We’ve never seen anything like it: three ACT NPL (Capital Football) finals games in the space of four days! While Sunday’s Preliminary Final will occupy much of this article, two midweek finals were played before it.
For an alternate review of the week, check out this Capital Football article, and then read this piece.
Qualifying Final: Canberra Olympic vs Belconnen United (Bar TV)
The stakes were high in last Wednesday’s meeting at Deakin Stadium. The top two sides battled for direct passage to the Grand Final, with the loser required to back up for the weekend’s Preliminary Final.
>>> Full match timeline and team line-ups can be found here <<<
Newly-crowned and first-time NPL Premiers Canberra Olympic would have come into the game on a high, fully aware of the dangers posed by Scott Conlon’s young but accomplished Blue Devils. After recently returning from a futsal tournament in Thailand, Olympic’s Michaela Thornton wasn’t to enter the game until half-time, while for Belconnen, Jade Emms started in attack, giving something unexpected for the frugal Olympic defence to deal with.
Two goals to midfielder Sofia Palywoda saw the Blue Devils take the game 2-0, the earlier of the two in first-half added time thanks to a Talia Backhouse lay-back, and the second with ten minutes to go off the back of a characteristic Keira Bobbin burst of speed. While it was her more experienced teammates who set the goals up, Palywoda stood up when counted to see her team progress. Olympic showed more intent after a flat first half, but periods of assurance were blunted by Palywoda’s timely goals.
Elimination Final: Canberra Croatia vs Gungahlin United (Bar TV)
The Thursday elimination final at the same venue was a highly watchable affair, with both teams enjoying periods of dominance in either stanza. With Canberra United squad members now preparing for the A-League Women’s season (Michelle Heyman for the Gunners, and Chloe Lincoln for Canberra Croatia), Gunners coach Andrew Woodman opted for the experience of Karen Thompson at centre-back. As we have seen throughout the season, Zoran Glavinic fielded a strong CCFC starting team backed up by a youthful bench.
>>> Full match timeline and team line-ups can be found here <<<
A mesmerising first half saw Canberra Croatia jump to a two-goal lead by the 21st minute. Sienna Birnie deftly turned her defender after 15 minutes, unleashing a top right corner wonder-strike, and this was followed by Bella Barac’s finely placed left-foot goal. Yet it was Gungahlin United who were retaining possession and shifting the ball the better of the two sides, and their belief never wavered. Michelle Weinecke’s long-range stunner of a goal on the half-hour mark was built upon by Maddie Perceval’s persistence under pressure at close range minutes later to tuck her chance away.
The second half was more of an arm-wrestle compared to the first half entertainment. The Gunners can perhaps count themselves a little unlucky to be exiting the finals after Tatum Mazis’ late opportunistic goal with eight minutes remaining ensured Canberra Croatia’s presence in the Preliminary Final.
Preliminary Final: Canberra Olympic vs Canberra Croatia (Bar TV)
A warm and windy Kambah 2 Oval set the scene for the contest to determine Belconnen United’s Grand Final opponent. Both teams lined up similarly to their midweek Finals, with Olympic’s Michaela Thornton starting for the injured Jaz Zabel.
>>> Full match timeline and team line-ups can be found here <<<
If Canberra Olympic’s intensity was found wanting at times in midweek, there was no evidence of such during this game. Perhaps it was their Reserve Grade’s nail-biting penalty shoot-out win that preceded this game, perhaps it was coach Nicole Begg, or perhaps it was confidence in Olympic’s 2023 record against their opponents, but the contest was effectively over by half-time.
Olympic’s Vanessa Ryan rose high at the back post in the 11th minute to head Ally Cook’s set-piece delivery across goal, allowing Maddy Whittall to tap in their first goal. Whittall’s contributions were vital early on as she displayed plenty of energy by harassing the Canberra Croatia defence, and the crowd was to witness several foot races during the afternoon between a covering Rhiannon Fensom and a fleet-footed Olympic attacker. Whittall limped off the field on 23 minutes after appearing to turn her ankle, and Olympic will be sweating on her fitness for Saturday.
Three minutes later it was Nicole Jalocha adding her name to the Olympic score sheet. Ryan’s cross was laid back by Thornton to Jalocha, who placed her low shot neatly to the left side of goal.
Canberra Croatia was finding it hard to bring their attacking weapons into the game, with captain (and leading competition scorer) Brittany Palombi later switching wings in an effort to increase her involvement.
A wind-assisted Olimpico goal from Katrina Peric’s corner in the 43rd minute saw the Premiers head into the sheds with a commanding 3-0 lead. Olympic keeper Janet King had not been tested by the Canberra Croatia attack to this point.
That state of affairs wasn’t to last, with King finding Birnie’s long-distance strike difficult to handle at the start of the second half as it bounced near her feet. With everything on the line, Birnie’s goal provided a much-needed glimmer of hope for the team in red.
A glimmer, however, was all it was, despite the greater attacking intent shown by Canberra Croatia after the interval, especially as Fensom stepped out of the backline and lent her talents further forward. Olympic mid-season teen revelation Madison Cachia restored the three-goal margin two minutes later, capitalising on some slick lead-up work by Thornton and Olivia Gurney.
A Mazis shot later found King’s crossbar, while several Palombi shots zinged by the outside of King’s goal. The keeper was tested several times in the half, pulling off a couple of fine saves.
A 4-1 scoreline was how Canberra Croatia’s season finished, and we now look ahead to Saturday’s Grand Final between last year’s combatants Canberra Olympic and Belconnen United.
Final scores:
Qualifying Final (Wednesday September 13th)
Belconnen United (Sofia Palywoda 46′ 81′) 2-0 Canberra Olympic
Elimination Final (Thursday September 14th)
Canberra Croatia (Sienna Birnie 15′, Bella Barac 21′, Tatum Mazis 82′) 3-2 Gungahlin United (Michelle Wienecke 30′, Maddie Pereceval 37′)
Preliminary Final (Sunday September 17th)
Canberra Olympic (Maddy Whittall 11′, Nicole Jalocha 14′, Katrina Peric 43′, Madison Cachia 49′) 4-1 Canberra Croatia (Sienna Birnie 47′)
Next week:
Grand Final – Canberra Olympic vs Belconnen United, Saturday Sep 23rd, 4pm, Deakin Stadium
Follow all our ACT NPLW coverage here.
