It took 61 games in the Women’s National Premier League to see a goalless draw, and it was the result of a very entertaining encounter between WNPL League Champions Canberra Olympic and West Canberra Wanderers who could not be separated on the day the former received the League Championship trophy at O’Connor Enclosed.
Despite the outcome of the league already decided, Frank Cachia had lined up a team mostly made of usual starters at O’Connor, where the newest trophy was proudly on display. The same was true for Steve Rohan-Jones, and likely contender for goalkeeper of the season Amy Wiggan was once again in superb form to deny the Champions a goal until the final whistle.
Her first important save came just after the ten-minute mark, when a Madelyn Whittall’s powerful attempt from the edge of the box seemed to head for the top right corner. Ten minutes later the same duel ended with a shot from the six-yard box that called for Wiggan’s quick reflexes.
Jane Vanzino and Nicole Jalocha would also unsuccessfully test the keeper from distance, whilst the Wanderers defence were also doing their utmost to frustrate the best team in the league, fighting for every ball. At the other end, Janet King was under little threat, despite a few dangerous incursions from the visitors. The scenario repeated itself in the second half.
Whittall, Tianah Miro, Michaela Thornton and Ella Brown all tried in vain to break the deadlock, but Wiggan was always in the way. The home team added a line in the NPLW history books at the 55th minute, when mother and daughter Katrina and Lucija Peric – for her debut – were subbed in together.
The second half saw the Wanderers able to show more intent in the last third, but King remained focused. The Olympic keeper prepared the Qualification Final with another clean sheet, while leaving the last ten minutes of the game to Jelena Josipovic in goals.
ANU WFC were hosting Belconnen United in the Blue Devils stadium, at McKellar Park, for a festival of football that saw 12 goals being scored, with only two of them for the home team on the day. Six goals scored each side of the break tells a good story, but if ANU was able to offer a semblance of resistance before half time, joining the locker room trailing by only two goals, they were put to the sword in the second half.
The Blue Devils, relentless as ever, end the competition with the best attack, and can celebrate in Alyssa Di-Campli a Golden Boot in their ranks for the first time since Whittall in 2017.
“DC” ended her first full season in First grade in style, with a hat-trick to celebrate her individual trophy. She started the festivities on Sunday too. A long ball from Bronte Pyke six minutes in landed in her feet. After a superb control, the striker put the ball on her right foot to adjust Georgia Ritchie from close range.
The Canberra United goalkeeper would make her fair share of saves before having to get the ball in the back of the net again. Alyse Jensen at the 17th minute and Hattie Cram twice, either side of the half hour mark, would increase their team’s advantage.
Twice the University club would reduce the deficit. Down by three goals, a clumsy handball in the box offered Sofia Chaverra an opportunity from the spot kick that she converted. Young shot stopper Tara Howarth had to get the ball out of her net again two minutes before the break, when Angelina Babic was forgotten at the far post and half-volleyed the ball past the keeper from close range.
The second stanza was one-sided. Bronte Pyke’s header and Lauren Preston’s tap-in six and eight minutes in removed any doubt about which team was getting the three points. A duel with Ritchie, and a shot from distance deflected, allowed Di-Campli to complete her hat-trick. Leila Billington added the ninth goal after a scramble in the box.
Maddie Steinacker came inches away from scoring one of the goal of the season with a free-kick that had so much venom in it that the post is likely still shaking now. She did find the back of the net eventually, in the last seconds of the encounter from close range.
The last game of the regular season was played at Kambah between the two teams furthest from each other on the map, Tuggeranong United and Gungahlin United. The visitors came back from a goal down, scored four times, and eventually conceded again to travel back North with a deserved victory.
Under pressure from the first whistle on, the home team were still the first to strike. A run forward by Casey Smith ended in the feet of Claire Kennedy-Spencer. From the edge of the box, the midfielder perfectly placed her ball in the bottom right corner, out of Gabrielle O’Brien’s reach.
The slight hope of a first win in 2024 was extinct five minutes later. A superb through ball from Alexandra Nealand found Kayla Wright behind the defence, and the winger won her duel with Ruby Ashton. Tuggies did not give up. Ashlee Smith-Roberts came close to give her team the advantage again. Ruby Ashton gave her team time with a few inspired saves to delay the fate of her team.
The Gunners looked less comfortable on the uneven surface of Kambah, but eventually broke the deadlock just before the break. A corner-kick from Ginger Oliver flew past Ashton, and Rachael Corbett could nicely head the ball in. The encounter remained evenly disputed until the hour mark. Then, the two goals scored in four minutes by the visitors sealed the fate of the game.
A cross from Oliver at the 61st minute found Corbett, who selflessly offered Darby Whiteley an easy finish from point-blank range. Minutes later, it was Oliver’s turn to strike, with a shot from the edge of the box that slipped through Ashton’s gloves.
With 15 minutes left on the clock, Tianah Maynard-Phillips tried to find a way back in the game for her team, with an inspired left footed lob that surprised O’Brien.
RESULTS
ROUND 21
Sunday 1 September
ANU WFC 2 (Chaverra 34’ (p), A. Babic 43’) Belconnen United 10 (Di-Campli 6’, 62’, 74’, Jensen 17’, Cram 28’, 36’, Pyke 51’, Preston 53’, Billington 78’, Steinacker 90+3’)
Canberra Olympic 0 West Canberra Wanderers 0
Tuggeranong United 2 (Kennedy-Spencer 12’, Phillips-Maynard 74’) Gungahlin United 4 (Wright 17’, Corbett 43’, Whiteley 61’, Oliver 65’)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Canberra Olympic (C) | 18 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 54 | 11 | +43 | 47 |
| 2 | Belconnen United | 18 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 73 | 21 | +52 | 43 |
| 3 | Gungahlin United | 18 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 44 | 23 | +21 | 38 |
| 4 | Canberra Croatia | 18 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 41 | 32 | +9 | 28 |
| 5 | West Canberra Wanderers | 18 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 23 | 34 | -11 | 18 |
| 6 | ANU WFC | 18 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 12 | 69 | -57 | 6 |
| 7 | Tuggeranong United | 18 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 7 | 64 | -57 | 3 |
TOP SCORERS
17: Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United)
13: Madelyn WHITTALL (Canberra Olympic)
11: Hattie CRAM (Belconnen United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United), Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia)
10: Reilly YUEN (Belconnen United)
8: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United)
7: Megan CASTLE (Canberra Croatia), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
6: Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Alex MARTENS (Gungahlin United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Croatia), Sarah WHITFIELD (West Canberra Wanderers)
5: Tehya ASPLAND (Canberra Olympic), Alyse JENSEN (Belconnen United)
4: Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Lauren HALL (West Canberra Wanderers), Tianah MIRO (Canberra Olympic), Alex NEALAND (Gungahlin United), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United)
3: Cara CERUTI (Canberra Olympic), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Nicole JALOCHA (Canberra Olympic), Sheridan MCELLIGOTT (ANU WFC), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Own GOALS
2: Angelina BABIC (ANU WFC), Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Jaya BOWMAN (Canberra Olympic), Olivia BUYTEWEG (Gungahlin United), Sharon CHAO (Gungahlin United), Sofia CHAVERRA (ANU WFC), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers), Pascale LA HEI (Belconnen United), Saskia NEWMAN (ANU WFC), Ella PALFRAMAN (Canberra Croatia), Sofia PALYWODA (Belconnen United), Tiana PHILLIPS-MAYNARD (Tuggeranong United), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United), Allegra SENTI (West Canberra Wanderers), Kayla WRIGHT (Gungahlin United)
1: Eliza BAKER (ANU WFC), Amy BONGIORNO (Canberra Croatia), Leah CARNEGIE (Canberra Olympic), Luella COLEMAN (Belconnen United), Rachel CORBETT (Gungahlin United), Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Corinne DENTON (Gungahlin United), Jade EMMS (Belconnen United), Rhiannon FENSOM (Canberra Croatia), Edith FORDYCE-CROKER (ANU WFC), Julia HOGAN (ANU WFC), Elvein IBRAHIM (Tuggeranong United), Claire KENNEDY-SPENCER (Tuggeranong United), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Sarah MATTHEWS (Tuggeranong United), Amy MOORE (Gungahlin United), Demi NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Sienna NESS (Canberra Olympic), Bessie RIETHMULLER (Canberra Olympic), Maddie STEINACKER (Belconnen United), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Olympic), Jane VANZINO (Canberra Olympic), Audrey WARD (West Canberra Wanderers), Matylda WELLS-SHEATHER (Tuggeranong United), Nadia ZAKMAN (Canberra Croatia)
Words: Jeremy Magan
