Women’s Futsal Premier League Grand Final
Gungahlin United 1 (Brittany PALOMBI 5′) North Canberra Untouchables Navy 1 (Alex MARTENS 4′) AET
North Canberra Untouchables win 3-2 on penalties
North Canberra Untouchables Navy and the Canberra Olympic Superprawns took out the Women’s and Men’s Futsal Premier League titles on Wednesday at an action-packed finals night at the AIS.
Kicking off at 7pm, the Women’s Grand Final saw undefeated Gungahlin United come up against second-placed NC Untouchables Navy, and contrary to their previous high-scoring encounters, the game began much more defensively.
Untouchables sat deep to begin but hit Gungahlin on the counter after four minutes through Alex Martens close-range finish, only to see their lead erased the following minute.
Gungahlin raced down the other end and Brittany Palombi tapped home as Natalie Lacey couldn’t fully claim a shot in goals, levelling scores at a goal a piece after just five minutes.
That was a rare occasion for Lacey however, as the goalkeeper consistently denied Gungahlin the entire match through a series of spectacular saves.
Gungahlin continued to pin Untouchables back but could not find a way into the back of the net, as the stalemate continued throughout the first half and into the second.
Extra-time beckoned but still neither side could find a way through; Gungahlin looking to steadily build from the back while Untouchables worked on picking off loose passes and breaking with pace.
After three minutes each way, scores remained tied and the sides headed to a penalty shootout.
Freyja Jacobsen scored her penalty for Untouchables to get things moving, before Najwa Allen equalised with hers.
Erika Pennyfield stepped up to drive her spot-kick home for North Canberra, with Lacey pulling off an impressive save to deny Ashleigh Palombi with Gungahlin’s second effort.
Thus, it fell into the hands of Alice Churchill to drive home her turn and see Untouchables crowned Women’s Futsal Premier League Champions, with Lacey awarded the Player of the Match for her fantastic efforts.
Men’s Futsal Premier League Grand Final
Canberra Olympic Superprawns 7 (Pat ROSS-MAGEE 23′, 27′, Goran JOSIFOVSKI 38′, 40′, Daniel FULTON 26′, Robert CATTANACH 29′, OWN GOAL 9′) Belconnen United 2 (Taylor BEATON 10′, Dustin WELLS 35′)
The Canberra Olympic Superprawns claimed a second straight Men’s Futsal Premier League Grand Final with a 7-2 demolition of Belconnen United on Wednesday.
A Belconnen own goal put the Superprawns ahead after just nine minutes of the game, before Taylor Beaton equalised only a minute later, and the score remained 1-1 at the half-time break.
Pat Ross-Magee got the Superprawns off to the perfect start in the second half as he put his side up after just three minutes, and the Superprawns looked to pull ahead further as they poured forward.
Daniel Fulton struck the back of the net in the 26th minute, before Ross-Magee grabbed his second just a minute later as the Superprawns powered to a 4-1 lead as their opponents looked shellshocked.
And two minutes later Robert Cattanach had the margin out to four goals with then minutes still remaining in the game and the Superprawns well on top.
As the final period see-sawed, Dustin Wells knocked home a consolation with five minutes to go but it meant little moments later.
Goran Josifovski popped up to knock home two goals in the final three minutes to make sure of an emphatic victory.