We’re at the pointy end of the season, which means we get to tick a few things off our wish list. Regular season: done. Sapphire Cup final: done. Semi-finals? It’s time!
With two cracking fixtures over the last week, we now know our grand finalists – but was it who everyone was tipping?
This season Beyond 90 will take a look at the big talking points across the league every week, all the way up to the Big Dance in September.
APIA Leichhardt vs Bulls Academy
Played in the odd time slot of Wednesday night to accommodate APIA’s upcoming Sapphire Cup final, Bulls Academy travelled to Lambert Park hoping to upset the odds and qualify for their first-ever NPL Women’s grand final. Having shared the points both times the teams had met in 2023, Bulls had every right to feel confident of getting a result – especially given the absence of Sophie Magus, Rhianna Pollicina, and Holly McNamara – but with APIA having lost just two of its 31 league and cup matches this season, that result would have to be hard-earned.
After forcing a save and missing from close range at the following corner within the first six minutes, Bulls clearly had the running of the opening gambits, and could have had an opener after 22 minutes when Tamires Souza rounded goalkeeper Emilija Vidaković, only for Claudia Cicco to clear her bobbling shot off the line. Moments before halftime however Bulls would open the scoring through young New Zealand striker Charlotte Lancaster, expertly found in the penalty area by winger Daisy Cheeseman before slithering between three APIA defenders and rifling her shot across Vidaković into the bottom corner.
APIA would have to wait until the final quarter-hour to find an equaliser, though it would come through the most likely source. Having appealed for handball against left-back Claudia Valetta from Isabella Coco-di Sipio’s waist-high cross, APIA’s attack could only watch as the ball bobbled across the Bulls penalty area, where it was met by the onrushing Ashlie Crofts, whose well-placed shot was too good for Trudy Simmons in the Bulls goal.
But it was APIA Leichhardt who would be architects of their own demise, as Vidaković rushed out to cut out Avaani Prakash’s scooped pass to Souza, cutting down the 2022 League One Women’s Player of the Year as she claimed possession, leaving the referee no option but to award a penalty kick. And up stepped Lancaster, assured as ever, rifling her shot into the bottom corner to ensure Bulls Academy’s passage to the Big Dance.
APIA Leichhardt 1 (Crofts 77′)
Bulls Academy 2 (Lancaster 42′ 88’p)
Macarthur Rams vs NWS Spirit
Nominally a Macarthur home match, Valentine Sports Park in Glenwood played host to the Rams’ semi-final against NWS Spirit, looking to return to the grand final and an opportunity of back-to-back championships. For Spirit, a first appearance in the showpiece match since 2016 was their reward for victory, and with the teams recording one win a piece in the regular season, there was little difference in form to separate them.
A slow-burning match to start, neither team would register a shot on target until the 25th minute, as Rams striker Kelli Brown fired on the turn from distance to wake goalkeeper Mio Nemoto from her slumber, easily collecting Brown’s looping effort. 12 minutes later Rams glovewoman Sham Khamis was called into action, sprinting off her line to deny Skye Halmarick an opportunity on goal, though her punched clearance lacked distance and was returned with interest by Rachel Perrins, fizzing past the far post as Khamis hastily backtracked.
Spirit again had the opportunity to open the scoring shortly after the break, with centre-back Erin Pridmore finding herself on the end of Kaiya Buchanan’s long-range free-kick, though she couldn’t find a way to place her shot through a forest of legs and fired wide. And that profligacy was punished with 12 minutes of regular time remaining as substitute Olivia Schembri carelessly lunged in on Melissa Cáceres in the Spirit penalty area, presenting Bethany Gordon the chance to put her side ahead, and despite Nemoto saving her initial spot kick, Gordon was able to thrash home the rebound.
Misfortune turned to disaster eight minutes from full-time for Spirit as they conceded a second, failing to deal with Alex Huynh’s long-range free-kick as it evaded craning heads from both teams to nestle inside Nemoto’s net. Pushing forward in search of a miracle, Spirit were predictably caught with just three defenders in their own half by Gordon, whose raking pass found veteran striker Leena Khamis, her initial effort ricocheting to Kelli Brown before eventually returning to Khamis’ feet for its final journey goalwards.
Macarthur Rams 3 (Gordon 81’p Huynh 88′ L Khamis 90’+2)
North West Sydney Spirit 0
2023 NSW NPL Women’s Grand Final
Macarthur Rams vs Bulls Academy
Valentine Sports Park, Glenwood
17 September – KO 5:45pm
