It seems an age since the end of the 2023 Capital Football NPLW season, so it was great to hit the Hawker Football Centre on Sunday afternoon to witness Gungahlin United and Canberra Olympic‘s excitement in kicking off their 2024 campaigns.
The demise of the Canberra United Academy, and Wagga City declining an offer to join the league, means we have just seven teams competing in 2024. For more details, as well as a run-down of off-season player movements, Capital Football’s season preview is recommended.
Other games played this week that are available to view:
(Thursday 4/4) West Canberra Wanderers vs Belconnen United
(Sunday 7/4) Tuggeranong United vs Canberra Croatia
For an alternate review of the round, check out the Capital Football article from Jeremy Magan.
Interested in Canberra women’s football? Click here to contribute to the Save Canberra United fundraiser
Match of the Round: Gungahlin United vs Canberra Olympic (Bar TV)
While neither squad has had to adjust to significant player roster changes, both are adjusting to new coaches. Former Gunners assistant Nick Van Aalst is now in the top job, while Frank Cachia joins the Olympic women’s program after a distinguished run with their men’s team. Culture and personnel familiarity are a given with neither new to their clubs.
The Gunners are without the services of two US College players who performed well in 2023, Michelle Weinecke and Emily Kelly, while long-serving Ella-Rose Brown lined up for their opponents in this game. Alex Martens (ex-White Eagles) started as striker, while Corinne Denton (US College soccer) came in as their right back. Alex Nealand also joins them from the Canberra United Academy (on the bench for this one).
Olympic has lost Beyond 90 Team of the Year players Elke Aitolu and – at least for this game – Maddy Whittall, as well as Olivia Gurney and wide runner Vanessa Ryan. They welcome Bessie Riethmuller (Belconnen United); Sienna Birnie and Nikita Perry (Canberra Croatia); and Jaya Bowman (Canberra United Academy).
While the Gunners set up for much of 2023 with a three-player backline, here they opted for four. Olympic answered the question of life post-Aitolu with a backline trio, opting for the versatility of Leah Carnegie on the bench as defensive cover. Bowman sat in front of the back three and had an eye-catching performance, not only effectively screening her backline but also providing quality balls to launch attacking moves.
Early possession was with Olympic and it wasn’t long before the corner kick stats started to mount in their favour. Despite this, the best early chance of note fell the way of the Gunners after 15 minutes, with Denton’s set piece from just outside the Olympic area touched by Janet King, away from Darby Whiteley’s advance.
Not long after, Olympic centre-back Ally Cook succumbed to knee instability, replaced by Carnegie.
15-year-old Madison Cachia helped to spark Olympic’s campaign in the second half of 2023, and the combination of youthful willingness to take a shot tempered with tekkers and football nous usually seen on older shoulders was once again on display. Nicole Jalocha’s ball forward eluded a defender to find Cachia, who streamed into the box and calmly sidefooted past Matilde Laurel Tighe in goals for the lead in the 26th minute.
Gungahlin was often back in numbers by necessity, especially with Bessie Riethmuller and Tianah Miro rotating positions to keep things interesting. Martens, however, proved to be a useful target for the black and white stripes, especially when Nat De Marco was able to support from an attacking midfield role. These two would prove to be Gungahlin’s main attacking outlets, alongside Whiteley’s ability to find space down the left. There were few such opportunities for Erika Pennyfield on the right, who had plenty to contend with in the form of Olympic captain Victoria Jamieson getting forward from left back whenever possible.
Jamieson grew into the game nicely and won her club’s player-of-the-match award. Her tenacity in the Gungahlin box in the second half was responsible for teeing up Jalocha’s fiercely-driven shot to make the scoreline 2-0. Tighe, who otherwise had a fine full 1st Grade debut, made a distribution error in the leadup to the goal.
While Gungahlin are known for their passing game, their ability to string them together in the face of this opposition was hampered. There was a moment in the second half when that enjoyable familiarity returned, however, as five passes via both De Marco sisters ended up with Whiteley in space on the left.
The coaches rang in the subs during the last half hour as the game became more open. Denton’s free-kick from inside her own half in stoppage time found the Olympic defence napping and the ball at Ginger Oliver’s feet, thanks to a feint from Nat De Marco. Oliver made no mistake to score a tidy consolation goal.
Olympic was good value for their 2-1 win in an entertaining first hit-out for both teams. Some questions were answered and there are positives to reflect upon, but as can be expected for Round 1, there is also food for thought on the training paddock over the coming week.
>>> Full match timeline and team line-ups can be found here <<<
Final score:
Gungahlin United 1 (Ginger Oliver 91′)
Canberra Olympic 2 (Madison Cachia 26′, Nicole Jalocha 64′)
Around The Grounds:
Ladder:
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