Academy captain Tayla Hampson gets the ball away before Cassia McGlashan can catch her. Photo: Kai Moebus

For the second successive weekend, just two NPL Capital Football women’s games were played. Beyond 90 was on hand at Hawker Football Centre to witness the Round 17 5th-vs-6th clash between Canberra United Academy and Gungahlin United.

Canberra Olympic vs Belconnen United was the other Round 17 game to take place, a top four fixture that saw the Blue Devils hold a lead for much of the game before Olympic reeled them in and overtook them.

Match of the Round: Canberra United Academy vs Gungahlin United

Although Academy’s loss last round to fourth-placed West Canberra Wanderers wasn’t what they were looking for, both teams in this outing had their eye on that fourth spot, and both had recorded the same amount of wins this season.

Academy’s Jaya Bowman challenges Nat De Marco. Photo: Kai Moebus

Gungahlin United had the week off last round due to inclement weather, but prior to that recorded a strong win against West Canberra. The Gunners have been playing more to their potential since coach Andrew Woodman came on board mid-season, losing only to the top two.

The game marked a special occasion for one newly-minted 150-gamer, and it was just about to become that little bit more special.

Woodman had the Gunners set up in an attacking formation, with three at the back and  Heyman playing as a ten just behind Sharon Chao. Cassia McGlashan and Kayla Wright also played as high as possible whenever they could.

Academy opted to sit the dangerous Bessie Riethmuller on the bench; it can only be a matter of time before Sofia Christopherson rejoins her in the top-grade forward line from reserve grade. Latisha Babic and Luella Coleman led the attack, with Alyssa Di Campli in support. Versatile Natalie Chang slotted into central defence.

MH23. Photo: Kai Moebus

Three early chances all fell the Gunners’ way but it was Rachael Corbett who made their pressure count in the 20th minute. Owning her milestone game, Corbett put a strong header in the back of the Academy net after one of Erika Pennyfield’s always accurate corner kicks. 

A yellow card was brandished at Academy central defender Maia Cameron after a body check on McGlashan with five minutes left in the half, but not before Academy had seen off chances on goal by Chao and Heyman. Chances to the team in green were few and far between, with their captain Tayla Hampson pushing forward from right back on several occasions late in the half as if to show her team the way.

 

Holding a one-goal advantage, Woodman replaced winger Wright with midfielder Stella De Marco at halftime. Once again the early chances were all the visitors’, and a stunning lobbed shot by Chao from distance sailed over keeper Eliza Evans and into the goal in the first five minutes of the half. Heyman then had two chances in two minutes, but neither bore fruit as the focus of play continued to lie within the Academy half.

Sharon Chao on the attack. Photo: Kai Moebus

Two goals down, Academy finally started to find their way into the game at around the hour mark with both teams now trading attacking blows. An effort on Kailey Tonini’s goal by Di Campli that lacked venom was followed by Cassia McGlashan’s left-foot chip on Evans’ goal that flew just over the crossbar. McGlashan then centred from the Academy byline moments later, finding Pennyfield in front of goal, but Evans did ever so well to get a hand on the shot.

In the 68th minute, Babic got hold of a perfect half-volley bounce on the synthetic surface. Her strike hit the crossbar and rebounded off Tonini, crossing the goal line. Spirits raised at 2-1, the young Academy side now had a real sense that they could get more from this game. Riethmuller entering the game in the Academy forward line just after the goal fueled that belief even further.

Academy keeper Eliza Evans rolls the ball out to her defender. Photo: Kai Moebus

Woodman introduced fresh midfield legs in the form of Piper Lockley (for Nat De Marco) to stabilise the Gunners’ position. Riethmuller however, was making her presence felt, putting her foot sweetly through the ball on the edge of the Gunners’ penalty box with 14 minutes to go. Agonisingly, her powerful shot was to the left of goal.    

The action was end-to-end in the last ten minutes. Perhaps the best chance fell to substitute Alissa Barbour when a beautiful late-game pass from Isabella Hindmarsh released Barbour down the right flank. Driving hard into the Gunners’ box, Barbour’s strike flew to the left of the goal.

As open as the game was in its closing minutes, neither side was able to add to their tally. The win keeps Gungahlin’s semi-final hopes alive in fifth place, six points behind West Canberra with four games remaining. For the Academy, this result paired with the loss last week to West Canberra almost assuredly puts the finals out of reach, having played one game more than most of the other teams.

 

 

Final score:

Canberra United Academy 1 (Kailey Tonini (og) 67′)
Gungahlin United 2 (Rachael Corbett 20′, Sharon Chao 47′)

 

Teams:

Canberra United Academy – Coach: Sarah West

Eliza Evans, Tayla Hampson (c), Natalie Chang, Maia Cameron, Riley McQueenie, Jaya Bowman, Isabella Hindmarsh, Alyssa Di Campli, Luella Coleman, Charli Gregson, Latisha Babic

Subs: Georgia Ritchie, Bessie Riethmuller (71′ => Coleman), Angelina Babic, Alissa Barbour (78′ => Gregson), Sienna Scarano

Yellow cards: Cameron 40′

Gungahlin United – Coach: Andrew Woodman

Kailey Tonini, Ayla Robertson, Maddie Perceval (c), Jada Lamond, Rachael Corbett, Nat De Marco, Erika Pennyfield, Cassia McGlashan, Michelle Heyman, Sharon Chao, Kayla Wright

Subs: Stella De Marco (45′ => Wright), Piper Lockley (75′ => Nat De Marco), Ella-Rose Brown (85′ => Chao), Breea Waters (80′ => McGlashan), Adele Choy


Around The Grounds:

Canberra Olympic 2-1 Belconnen United


Ladder:


Next week:

Round 18

  • Belconnen United vs Canberra United Academy, McKellar Park, Saturday 20 Aug, 3pm
  • Gungahlin United vs Wagga City, Gungahlin Enclosed, Saturday 20 Aug, 3pm
  • West Canberra vs Tuggeranong United, Melrose Synthetic, Sunday 21 Aug, 12:45pm
  • Canberra Croatia vs Canberra Olympic, Deakin Stadium, Sunday 21 Aug, 2:30pm 
Follow all our ACT NPLW coverage here

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