On Saturday afternoon the final of the WA State Cup will take place between the two youngest squads in the league when MUM FC take on the Hyundai NTC.
Hosted at the brand-new WA State Football Centre, in the first competitive women’s game there since the centre was opened earlier this year, having recently served as a training base during the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup.
This will be the second final for MUM FC in the NPLW era, having claimed the trophy in 2021 when they beat Balcatta Etna 2-0, whilst for the NTC this will be their first senior State Cup final since 2017 when they lost 5-0 to Northern Redbacks.
During the regular league season, the team from Murdoch University were unbeaten against their opponents, with a win and two draws in the three games between them – but they still go into the final as underdogs.
They finished sixth in the league having only won one game in their last nine league outings, whilst the Hyundai NTC have only lost one in their last seven games, so the form book favours the NTC.
As everyone knows though, football is not played on paper, and the way the teams have matched up against each other during the season suggests that the form book could easily be tossed out of the window.
MUM FC coach David Biancuzzo knows full well that past games are no indication of how the final will go.
“All of our games against NTC this season have been close. Even the 5-1 away win early in the season, we were only leading 2-1 when they had a player sent off,” he said.
“We came back from 3-1 down at home to get a draw and the final 1-1 draw could have gone either way.
“With a young team, we have struggled with consistency during the latter part of the season, which is to be expected, and in preparing for Saturday’s game, we know that we have to start well, and be at our best if we are to win.
“NTC has such a talented group of young players and an excellent coaching team who have become more consistent this season, (but) we also have a group of good young players, so what will be exciting this Saturday is that the Cup final will showcase some of the best young football talent we have in this State.
“Off the back of the Women’s World Cup, we’ll hopefully get a big crowd and it is going to be a great game.”
With so many young players on the pitch, it may well be the older players in the MUM FC side that can be an influence, and defender Katy Schubert has experience of what it takes to win trophies having been part of the MUM FC side that claimed the treble of League, Cup and Top 4 in 2021.
Alongside Schubert will be highly-rated teenager Clara Hoarau, and if these two can win the midfield battle and bring top scorer Samantha Mathers into the game, then NTC will not have the game all their own way.
For NTC’s Tanika Lala, Georgia Cassidy and Grace Johnston, this will be their last chance to win silverware playing for the NTC as they will be joining Perth Glory immediately after the final.
“I’m really proud of the girls that we’ve been able to get to the cup final and the Top Four Cup,” Lala told Football West’s Tommy Doleman.
“It would mean a lot to win silverware after missing out in the Top Four Cup final last year and all of the girls are really hungry to win something this year. It’s also mine, Georgia, and Grace’s last game for NTC so we want to end on a good note.
“We’ll be doing everything possible to go out and win the game as a team but also for all the coaching staff who have done so much for us, and a trophy would be the best way to give something back to them.”
The talent available for the NTC is why they are considered favourites, and Cassidy, Johnston and Lala will be joined in the ALW by teammate and Junior Matildas player Ruby Cuthbert, who is joining Brisbane Roar. Ischia Brooking is another jewel in the NTC crown and the Junior Matilda is undoubtedly on the radar for ALW clubs.
If NTC were to score first then this may well force MUM FC to break out of their defensive block and try and chase the game. In doing so they will open themselves up to the attacking threat that Lala, Johnston, Klaudia Houlis and Louise Tana all pose.
If MUM FC scores first though, they have the defensive organisation to hold onto a lead whilst also posing a significant counter-attacking threat of their own through Mathers and the precocious talent of Jessica Johnson. They are also dangerous from set pieces with Wainright’s delivery from corners being a potent attacking weapon.
It’s still hard to see MUM FC winning this one though and the final whistle is likely to see NTC claiming their first piece of senior silverware in the NPLW era.
Our Prediction:
Hyundai NTC 3 MUM FC 1.
