The light rain that fell over Canberra during Round 15 of the NPL Capital Football women’s competition couldn’t dampen on-field spirits. Highlights included a 50th NPL game for Canberra Olympic’s Meg Roden, Brianna Maguire’s first game for West Canberra Wanderers in 2022, and a Michelle Heyman hat-trick for Gungahlin United in her first game since May.
Beyond 90 ventured out to Hawker Synthetic on Sunday evening to witness Canberra United Academy hosting competition leaders Canberra Croatia.
Other Round 15 games included:
Belconnen United vs Tuggeranong United
Wagga City Wanderers vs Canberra Olympic
Gungahlin United vs West Canberra Wanderers
Match of the Round: Canberra United Academy vs Canberra Croatia
In Canberra Croatia goal-scoring machine Brittany Palombi’s 150th game, it was perhaps fitting that 2021’s Golden Boot was facing off against 2021’s Reserve Grade Golden Boot, Bessie Riethmuller.
The visitors will have approached this game with some confidence, having dispatched the Academy 7-2 on the same surface in the second round. Memories of their surprise loss on the same field in 2021 may have lingered, however.
The squad depth of both sides is currently being tested. The Academy lost several players to illness last week, with some returning for this fixture. Canberra Croatia is also navigating the unavailability of several players due to injury – thoughts are with evergreen Alice Churchill, who is undergoing ACL surgery this week. The bench certainly had a youthful look to it. As the whistle blew, coach Zoran Glavinic had set his team up with a three-player backline (Bec Kiting – Amy McLachlan – Rhiannon Fensom).
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The league’s newest 150 gamer started the game with a bang inside the first minute of play. Palombi’s unerring left foot unleashed a missile from outside the Academy penalty area and just like that it was 1-0 to the visitors.
MILESTONE
Congratulations to @CanberraFC1‘s Brittany Palombi on playing her 150th NPL game!#GameOn pic.twitter.com/pwQsqTU28K
— NPL Capital Football (@officialNPLCF) August 1, 2022
Canberra FC’s Sienna Birnie continues to impress in midfield alongside the influential Jen Bisset. Also evident is Dianne Wilson in defensive holding midfield, helping to guide the team around. Up top, the visitors are unmatched when it comes to leadership and technique, with both Palombi and captain Grace Gill having achieved 150 NPL games just a week apart, while Bella Barac is a twinkle toes on the ball. Barac and Birnie were to share some quality passing interchanges during the game.
On their home turf however, the young Academy team were undeterred by their opponents. Preferring a short passing game and making the most of their mobility, the Academy was far from boxed into their own half as they traded shots on goal in the first 15 minutes with their more fancied opponents. If it looked at times like Riethmuller was playing a lone hand at striker – and playing it well, with a real physicality – then that feeling never lasted long, with wide attackers Alyssa Di Campli and Charli Gregson quick to support or to be attacking outlets in their own right. Playing down the touchline close to the grandstand in the first half, Academy left back Caitlin Koch showed a real willingness to get forward and rotate with Gregson.
Canberra Croatia keeper Angelica Pahina showed courage as the half hour approached. Riethmuller ran onto a through ball at the top of the box, and making herself big, Pahina did well to get something on Riethmuller’s shot.
Five minutes later, it was a joy to see CCFC defender Rhiannon Fensom burst down the right wing and supply a dangerous cross for a header. Such runs must be liberating for Fensom, so often a rock at centre back the last couple of seasons, and now with more freedom to work a touchline.
Academy’s Isabella Hindmarsh showed off lovely skills under pressure late in the half with a turn-and-spin move. A minute later Latisha Babic guided a free kick just over Pahina’s crossbar. Palombi reminded us all of her everpresent danger as the half wound down, centring a ball to Barac, who could only push the ball left of the goal.
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Barac was to have another chance early in the second half, narrowly failing to reach the ball in a potential one-on-one with keeper Georgia Ritchie.
As the hour mark neared, Gill was bundled over by a nudge in the back on a CCFC corner, and the referee pointed to the spot. Palombi buried the penalty and the visitors had a two-goal lead.
Academy responded straight away with some terrific work by Di Campli, turning Kiting and then delivering a perfect through ball for Riethmuller, but the chance came to naught. The young home team lifted their intensity and the final half hour was to provide much entertainment as a misty fog slowly descended over the ground.
In the 63rd minute, tenacious CUA centre-back Riley McQueenie cleaned up on a through ball chased by Gill. Following McQueenie’s lead and chasing anything that moved in the Canberra Croatia backline, Riethmuller was deemed to have been overzealous with her challenge on McLachlan moments later, earning a yellow card.
A nasty head clash with 14 minutes remaining saw Bisset leave the field, but to their credit Academy’s intensity never dropped through this period. With four minutes of normal time remaining, Di Campli scored a remarkable goal, looping her left foot shot from distance over Pahina and into the top left corner of the net.
The 2-1 scoreline made for a frantic end to the game with over five minutes of time added due to the head clash. In a vital moment for the visitors, Barac came to defend her own box and got a vital touch in the 93rd minute to maintain the Canberra Croatia lead.
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Remarkably and against the run of play in the dying seconds, Birnie timed her run perfectly for a Gill through ball. Entering the Academy box, Birnie smashed her left foot drive against the underside of the Academy crossbar – a fitting end to a terrific match.
Canberra Croatia maintains their unbeaten run this season. On this showing the Academy must be looking at their ladder position (sixth) with five games remaining and wondering what could have been, given greater consistency.
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Final score:
Canberra United Academy 1 (Di Campli 85′)
Canberra Croatia 2 (Palombi 1′ 58′ (pen))
Teams:
Canberra United Academy – Coach: Sarah West
Georgia Ritchie, Tayla Hampson (c), Riley McQueenie, Luella Coleman, Caitlin Koch, Alyssa Di Campli, Jaya Bowman, Maia Cameron, Charli Gregson, Isabella Hindmarsh, Bessie Riethmuller
Subs: Latisha Babic (30′ => Cameron), Sienna Scarano (81′ => Babic), Eliza Evans, Natalie Chang, Angelina Babic
Yellow cards: Riethmuller 64′
Canberra Croatia – Coach: Zoran Glavinic
Angelica Pahina, Rhiannon Fensom, Amy McLachlan, Bec Kiting, Anna Ross, Dianne Wilson, Sienna Birnie, Jen Bisset, Brittany Palombi, Bella Barac, Grace Gill (c)
Subs: Nat Vasta, Maddie Sawkins (78′ => Bisset), Shania Settin, Scarlett Spong, Ava Jadric
Around The Grounds:
R13 midweek catchup game: Canberra United Academy 2-0 Tuggeranong United
Belconnen United 3-0 Tuggeranong United
Wagga City Wanderers 0-4 Canberra Olympic
Gungahlin United 5-1 West Canberra Wanderers
Ladder:
Next week:
Round 16
- Belconnen United vs Gungahlin United, McKellar Park, Saturday 6 Aug, 3pm
- West Canberra vs Canberra United Academy, Melrose Synthetic, Sunday 7 Aug, 12:45pm
- Canberra Olympic vs Tuggeranong United, O’Connor Enclosed, Sunday 7 Aug, 2:30pm
- Canberra Croatia vs Wagga City, Deakin Stadium, Sunday 7 Aug, 2:30pm
Follow all our ACT NPLW coverage here
