Round 11 marks the halfway point in the 21 round NPL Capital Football season.

Referee illness meant that just three of the four scheduled NPL Capital Football games were able to go ahead as planned, but thankfully the remaining game was played the following Tuesday night.

Beyond 90 visited Kambah 2 oval on Sunday to witness seventh-placed Tuggeranong United host third-placed West Canberra Wanderers.   

Other Round 11 games included the following:

Canberra Olympic vs Canberra Croatia
Wagga City Wanderers vs Gungahlin United
Canberra United Academy vs Belconnen United 

Match of the Round: Tuggeranong United vs West Canberra Wanderers

Although battered 8-0 by Canberra Croatia the round before, Tuggeranong United would have sensed an opportunity – a home game against a team that had drawn last round against bottom team Wagga City Wanderers. Conversely, West Canberra coach Rey Castro would have been looking for a reaction from his team in response to last round.

Both teams found a little of what they were looking for but neither was to come away with full points.

As the teams took the field, the eye was drawn to the Wanderers’ goalkeeping situation. Regular number one keeper Ally Hinson occupied a place on the bench and defender Samantha Briggs donned the gloves.

West Canberra’s goals in season 2022 have largely come from two sources: speedster attacker Hattie Cram and midfielder Tara Cannon. Both were to trouble the home side. It was Cannon who provided the goods, although Cram had a major role to play in Cannon’s first. Darting down the left wing in the third minute, Cram delivered a cross to her captain Sarah Whitfield on the six yard box. Whitfield’s touch wasn’t convincing but did make its way to Cannon at the back post, who tucked the ball past keeper Sammy Emms with ease.

Not long after, a Cannon free kick found Whitfield unattended at the back post, but her effort on goal was too high.

Tuggeranong United took their time settling into fluency and in the meantime, central defenders Ash-Lea Condon and captain Lara Mustaine – who had formed a strong partnership during 2021 – were integral to keeping the Wanderers at bay. For threats that did get by them, keeper Emms was proving to be an effective final hurdle.

Near the half hour mark, Beyond 90’s 2021 right back of the year Zoe Terry demonstrated the energy she brings to the Tuggeranong United team, bursting down the right wing and shooting across the face of Briggs’ goal. Striker Sophie Cole rounded Briggs and seemed to score just two minutes later after some fine leadup work by Jade Emms, but was adjudged to be offside.

Cannon’s second goal, on 34 minutes, came from the penalty spot thanks to a dangerous run into the Tuggeranong box by left back Steph Nikias. Mustaine’s arm linked for a moment with Nikias’, causing the attacker to hit the deck, and Mustaine was shown a yellow card. Cannon made no mistake against Emms in goal, despite her Andrew Redmayne-like dance which was an attempt to distract Cannon. 

Just like that, the Wanderers were two goals up.

It was around this time that Tuggeranong’s central midfielder Cara Ceruti was beginning to make a difference in the middle of the park, and her example was starting to rub off in a positive way on team-mates around her.

A mix-up between Wanderers central defender Mel O’Callaghan and Briggs threatened to prove costly late in the half, but the crisis was averted. Subsequent efforts on the Tuggeranong goal by Cram and Cannon brought the half to a close.

Ceruti gave Tuggeranong the perfect start to the second half as her low drive from distance caught Briggs off balance, the ball sneaking inside the right post to make the score 2-1. While the Wanderers were to have their moments this half, momentum was starting to shift the home side’s way.

There was a break in play on 53 minutes when Condon went down with an injury to her leg and was helped off the field. While never nice to see, it allowed Ariadne Stergiou to come off the bench and into the Tuggeranong attack. Stergiou’s Terry-like energy levels and enthusiasm proved to be pivotal. Six minutes after her introduction, Tuggeranong left winger Alison Seeney directed a ball towards Stergiou in the box. While O’Callaghan was able to get there first, all she could do was toe it into the path of Stergiou. An assured finished saw the home side level and hungry for more, epitomised by Mustaine coming forward with 15 minutes remaining and working with Seeney for a shot on goal.

Two minutes later it seemed as if the tide may turn again when Jade Emms was sin-binned for ten minutes due to dissent. Tuggeranong was able to negotiate this period and when Emms returned with under five minutes remaining, the home side renewed their attacking efforts.

As the shadows lengthened over the pitch, the referee spoke to Briggs about a moment of interference on Stergiou in the Wanderers box. An indirect free-kick was awarded near the penalty spot, but the wall did its job.

A late yellow card was brandished at Jade Emms for delaying the restart, having shot on goal after the whistle was blown for a free kick.

The game ended moments later as a 2-2 draw, with the home side perhaps feeling that this was a lost opportunity for three points. Nonetheless, the draw ensures that Tuggeranong is just four points shy of Gungahlin United.

The Wanderers were out-enthused in the second half and with this result drop into fourth place, albeit with a ten point gap to Canberra United Academy. If the Wanderers want to ensure participation in finals, they will want to regain the consistency that they displayed in the first round of fixtures.

Final score:

Tuggeranong United 2 (Ceruti 46′ Stergiou 59′)
West Canberra Wanderers 2 (Cannon 3′ 35′ (pen))

Teams:

Tuggeranong United – Coach: Paulo Romero

Samantha Emms, Zoe Terry, Lara Mustaine (c), Ash-Lea Condon, Maya Binns, Lauren Hall, Sarah Daisley, Cara Ceruti, Jade Emms, Sophie Cole, Alison Seeney

Subs: Paige Gregson, Ariadne Stergiou (53′ => Condon), Zoe Williams (82′ => Cole), Lilly Nicholls (83′ => Ceruti), Karen Milewska (87′ => Seeney) 

Yellow card: Mustaine (34′), Jade Emms (88′)

West Canberra Wanderers – Coach: Rey Castro

Samantha Briggs, Sophia Medina, Daisy Canavan, Mel O’Callaghan, Steph Nikias, Elisabeth Bartone, Ginger Oliver, Tara Cannon, Demi Nikias, Sarah Whitfield (c), Hattie Cram

Subs: Ally Hinson, Michelle Aurousseau (55′ => Bartone), Imogen Sheppard (82′ => Aurousseau), Mena Biscotti (67′ => Medina), Kaitlyn Colwill

Around The Grounds:

Canberra Olympic 1-1 Canberra Croatia
Wagga City Wanderers 2-4 Gungahlin United
Canberra United Academy 0-2 Belconnen United

Ladder:

Next week:

Round 12

• Belconnen United vs Canberra Croatia, McKellar Park, Saturday July 2nd, 3pm
• West Canberra vs Canberra Olympic, Melrose Synthetic, Sunday July 3rd, 12:45pm
• Canberra United Academy vs Wagga City, Hawker Enclosed, Sunday July 3rd, 2:30pm
• Gungahlin United vs Tuggeranong United, Gungahlin Enclosed, Sunday July 3rd, 3pm

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