It’s been an NPL Capital Football Women’s finals series for the ages! The Preliminary Final at Riverside Stadium between Belconnen United and Canberra Croatia somehow managed to top the last week’s Qualifying Final.
Preliminary Final: Belconnen United vs Canberra Croatia
(See also this Capital Football summary for a fine recount of the game, along with Isobel Cootes’ write-up for the Canberra Times, which includes some thoughts from Blue Devils skipper Talia Backhouse).
For the second finals game in a row, premiers Canberra Croatia fought their way back to a 3-3 draw at full-time, only to succumb to their opponent in remarkable extra-time circumstances.
In keeping with their early goals during the last meeting between these teams, the Blue Devils withstood some early pressure, then scored three goals inside five minutes before the twenty-minute mark, with Keira Bobbin and Sofia Palywoda prominent. Olivia Bomford joined the pair with cool unerring accuracy when presented with enough room in the CCFC box.
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Competition Golden Boot Brittany Palombi pulled one back from the penalty spot before halftime after a handball in the Blue Devils’ box. Jennie Bisset entered the game in the second half and helped to inexorably turn the game Canberra Croatia’s way as the team in red reverted to a back three. Seven minutes into the half, Rhiannon Fensom’s long ball was unintentionally deflected into the path of Sienna Birnie on the edge of the Blue Devils’ six-yard box to bring CCFC back to 3-2. (Congratulations also go to Rhiannon for her 50th NPL game!)
Substitute Shania Settin completed the Canberra Croatia comeback with ten minutes of normal time left, after a Palombi low cross from the left corner flag eluded Grace Gill and the Belconnen defence, but not Settin at the back post.
Incredibly, CCFC had come back twice in a week to a 3-3 scoreline and the prospect of extra time ahead of them.
CCFC’s domination continued into the first period of extra time as the game started to open up due to fatigue. Yet the Blue Devils faithful never felt that Belconnen was out of it, even when Bisset scored from close range after Belconnen keeper Jayla Murphy – who had an excellent game – spilled a difficult chance from Gill.
As the second period of extra time commenced, Belconnen captain Talia Backhouse grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck just when it mattered most. The final five minutes of the game utterly belonged to her. First firing a warning chip shot from distance, which back-pedalling CCFC keeper Vasta judged well, Backhouse followed up with 90 seconds of magic.
Aided by a deep-lying CCFC defence in a crowded area, Backhouse first guided a curling free kick over the wall and into the left side of the net to make it 4-4. Then in stoppage time, she attacked the ball with no sense of self-preservation to deflect home Bomford’s corner with her head, sending the Blue Devils into the Grand Final.
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The scenes were remarkable, but let’s not forget the effort of Premiers Canberra Croatia this season, who also took out the Charity Shield. Managing to come back in the manner that they did during successive 120 minute finals games speaks volumes of their spirit and talent under coach Zoran Glavinic, who cleverly navigated the squad to a Premiership through periods of reduced personnel due to absence and injury. The margins can be ever so slim in football, and there was no greater example than in this wonderful Preliminary Final.
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Consider our appetite whetted for Saturday’s Grand Final between 2022 Federation Cup finalists, Nicole Begg’s Canberra Olympic, and Scott Conlon’s Belconnen United!
Final score after extra time (3-3 after 90 minutes):
Belconnen United 5 (Bobbin 13′, Palywoda 16′, Bomford 18′, Backhouse 119′ 122′)
Canberra Croatia 4 (Palombi 28′, Kiting 52′, Settin 80′, Bisset 98′)
Teams:
Belconnen United – Coach: Scott Conlon
Jayla Murphy, Leah Carnegie, Sophia Doumos, Karen Clarke, Stefi Lejins, Lauren Preston, Talia Backhouse (c), Sofia Palywoda, Keira Bobbin, Olivia Bomford, Reilly Yuen
Subs: Marija Rathouski (67′ => Carnegie), Tatum Mazis (102′ => Bobbin), Katie Woodman (105′ => Palywoda), Tia Burridge (102′ => Lejins), Pearl Tein (87′ => Yuen)
Canberra Croatia – Coach: Zoran Glavinic
Nat Vasta, Dianne Wilson, Rhiannon Fensom, Amy McLachlan, Bec Kiting, Sienna Birnie, Krista Hagen, Bella Barac, Brittany Palombi, Grace Gill (c), Jamie Berkeley
Subs: Jennie Bisset (45′ => McLachlan), Bella Tammaro, Shania Settin (78′ => Birnie), Scarlet Spong, Maddie Sawkins
Next game:
Grand Final
- Canberra Olympic vs Belconnen United, Deakin Stadium, Saturday 1 Oct, 3pm
Follow all our ACT NPLW coverage here
