It’s hard to believe that with the FIFA Women’s World Cup whooshing by us all (this writer was fortunate enough to travel to a dozen or so games) we have arrived at the penultimate regular season round of the 2023 ACT NPL (Capital Football) competition! Yes, the previous Beyond 90 Round Wrap was way back in Round 14.
Apart from a minor temporary dip in form by Canberra Croatia a month ago, ladder positions from Round 14 are largely unchanged.
It was with a spring in our step in anticipation of some local football goodness that we arrived at the Kambah 2 pitch for the game between Tuggeranong United and Gungahlin United.
The other Round 20 games available to view are:
Belconnen United vs Canberra United Academy
Canberra Croatia vs ANU
Canberra Olympic vs West Canberra Wanderers
For an alternate review of the round, check out the Capital Football article.
Match of the Round: Tuggeranong United vs Gungahlin United (Bar TV)
The ladder coming into the weekend had to be taken at face value, with some teams having three games remaining, and others (Gungahlin United) just one. The results this month hadn’t gone the way of the home side, while their visitors were assured of finals action, bettering their near miss in season 2022.
Zoe Terry came into Tuggeranong’s starting lineup but central defender Lara Mustaine was absent, while for the Gunners, Michelle Heyman wasn’t on the card. Rachael Corbett’s leg brace (medial ligament) sees her looking to season 2024 and we wish her the best in her recovery.
Thanks to continued fine form by Abbey Hurman at right back, Terry lined up on the right side of the Tuggeranong attack, and frankly, we’re all for it. Terry’s speed has always helped her overlap from defence, and now she is able to unleash that power without having to first run 30 meters. She was to trouble the Gunners’ defence for the entirety of the hour that she was on the field.
The game was to be a goal-scoring feast, with five goals in the first half and a further four in the second. The visitors were always in the driver’s seat, with their precise passing game and ability to retain possession supplemented by insightful crosses and through balls.
Two Gungahlin braces were scored in the first half, with coach Andrew Woodman taking the opportunity to rotate the squad at halftime having taken a 4-1 lead. Darby Whiteley scored the first two goals, the first thanks to Kayla Wright’s delightful little over-the-top ball which Whiteley was able to finish despite the efforts of Rhiannon Daisley. Whiteley’s second was a close-range header five minutes later thanks to a pinpoint cross from Sharon Chao, a feat that Chao was able to repeat several times during the game.
Tuggeranong midfielder Charli Gregson’s vision saw the home side pull one back, with her through ball finding Terry one-on-one with keeper Emily Kelly. Terry made no mistake guiding the ball just over the sliding Kelly, and it was 1-2.
Wright was to continue her confident start to the game, scoring a remarkable goal from the right touchline (without question intended for goal) and then taking full advantage of a sublime Whiteley through ball through the heart of the Tuggeranong defence. Whiteley, Wright, and Kelly made way for Michelle Weinecke, Sophie Burns, and Kailey Tonini at halftime.
If the first half belonged to Whiteley and Wright, the second was surely Natalie De Marco’s. Two wonderful volleys – the second a piledriver from outside the box – saw the Gunners take a 6-1 lead by the hour mark.
Tuggeranong United midfielder Rainey Niles was rewarded for her toiling with 12 minutes remaining, hooking a high looped shot into the top left corner of Tonini’s goal to make it 6-2 and bringing a smile to the faces of the Tuggeranong squad.
Sharon Chao capped off a fine game by scoring the last goal in added time, evading Wiggan after Ginger Oliver’s clever flick pass. To the home side’s credit, they never dropped their heads, with their two goals sustaining their efforts (notably Niles, Sammie Wood, Hurman, Sarah Daisley and Ash-Lea Condon).
>>> Full match timeline and team line-ups can be found here <<<
Capital Football revealed details of the two-week 2023 Finals series format this week.
Canberra Olympic will become 2023 Premiers if they can overcome the Blue Devils at Riverside Stadium on Tuesday night (Update: Olympic won 2-0 and are Premiers, congratulations!). At the other end of the ladder, Tuggeranong United has two chances this week to pull further away from West Canberra Wanderers, but should they fail to take any points, will be looking over their shoulder at Sunday’s must-win game for the Wanderers against Canberra Croatia. United will go into the final regular season match of the competition knowing the scope of their task against the Canberra United Academy.
Final score:
Tuggeranong United 2 (Zoe Terry 25′, Rainey Niles 78′)
Gungahlin United 7 (Darby Whiteley 13′ 18′, Kayla Wright 29′ 40′, Nat De Marco 49′ 60′, Sharon Chao 92′)
Around The Grounds:
Belconnen United 1-2 Canberra United Academy
Canberra Croatia 1-1 ANU
Canberra Olympic 1-0 West Canberra Wanderers
Ladder:
Next Round:
Follow all our ACT NPLW coverage here.
