Belconnen United upset the League Champions Canberra Croatia to book their Grand Final ticket with a spirited 2-1 victory at McKellar Park.
A bright start to the contest saw the Blue Devils take the lead before the quarter of an hour mark. Hattie Cram was the architect, creating space out wide to deliver an inch-perfect cross into the centre where Leila Billington rose to power a header into the back of the Croatia goal.
Both teams settled into the contest, the midfield battle cancelling each other out and making clearcut openings a rarity, neither goalkeeper overly tested before the half-time interval brought a break in proceedings with Belconnen narrowly leading by that early goal.
The Blue Devils got the crucial second in the 68th minute with a slice of fortune. Scarlett Wells whipped in a delicious corner into the penalty area which, under pressure from the Belconnen attackers, was inadvertently punched into her own net by Croatia goalkeeper Megan Snell.
Croatia reduced the arrears to set up a grandstand finale when substitute Gabriella Paul acrobatically volleyed in a cross from the right flank, but the Blue Devils had done enough to claim the win.
Canberra Olympic await in the Preliminary Final after they swept aside the challenge of Gungahlin United at McKellar Park, the higher-ranked team proving far too strong and running out 6-0 victors.
Olympic didn’t wait long to get off the mark taking the lead after just five minutes. From the first set-piece of the afternoon Rhiannon Davis swung in a corner to the far post where Alexia Cerne arrived to smash a volley high into the roof of the net. The goal much better than the dubious celebration that followed!
The second goal arrived half-an-hour later and again originated from an Olympic corner. Davis first foray into the box was only half cleared allowing the corner taker to take aim and send in a speculative cross-shot that arced over everyone and clattered the post on its way into the net.
Shortly after Olympic sealed the match as, from another set-piece that was sent into the area, and Nikita Perry steered it home at the front post. A free-kick led to the fourth, Gunners marking absent as Sienna Ness was free to arrive unchecked and volley home from close range.
The second-half saw Olympic go further in front, as Davis scored a second, launching an audacious effort from three metres inside her own half that bounced over the head of Enid Williams before entering the net. The tall defender then completed a hat-trick, stooping to head in yet another set-piece with fourteen minutes left.
RESULTS
QUALIFICATION FINAL
Sunday 7 September
Canberra Croatia 1 (Paul 86’) Belconnen United 2 (Billington 13’, Snell 68’ (og))
ELIMINATION FINAL
Sunday 7 September
Canberra Olympic 6 (A. Cerne 5’, Davis 35’, 57’, 76’, Perry 39’, Ness 42’) Gungahlin United 0
TOP SCORERS
19: Scarlett WELLS (Belconnen United)
16: Emily HAZILIAS (Canberra Croatia), Eden RODDA (Belconnen United)
14: Rhiannon FENSOM (Canberra Croatia)
10: Own GOALS
9: Ella HALL (Gungahlin United), Pia MCGHIE (Canberra Croatia), Sienna NESS (Canberra Olympic)
8: Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United)
7: Arijana MAJETIC (Canberra Croatia)
6: Liliana ALTAMORE (Belconnen United), Sonja TOMANOVITS (West Canberra Wanderers), Nicole ZHAO (Canberra Croatia)
5: Elizabeth BARTONE (Canberra Croatia), Alexia CERNE (Canberra Olympic), Emily TOZER (Belconnen United)
4: Anna BENNETT (Canberra Olympic), Amy BONGIORNO (Canberra Croatia), Siena D’AMBROSIO (Belconnen United), Rhiannon DAVIS (Canberra Olympic), Brittany FIORESE (Canberra Olympic), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Samantha SHEA (Belconnen United), Matylda WELLS-SHEATHER (Gungahlin United)
3: Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Sophie COULDRICK (West Canberra Wanderers), Sienna DY-MORTIMER (Canberra Olympic), Samantha HOST (West Canberra Wanderers), Pascale LA HEI (Belconnen United), Evdoxia MANTINAOS (West Canberra Wanderers), Ariana RATHOUSKI (Belconnen United), Tayah SANDERS (Canberra Croatia)
2: Hannah BOURKE (Canberra Croatia), Georgia CHOUNDARY (Canberra Olympic), Lily D’ADDARIO (Canberra Olympic), Danielja ESKINJA (Belconnen United), Olivia GURNEY (Canberra Olympic), Ella HEWSON (West Canberra Wanderers), Abbey HURMAN (Canberra Olympic), Caitlin KOCH (Belconnen United), Elianne LUM (Majura FC), Josephine MCKENZIE (Gungahlin United), Tahli MILIN (Canberra Croatia), Hannah MORRISON (Gungahlin United), Jessica PEARSON (Gungahlin United), Marija RATHOUSKI (Belconnen United), Jasmine RICHARDS (Gungahlin United), Margaux SIEB (Majura FC), Caitlyn SKILLICORN (West Canberra Wanderers), Ava WILLIAMS (Canberra Croatia), Darcy WILLIAMS (Canberra Olympic), Katie WOODMAN (Belconnen United)
1: Isla ALLEWAY (Tuggeranong United), Chloe BARKER (Canberra Croatia), Sofia BISSELL (Majura FC), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Lisa CARY (Belconnen United), Natalia CERNE (Canberra Olympic), Sophia DOUMOS (Belconnen United), Charlotte EVANS (Tuggeranong United), Hannah FERGUSON (Gungahlin United), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Zara HALL (Gungahlin United), Tayla HAMPSON (Canberra Olympic), Bente HELGEBY (West Canberra Wanderers), Isabella HOPKINS (Canberra Olympic), Olive HUDDY (Majura FC), Brianna LAZZARI (Tuggeranong United), Sophie MCGLYNN (Gungahlin United), Olivia MEDINA (Wet Canberra Wanderers), Elfin MOKANY (Belconnen United), Josie MONTANARI (Gungahlin United), Elizabeth MOSS (Gungahlin United), Gabriella PAUL (Canberra Croatia), Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia), Lucija PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Sofia PIROTTA (Canberra Olympic), Isabella POLE (Majura FC), Ellie RAYMOND (Canberra Croatia), Chelsea ROLLS (Majura FC), Madison SAWKINS (Belconnen United), Vanessa SOPHCOLI (Majura FC), Lauren WATT (Tuggeranong United)
