It’s hard to believe we have witnessed the final round of the 2025 Capital Football NPLW regular season; we arrived at O’Connor Enclosed for the game between third-placed Canberra Olympic and second-placed Canberra Croatia.
Other games from this round include:
Tuggeranong United vs Majura FC (full stream)
Belconnen United vs West Canberra Wanderers (full stream)
Gungahlin United had the bye
For an alternate review of the round, check out the Capital Football article from Sam Watson.
Match of the Round: Canberra Olympic vs Canberra Croatia
Catch-up results in the lead-up to the final round found both teams in unassailable ladder positions, with visitors Canberra Croatia in second place and Canberra Olympic in third. The match was therefore something of a dead rubber, but it proved to be as tightly contested as their previous outings this season.
Each coach went into the game with differing approaches regarding the starting line-ups; Olympic’s Frank Cachia went with what looks to be close to his starting eleven, while Musie Elongo chose to bench several of his regular starters (including captain Brittany Palombi and vice-captain Jamie Berkeley) and restrict minutes for other starters (April Hill and Michaela Thornton).
There were early touches for both keepers, and corners were also shared between the teams in the first half hour, but rhythm was proving elusive around the park. Reilly Yuen coming on for Hill as striker after 30 minutes gave the Olympic defence something different to handle, with Yuen keen to test Janet King from either wide or centrally.
Olympic set-piece taker Corinne Denton changed the game for her side just before half-time, delivering a pinpoint free kick to Tatum Mazis on the right side of the goal six yards out. Mazis touched it centrally for Tianah Miro, who blasted the ball into the roof of Ellie Summers’ net, a moment of quality in a somewhat untidy half.
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Undoubtedly spurred on by their coaches in the sheds, the teams entered the second half with new resolve. Olympic switched out captain Katrina Peric for Nicole Kaleb (nee Jalocha), pushing Liana Alves into the defensive line, and Jane Vanzino into her accustomed holding midfield role. Bella Barac replaced Michaela Thornton for the visitors.
The second stanza was a far more entertaining affair, despite there being no further goals. Riley McQueenie, Yuen, and Saskia Newman were all on the hunt early on for Canberra Croatia, with Olympic winger Sienna Birnie also coming alive and testing the CCFC defensive line and keeper King with her movement both down the line and into the box. As in recent weeks, Tayla Hampson began making more overlapping runs from right back. She must have been close to Olympic’s player of the match in recent outings, so it was fitting that the title was finally bestowed upon her for this one after the game.
As the teams emptied their benches, second-half momentum was primarily with Canberra Croatia until the final 15 minutes of the match. King barely pushed away Newman’s terrific left-footed effort from outside the Olympic box on the hour, while Yuen’s 25-yard rocket five minutes later scorched through King’s hands and onto the crossbar.
Ella Brown coming into the Olympic forward line for centre-back Denton signalled another shift in the game as the home side switched to a back three. Suddenly, it was Madison Cachia and substitute Olivia Gurney testing Summers out, with Vanzino also beating the keeper in the 88th minute, but not the crossbar.
At the other end, Yuen never lost her attacking focus, rampaging into the Olympic box a minute later only to be denied by an exemplary tackle from substitute Nikita Perry, who had endured several bruising challenges since coming on.
The game finished in a 1-0 victory to the home side, the second half a fine curtain raiser to the two semi-finals at McKellar Park next Sunday, when both teams will take on other top four opponents (see below). Canberra Croatia will be looking to qualify for the grand final against the undefeated Blue Devils, while Canberra Olympic will be playing in an elimination final against Gungahlin United.
>>> Full match timeline and team line-ups can be found here <<<
Final score:
Canberra Olympic 1 (Tianah Miro 45′)
Canberra Croatia 0
Around The Grounds:
Tuggeranong United 1-7 Majura FC
Belconnen United 5-0 West Canberra Wanderers
Ladder:
Next up: Finals week 1
