A rematch of last season’s top two kicked-off the new National Premier League Women’s campaign, in a fixture that saw Belconnen United highlight their strong case for the title this season with an emphatic 5-1 hammering of treble-winning Canberra Olympic at Kaleen Enclosed.
Following a convincing 3-0 success against their title rivals in the Charity Shield just two weeks ago, Belconnen entered the match full of confidence, and it showed from the off, taking the lead after just 15 minutes after an inch-perfect long ball from Maddie Steinacker found Bronte Pyke with space in behind, who’s cutback eventually found Alex Martens to open her account for the club on league debut with a clinical finish.
Olympic were left to rue some untaken chances fifteen minutes later, after Keira Bobbin drove with the ball from inside her own half into the opposition penalty area, leaving the Olympic defence trailing in her wake, and slotted the ball past Jelena Josipovic to give her side a two-goal advantage.
Things got worse for the league champions just before halftime, again finding space in behind after a long ball over the top from Martens found reigning Golden Boot-winner Di-Campli, who calmly dispatched a third, before Ailish McDonagh added a fourth with a bullet header late in first half stoppage time.
Whatever Frank Cachia’s team talk contained at half time was thrown out the window as Olympic were again careless in possession, and Belconnen clinical, as Lisa Cary found Bobbin, who in turn found Di-Campli to turn home a fifth, however the champions responded only a few minutes later with an early contender for goal of the season, as Leah Carnegie stunned Matilde Laurel-Tighe in goals by picking out the top right corner from just inside the opposition half.
Majura FC announced their arrival in the top tier with a 5-0 thumping of ANU WFC at Kaleen Oval the following Sunday.
Davide Ruberto’s side capitalised on their dominant start eleven minutes in, after a superb ball from Olivia Martiniello on the right wing found striker Carmel Lynch, who stole in behind to get to the ball before Annabelle Evans in the net for ANU, to score a historic first goal in the National Premier League Women’s for Majura FC.
Lynch continued to be a nuisance for the ANUWFC defence to deal with throughout the match, and took her tally up to two after an Arianna Kashan corner was headed into the path of the Majura number 47, who controlled the ball and finished into the bottom left corner from close range.
Majura struck twice in quick succession following Lynch’s second, converted by one of many former ANU players in the side Sofia Furlanetto, finishing superbly from the edge of the area on her third attempted shot following a blocked free-kick.
Lynch completed a hat-trick less than a minute later, after she picked up a good ball from Abigail Richards and slotted clinically underneath Evans to make it four inside just 17 minutes.
Despite growing more into the second half ANU were dispatched comfortably by the new side, with the points wrapped up on 69 minutes as Sofia Furlanetto again showcased her knack for stunning goals with a screamer from well outside the penalty area, sealing a famous victory in the club’s first top-flight match.
West Canberra Wanderers backed up their impressive 2024 with a statement South Side Derby victory against Tuggeranong United at Melrose Synthetic on Sunday afternoon.
Positive play from Audrey Ward down the right-hand side got things started for West Canberra, after her low cross found new signing Tamara Cochrane who improvised superbly by flicking the ball up and heading home after the initial save from Ruby Ashton for the away side.
Elvein Ibrahim made it two against her old club 30 minutes later, after good work from Ward allowed Olivia Hicks to put in a dangerous ball, which was missed by the Tuggeranong custodian, leaving the net free for the winger to score on league debut for the Wanderers.
Having created plenty of openings in the first half the home side continued their dominance into the second half and quickly made it three after superb one touch football between Cochrane and Perri Nash opened the door for the former to slot home her second of the afternoon.
Nash was again instrumental in the latter stages of the second half for West Canberra, this time scoring from close range on 71 minutes after a dangerous Cochrane effort was repelled by Ashton into her path, however Tuggeranong fought back to restore the three-goal deficit with a well-worked set piece, capped off by a superb ball in from Tarah Manthongsy and matched by a glancing header from Jessica Mitchell to make it 4-1.
13 minutes later Nash was at it again, combining effectively with the impressive Ward to force a stunning Ruby Ashton save, before Alexandra Gidis arrived at the back post to secure the 5-1 victory with just a few minutes remaining.
The new season was set to commence at Gungahlin Enclosed under the lights on Friday, the match between two of last season’s top four in Canberra Croatia and Gungahlin United was postponed due to an unplayable pitch.
RESULTS
ROUND 1
Friday 4 April
Gungahlin United v Canberra Croatia – Match Postponed due to pitch conditions
Saturday 5 April
Belconnen United 5 (Martens 15’, Bobbin 30’, Di-Campli 37’, 51’, McDonagh 45+5’) Canberra Olympic 1 (Carnegie 54’)
Sunday 6 April
Majura FC 5 (Lynch 11’, 13’, 17′, Furlanetto 16’, 69’) ANU WFC 0
West Canberra Wanderers 5 (Cochrane 8’, 51’, Ibrahim 38’, Nash 71’, Gidis 84’) Tuggeranong United 1 (Mitchell 73’)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Majura FC | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 3 |
| 2 | Belconnen United | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 3 |
| 3 | West Canberra | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 3 |
| 4 | Canberra Croatia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Gungahlin United | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Canberra Olympic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 0 |
| 7 | Tuggeranong United | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 0 |
| 8 | ANU WFC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | -5 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
3: Carmel LYNCH (Majura FC)
2: Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers), Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United), Sofia FURLANETTO (Majura FC),
1: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United), Leah CARNEGIE (Canberra Olympic), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Elvein IBRAHIM (West Canberra Wanderers), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United), Ailish MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Jessica MITCHELL (Tuggeranong United), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers)
TOP ASSISTS
2: Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers)
1: Eliza BAKER (Majura FC), Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United), Tamara COHCRANE (West Canberra Wanderers), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers, Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Ariana KASHAN (Majura FC), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United), Olivia MARTINIELLO (Majura FC), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United), Abigail RICHARDS (Majura FC), Audrey WARD (West Canberra Wanderers)
Words: Sam Watson
