Canberra Croatia stole the spoils in a fiery Canberra Classico at Deakin Stadium, against Canberra Olympic, as a late April Hill goal secured a 2-1 victory to keep Musie Elongo’s team in second place.
It was Olympic however that began the better side, and rightfully took the lead after seven minutes, as Tatum Mazis stole in at the back post to score against her old side, having been set up by Tayla Hampson’s ball across the face of goal.
A promising start was swiftly cancelled out by a clinical Croatia, who converted their first clear chance of the match through April Hill just five minutes after going behind, following a looping Riley McQueenie header eventually landing at the forward’s feet, with an open net to score in.
Following a stop-start end to the first period after lengthy injury stoppages, the intensity and end-to-end nature of the match resumed in the second period, with either side going close to drawing ahead.
It was Croatia however who emerged as the victors, having grown in their authority as the half wore on, making it 2-1 on 77 minutes after a deep Brittany Palombi free kick found Hill to score her second, and secure the three points for her team.
As the game wore on Croatia began to look the more likely winners, and capitalised on their positive upward momentum with a goal 14 minutes before full-time, as Brittany Palombi’s deep free-kick picked out April Hill, who got something on the ball to pass it into the net passed the oncoming Janet King, to send Croatia into raptures.
Over at Melrose Synthetic, a seven-minute burst of goals contributed to a comfortable Belconnen United victory, as the league leaders ran out 4-0 winners against home side West Canberra Wanderers.
The Wanderers came into the game having performed well in their last three encounters, all against top four sides, however the quality of the Blue Devils remains on another level this campaign, as demonstrated by an incredible Talia Backhouse opener to get the score started on 18 minutes.
One minute later it was two, and six after that it was three, as more incredible finishes, first from Alina Roberts and then Alyssa Di-Campli, took Belconnen three clear at the break.
Having come back from three last weekend at Melrose, Steve Rohan-Jones’ team may have had hopes of history repeating itself, however an utterly dominant Blue Devils continued their command of the match in the second period, as the away side grabbed a fourth through Bronte Pyke with 15 remaining, to seal the victory, a 13th from 13.
The final match of the round saw Majura FC claim their first points since Round 1 in a gripping 3-2 victory over last-place rivals Tuggeranong United at Ainslie Field 2.
Things didn’t start well for Davide Ruberto’s team however, as Tuggeranong took the lead after just eight minutes, as Lauren Watt scored her first of the season with a well-hit effort from the edge of the penalty area.
The bottom side of the NPLW would’ve undoubtedly felt a half time lead was deserved, after carrying the greater threat going forward, however despite their limited chances in the first period, Majura drew level just two minutes into the second 45, after a superb Sofia Furlanetto strike from long range made it one a-piece.
Within six second half minutes Tuggeranong’s lead had disappeared, Carmel Lynch the goalscorer on this occasion, converted from the penalty spot after a foul was deemed to have been committed on Furlanetto in the box.
With so much on the line it was always going to come down to fine margins in determining a winner, and despite Tuggeranong looking likely to grab a point, following Tarah Manthongsy’s 55th minute equaliser, with eight remaining Maggie Wright stole in behind for Majura and scored to claim her side all three points, and take them three points clear of the bottom side.
A truncated Round 14 saw just one match in midweek as Gungahlin United and West Canberra Wanderers played out a goalless draw which enabled the Gunners to go above Canberra Olympic into third place on the table, albeit having played two games more.
Chances were at a premium in the match with West Canberra’s new goalkeeper Hanna Reishofer keeping a clean sheet on her debut. The Wanderers remain in touch with the top four, which is becoming a crowded scene as the race for the finals hots up.
RESULTS
ROUND 14
Wednesday 16 July
Gungahlin United 0 West Canberra Wanderers 0
ROUND 15
Sunday 20 July
Canberra Croatia 2 (Hill 12’, 77’) Canberra Olympic 1 (Mazis 7’)
Majura FC 3 (Furlanetto 47’, Lynch 51’ (p), Wright 82’) Tuggeranong United 2 (Watt 8’, Manthongsy 55’)
West Canberra Wanderers 0 Belconnen United 4 (Backhouse 18’, Roberts 19’, Di-Campli 25’, Pyke 75’)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Belconnen United | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 88 | 9 | +79 | 39 |
| 2 | Canberra Croatia | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 39 | 14 | +25 | 25 |
| 3 | Gungahlin United | 13 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 45 | 19 | +26 | 21 |
| 4 | Canberra Olympic | 12 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 38 | 24 | +14 | 21 |
| 5 | West Canberra | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 36 | 29 | +7 | 20 |
| 6 | Majura FC | 11 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 11 | 50 | -39 | 6 |
| 7 | Tuggeranong United | 11 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 78 | -70 | 3 |
| 8 | ANU WFC | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 42 | -42 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
17: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United)
16: Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers)
14: Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United)
10: Megan CASTLE (Gungahlin United), Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United), Bonnie YOUNG (Gungahlin United)
9: Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia)
8: Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United)
7: Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United), Own GOALS
6: Liliana ALTAMORE (Belconnen United), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Olympic), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United)
5: Talia BACKHOUSE (Belconnen United), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers), Alyse JENSEN (Canberra Olympic), Carmel LYNCH (Majura FC)
4: Sharon CHAO (Gungahlin United), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers)
3: Tehya ASPLAND (Canberra Olympic), Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Leah CARNEGIE (Canberra Olympic), Sofia FURLANETTO (Majura FC), April HILL (Canberra Croatia), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United), Sofia MERKOUREAS (Canberra Croatia), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
2: Acacia ARGENTO (Tuggeranong United), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Olivia MARTINIELO (Majura FC), Ailish MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Riley MCQUEENIE (Canberra Croatia), Tianah MIRO (Canberra Olympic), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Ellie RAYMOND (Canberra Croatia), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Croatia)
1: Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Liana ALVES (Canberra Olympic), Angelina BABIC (Canberra Croatia), Sienna BIRNIE (Canberra Olympic), Hannah BOURLE (Canberra Croatia), Lisa CARY (Belconnen United), Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Elvein IBRAHIM (West Canberra Wanderers), Mollie JONSSON (Tuggeranong United), Claire KENNEDY-SPENCER (Tuggeranong United), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Audrey MCLAREN (West Canberra Wanderers), Jessica MITCHELL (Tuggeranong United), Abigail MOSS (West Canberra Wanderers), Saskia NEWMAN (Canberra Croatia), Eliza-Jane NORRIS (Canberra Croatia), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Maddison SAWKINS (Belconnen United), Maddie STEINACKER (Belconnen United), Rachel VAN AALST (Gungahlin United), Audrey WARD (West Canberra Wanderers), Lauren WATT (Tuggeranong United), Maggie WRIGHT (Majura FC), Reilly YUEN (Canberra Croatia)
TOP ASSISTS
11: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United)
8: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United)
7: Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United), Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia), Bonnie YOUNG (Gungahlin United)
6: Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Audrey WARD (West Canberra Wanderers)
5: Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United)
4: Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United), Ailish MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United)
3: Talia BACKHOUSE (Belconnen United), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Megan CASTLE (Gungahlin United), Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers), Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Olympic), Tianah MIRO (Canberra Olympic), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United), Madison SAWKINS (Belconnen United)
2: Tehya ASPLAND (Canberra Olympic), Tiana BOOTS (Canberra Croatia), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Alyse JENSEN (Canberra Olympic), Chelsea HATELY (Gungahlin United), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers), April HILL (Canberra Croatia), Claire KENNEDY-SPENCER (Tuggeranong United), Jada LAMOND (Gungahlin United), Carmel LYNCH (Majura FC), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Riley MCQUEENIE (Canberra Croatia), Amy MOORE (Gungahlin United), Abigail RICHARDS (Majura FC), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Croatia), Rachel VAN AALST (Gungahlin United), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
1: Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Esperance ANDERSON (Tuggeranong United), Eliza BAKER (Majura FC), Layla BARBOUR (Majura FC), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Jamie BERKLEY (Canberra Croatia), Sienna BIRNIE (Canberra Olympic), Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Olivia BUYTEWEG (Gungahlin United), Lisa CARY (Belconnen United), Lena CHRISTOPHERSON (Tuggeranong United), Lucy D’ARCY (Gungahlin United), Rhiannon DAVIS (Canberra Olympic), Tayla HAMPSON (Canberra Olympic), Annaliese GROVE (Gungahlin United), Ariana KASHAN (Majura FC), Stefi LEJINS (Belconnen United), Olivia MARTINIELLO (Majura FC), Demi NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Stephenie NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Ariana RATHOUSKI (Belconnen United), Juliana ROBERTSON (West Canberra Wanderers), Madeleine STEINACKER (Belconnen United), Allegra SENTI (West Canberra Wanderers), Ivy STEVENS (Gungahlin United), Sonja TOMANOVITS (West Canberra Wanderers), Jane VANZINO (Canberra Olympic), Maggie WRIGHT (Majura FC)
Words: Sam Watson
