2021 SA NPLW Round 5 Wrap

Adelaide University and Fulham United kicked off Round Five under lights on Friday at VALO Football Centre. Both teams had a point to prove.

As many people expected, it was Uni who ended their run of three successive defeats after running out 2-0 winners with both goals scored in the first half.

Margarita Fitzharris put Adelaide University ahead on 25 minutes. She took advantage of a woefully under hit back pass by Fulham to dink a glorious shot over the keeper’s head from the left hand side of the box into the far corner of the net. Milano Venter doubled the advantage just before half-time after being played in by a glorious cross field ball which fell into her path on the right hand side. She took one touch and slotted it calmly into the net.

Fulham remain the only side left yet to register a league victory in 2021. Equally concerning for them is that they have only scored two goals in their five NPL games this season.

The scheduled clash between Adelaide Comets and Adelaide City due to be played on Friday night was postponed due to problems with the pitch at the South Australia Athletics Stadium. At the time of publication, no rearranged date has been announced

Salisbury Inter maintained their outstanding start to the campaign with a 4-0 win over defending champions Metro United at the VALO Football Centre in this week’s Feature Match.

Inter are looking the real deal at the moment. This comprehensive victory was popular with fans who still remember the painful loss that their side suffered to the same opposition in the preliminary final last season.

It was Metro United who earned the first opportunity when they claimed a corner within 25 seconds of kick off. Chanel Todino drove up the right and whipped a cross in which Inter defender Chantelle Ryder put behind. As the corner came in, Talia Bilardo hit an effort narrowly over the bar.

That was about as good as it got for Metro as Inter deployed a high press every time they were not in possession, Ryder working particularly hard to close down the opposition. There was always at least two Inter players quickly into Metro faces forcing them further and further back.

Inter took the lead after 13 minutes when Emily Condon won a corner after some quality play on the left. Mina Nishitani played a low ball in to the near post which Cote Rojas knocked past Olivia Bunge for her sixth goal in three games this season.

Five minutes later, Dragana Kljajic combined beautifully with Emily Heazlewood who fired in an effort which Bunge did well to get a hand to.

Condon, who had arguably her best W-League campaign for Adelaide United this year, was in inspired form for Salisbury Inter, pulling the strings in midfield and combining with both Rojas and Heazlewood to cause real damage. The defending champions gave all three players far too much space to operate in.

Therefore it was no surprise when Inter doubled their lead on the half hour mark following the award of a free kick on half way, just in from the right hand touchline after Laura Stockdale fouled Isabella Kouimtzis. The long ball in wasn’t dealt with effectively by the Metro defence and a poor clearing header fell to Heazlewood on the corner of the box. She fired home a glorious half volley for Inter’s second goal of the night.

Three minutes before the break a Metro throw on the right went straight to Nicole Calder and she launched a first time effort from an acute angle over 25 metres out which only just cleared the bar with Bunge beaten.

Just before the break it was 3-0 when Nishitani’s corner was flicked on at the front post by Calder and Kljajic scored.

It could have got even worse for Metro in first half stoppage time when Inter had two further chances. Condon was clean through, but was denied by Bunge, and went on to put Rojas through. The Chilean curled her shot just wide of the left hand post. 

Metro United were noticeably tighter defensively in the second half and no longer gave Rojas and Condon the time and space to weave their magic. They still displayed a clear lack of creativity in attack which meant that they had no chance of pulling the score line round.

Indeed, things got worse just after the hour mark. Condon played Rojas who held up the ball expertly until Anna Pritchard arrived to rifle a shot into the top of the net from over 20 metres.

Shortly afterwards, Heazlewood curled an effort just over and Bunge made two brilliant late saves to keep the score to 4-0.

This is Metro United’s third defeat in a row and next week’s game with Adelaide University now takes on huge importance as they look to arrest their slump. For Salisbury Inter, it’s a fascinating clash with last season’s beaten Grand Finalists Adelaide City.

West Adelaide’s clash with Football SA NTC completed the weekend’s action at TK Shutter Reserve.

Wests’ impressive start to the season, in which they have won four of their five NPL games and played some fantastic football in the process, continued with a 3-1 win.

This was another statement making win for West Adelaide as NTC have been a fascinating side to watch.

West Adelaide took the lead after 35 minutes when Nicole Tilley received the ball centrally just behind the ‘D’. Facing away from goal, she turned and lifted a fantastic shot over the keeper.

The lead was doubled just after half-time as Christie Hillyer ran onto a long ball before placing a low shot under the onrushing NTC shotstopper. Adelaide United W-League player Lara Kirkby made it 3-0 when her effort from the edge of the box trundled into the net despite NTC’s best efforts to clear it off of the line.

NTC got a goal back with just under 20 minutes. A glorious through ball split the Wests defence which allowed Emilia Murray to run through and slot home a late consolation.

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