
Temperatures plummeted during Capital Football‘s Round 6 NPLW fixtures, but we were glad to take our first in-person look at Tuggeranong United and Canberra Croatia this season at Kambah 2 on the occasion of local legend Brittany Palombi‘s 200th NPL match.
Other games from this round include:
Canberra Olympic vs ANU WFC (full stream)
Majura FC vs Belconnen United (full stream)
West Canberra Wanderers vs Gungahlin United (full stream)
For an alternate review of the round, check out the Capital Football article from Sam Watson.
Recommended reading: Capital Football’s 2025 NPLW season preview
Match of the Round: Tuggeranong United vs Canberra Croatia
New coaches are steering the course of both clubs in 2025. Ian Toms is guiding Tuggeranong United in 2025, with one of his challenges covering the loss of 2024 goalkeeper Emily Pearce in an otherwise largely recognisable squad, hoping to build upon the rapport built between players in 2024.
Musie Elongo has the Canberra Croatia role, with plenty of experience by his side in Nik Brozinic, who steered the team through a period of success in 2020 and 2021. Indeed, Elongo’s squad has a level of depth not seen since then. Three years ago, Michaela Thornton heralded a Canberra Olympic rebuild which they are still benefiting from today, and her move to Deakin has the red and white faithful dreaming of history repeating itself.

Ex-Canberra United player Ellie Raymond, currently coming back from a niggle, also joins the squad, as do Latisha and Angelina Babic from ANU WFC and Luella Coleman from the Blue Devils. Sofia Merkoureas last played in the NSW competition for APIA and Gladesville, a welcome defensive addition alongside Coleman, as is ex-Junior and Young Matilda Hannah Bourke, also recovering from injury. Attacker Arusha Chew was unavailable for this game after featuring in the early rounds.
Maja Dodt donned the keeper’s gloves for the home side. Tested early by an attack-minded opposition, Dodt stood tall and accounted for herself well through the contest, one of her team’s best for the afternoon. Managing to deal with a one-on-one with Bella Barac in the 4th minute, she could do nothing about Rylie McQueenie’s follow-up.

It wasn’t long before McQueenie bagged her second, after Thornton won the ball in midfield and toed it through for the winger to steer around Dodt and into an open net.

To Tuggeranong’s credit, they showed resilience in continuing to compete and not dropping their heads. Fullback Jessica Mitchell did well in the 13th minute to block McQueenie’s attempt after a tidy backline passing move out of pressure culminated in a Canberra Croatia attack.
There is evidence of a nice defensive midfield partnership forming between Thornton and Latisha Babic for CCFC, their stylistic differences complementing one another well. Jamie Berkeley was deployed here as more of an attacking midfield outlet behind Bella Barac. The right-flank pairing of EJ Norris and Nadia Zakman also makes for great viewing, each rotating with the other regularly, even if it was McQueenie on the left flank who was able to find more space in this game. This was no doubt in part due to Tuggeranong captain Casey Smith’s defensive tenacity at left back.

It would, however, be the impressive pressing capabilities of Tuggeranong’s Mollie Jonsson in midfield and left winger Acacia Argento that would see reward for effort and Tuggeranong hitting back for a 2-1 scoreline in the 18th minute. Pouncing on a ball from defence intended for a Canberra Croatia midfielder, Jonsson’s first-time effort eluded goalkeeper Ellie Summers for the home side’s fifth goal of the campaign. Jonsson and Argento would continue to be thorns in the visitors’ defensive sides and their attempts to play the ball out.

Right winger Lena Christopherson is a palpable physical presence with her speed and power, always a willing recipient for Mitchell and company’s through balls, as several Tuggeranong right-sided corners attest to.
Canberra Croatia would find their attacking efforts consistently thwarted by offside flags due to Tuggeranong’s defensive high line, and the teams went into the halftime sheds at 2-1 to Canberra Croatia.

There would be no further goals scored in this game, even after 200-gamer Brittany Palombi and her trusty left foot took to the field for Canberra Croatia with 24 minutes remaining. The second stanza was mostly played in the Tuggeranong half, and their defensive and midfield tenacity is something they can look back on with pride after the game. Smith found herself with an early opportunity in the CCFC box thanks to a Jonsson through ball, but was expertly shepherded by Merkoureas out of danger. Berkeley threatened Dodt’s goals on several occasions, hitting the crossbar in the 72nd minute from distance.

A far more entertaining match than perhaps their ladder positions indicated before the game, there is much to be taken out of this contest for both sides. The depth of the Canberra Croatia squad hints at the promise to come, especially when all their troops are available.
(Postscript: Canberra Croatia defeated Gungahlin United 2-1 on Tuesday night in their Round 1 catch-up game, sending CCFC into outright second place on the ladder, with the Gunners now fourth. Both Hannah Bourke and Ellie Raymond took part.)
Toms will be delighted at the consistent effort from his charges, and will perhaps look back on their efforts in this narrow loss against top-two opposition as motivational fuel in the rounds to come.
>>> Full match timeline and team line-ups can be found here <<<
Final score:
Tuggeranong United 1 (Mollie Jonsson 18′)
Canberra Croatia 2 (Riley McQueenie 4′, 5′)
Around The Grounds:
Canberra Olympic 5-0 ANU WFC
Majura FC 0-8 Belconnen United
West Canberra Wanderers 1-1 Gungahlin United
Midweek Federation Cup semi-final: Belconnen United 3-2 Canberra Olympic
The Blue Devils will meet Canberra Croatia in the Federation Cup final on Saturday, June 7th at McKellar Park.
Ladder: