya ASPLAND (Canberra Olympic), Eliza BAKER (ANU WFC), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Amy BONGIORNO (Canberra Croatia), Olivia BUYTEWEG (Gungahlin United), Sofia CHAVERRA (ANU WFC), Sharon CHAO (Gungahlin United), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Corinne DENTON (Gungahlin United), Jade EMMS (Belconnen United), Rhiannon FENSOM (Canberra Croatia), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Lauren HALL (West Canberra Wanderers), Alyse JENSEN (Belconnen United), Sarah MATTHEWS (Tuggeranong United), Amy MOORE (Gungahlin United), Saskia NEWMAN (ANU WFC), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Bessie RIETHMULLER (Canberra Olympic), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Allegra SENTI (West Canberra Wanderers), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Olympic), Jane VANZINO (Canberra Olympic), Matylda WELLS-SHEATHER (Tuggeranong United), Kayla WRIGHT (Gungahlin United), Nadia ZAKMAN (Canberra Croatia)
Words: Jeremy Magan
