Two matches took place over the weekend at Deakin Stadium, as next Saturday’s Grand Final fixtures took shape.
Read the below reviews to re-live the action:
Sunday 6 September
NPL Women’s Reserves Preliminary Final
Canberra Croatia vs Canberra Olympic
Deakin Stadium
Canberra Croatia will get a shot at retribution after setting up a Grand Final meeting with Belconnen United, following an emphatic 8-1 Preliminary Final victory against Canberra Olympic.
Off the back of penalty shootout defeat a week earlier to the Blue Devils, Croatia responded well by opening the scoring after 16 minutes, as Emily Hazilias struck from well outside the box, looping an effort out of reach for Olympic goalkeeper Zara Pirotta.
Hazilias was at it again ten minutes later, controlling a long pass from Ayla Robertson perfectly before slotting the ball home to double her side’s lead heading into the break.
With 2-0 the scoreline after a tight first 45, Croatia exploded on the goals front in the second period, making it three just four minutes after the restart, following a powerfully struck free kick from Arijana Majetic from close to the halfway line that slipped through the grasps of Pirotta.
Ten minutes after Majetic’s strike it was four, as Phoebe Gordon tip-toed her way through the Olympic defence to fire home, before Tahli Milin’s effort after 64 minutes had Croatia cruising before the Grand Final.
A three-goal blitz in the final four minutes of the match, capped off by two more superb Milin strikes, and another long-range free-kick, this time from Tiana Boots, wrapped up an 8-1 victory for Danny Hately’s side.
Sunday 6 September
NPL Women’s First Grade Preliminary Final
Belconnen United vs Canberra Olympic
Deakin Stadium
Having failed to score in their two previous matches, Belconnen United hit six against Canberra Olympic to book their customary place in the NPL Women’s Grand Final.
Scott Conlon’s side made the perfect start to shake off the effects of a penalty shootout defeat to Canberra Croatia last weekend in the Semi Final, after Izzy Hindmarsh won possession high, before Alyssa Di-Campli played in Leila Billington to make it 1-0 with a cool finish.
Olympic’s responded well however, making the most of their first chance of the game as Sienna Ness fired an effort from the edge of the box into the bottom corner, to bag her first of the campaign, and bring her side level in the Preliminary Final.
Victor Yanes’ side started to assert their authority on the match and were looking dangerous on the transition, however it was Belconnen that re-took their lead seven minutes after conceding, following combative work from Skelly to find Billington, who’s low-driven shot from just inside the box found the post and beat Janet King to make it 2-1.
Conlon’s side started to find their rhythm, and two minutes before the break, a superb move from one edge of the area to the other found Alina Roberts out wide, whose first-time ball met Di-Campli at the back post to make it 3-1 heading into the break.
On the other side of half time, the Blue Devils were at it again, carving open Olympic with another quality passing sequence, that resulted in Leila Billington claiming a hat-trick after controlling on the run, and finishing cooly.
Billington, who hadn’t scored since Round 13, soon had a fourth, connecting perfectly with a half-volley to smash the ball into the roof of the net, following a Sam Shea corner.
Alina Roberts, denied goals for offside in back-to-back games was hungry for her goal to wrap things up, and three minutes into additional time the forward was played through by Stefi Lejins, and having cut inside her marker, bent the ball into the top corner, rounding the goalscoring to six.
