Amazingly, we are now in the back end of the shortened 2020 Capital Football NPLW1 competition, so every goal and point counts. Round 5 games this week included:

Gungahlin United vs Tuggeranong United (Beyond 90’s match of the round)
Canberra Croatia FC vs Canberra United Academy
Wagga City vs Monaro Panthers
Woden-Weston FC vs Belconnen United

Match of the Round: Gungahlin United v Tuggeranong United

Gungahlin United came into this game flying high off the back of an enthralling 1-1 draw with Belconnen United. Meanwhile, Tuggeranong United regrouped off a bye round and were looking forward to their first outing with newly signed Canberra United player Emma Stanbury, who was to take her place in central midfield for this game.

When Tuggeranong United coach Michael Aldred spoke to Beyond 90 during the week, he stated that his young team can go with the best teams in the competition for periods, and that the aim is to be more consistent in playing at that higher level. He would have been pleased with what he saw in the first half here, as his team maintained discipline in dealing with the movement, short passing game, and recycling abilities of the Gunners. Defenders Steph Coates and 14 year old Ann-Marie Symss were especially noteworthy in the Tuggeranong defence at this time, and Stanbury was energetic both in closing down threats and spurring her team-mates on. Possession went largely the way of a patient home side in the first half but Tuggeranong were not without their attacking moments, having several half chances in the first half hour. However, Gungahlin gained the attacking ascendancy thereafter.

The teams entered the sheds 0-0 at half time. Ayla Robertson came on for Dhiaan Sidhu in the Gungahlin backline as they returned, and Chloe Daisley replaced Ann-Marie Symss in the Tuggeranong defence.

The Gunners have many attacking threats at their disposal but as is often the case, it was the incisive passing of Stella De Marco, plus the ability to shoot with power and accuracy from range of Elke Aitolu, which opened the game up for the home side in the second half.

Two minutes after the break Tianah Miro ran onto a threaded De Marco pass into the Tuggeranong box, sliding the ball under keeper Bella Sanzari for the first goal of the game.

The Gunners began to turn the screws on their opponents, with the pressure becoming relentless, especially down either flank. Not only were wide midfielders Stefi Lejins and Erika Pennyfield able to play high for much of the half, often resembling wingers, but wingbacks Alex Paterson – who looks to be back in her 2019 form – and Brigitte Sander were also able to regularly bomb on while their teammates dropped back to cover for them.

Just on the hour the lead was doubled as Gunners midfielder Rachael Corbett powerfully headed down Erika Pennyfield’s corner. The ball deflected off the head of a Tuggeranong defender and past the scrambling Sanzari for the second goal.

The 81st to 84th minute saw an entertaining broken play ‘long range shot’ duel. Tuggeranong’s Sarah Daisley first tested Gungahlin keeper Tonini from 30 yards out, and Aitolu then received a wall pass from Jade Brown three minutes later, chipping Sanzari from 25 yards for the third Gungahlin goal.

To their credit, Tuggeranong maintained their shape and effort throughout the game. The beginnings of an attacking partnership between Stanbury as a number 10 and centre forward Madeleine Magee were in evidence today, with an isolated centre forward so often an issue in the last few years for Tuggeranong United NPLW1 sides.

It was therefore pleasing to see some reward for Tuggeranong’s effort at the end of the game, as substitute forward Sophie Bui headed in Stanbury’s corner on 91 minutes to make it 3-1 to Gungahlin United.

Gungahlin United coach Diego Iglesias was reflective after the game.

“It was one of those games where Tuggeranong held their shape and kept fighting. We had to be patient, and keep playing footy, and that was the message at half-time: keep playing footy, keep getting the ball in dangerous spots, and be better in that final third, and sooner or later it’ll come.

“We had a plan to spread them as far as we could today, to get the midfield high and wide and into spaces for the girls to operate in.”

With respect to the run home into finals, Iglesias said it was now important to keep the players fit and to rotate players with an eye to the endgame in a few weeks.

“I’m asking girls to play in different positions because I’m mindful of the load and the need to reset and start pushing for finals. I’m confident that whoever I roll on can do that job; they all understand what’s expected of each position. I keep telling them that if I take you off at half-time, I know that your replacement is going to do just as good a job. That’s squad football.”

He was also pleased with the capacity of his team to win games in the second half as a good sign moving forward.

Aldred also found positives out of his team’s performance today.

“To think we were playing the top of the table side, we played pretty well. The first half we matched them well and there were a couple of half chances which – if they’d gone our way – would have seen the momentum shift. In the second half unfortunately we fell a little bit short, and that’s the difference between being the top of the league and the bottom: being able to play 90 minutes.

“The message at half-time was ‘We don’t concede in the first 5 or 10 minutes’, but we did that and then we’re playing catch-up against a really good side.

“But I thought we competed well, we passed the ball well; there’s some young players in our side, and yes, we showed improvement.”

He was also pleased with how the team maintained their shape and their effort throughout.

“We changed our shape after 15 minutes in the second half, we went to 4-2-3-1 from a 4-4-2, just to give Emma a little more freedom as the 10. She’s that little bit of quality we sometimes miss. We didn’t get the ball to her as much as we would have liked, but we always try to be well structured and have the players giving everything to the team.

“We gave the top of the league a good game today and they will know they have played, and have had to play well to beat us.”

Final score:

Gungahlin United 3 (Miro 47′, Corbett 60′, Aitolu 84′)

Tuggeranong United 1 (Bui 90+1′)

Teams:

Gungahlin United – Coach: Diego Iglesias

Kailey Tonini (c), Brigitte Sander, Dhiaan Sidhu, Maddie Perceval, Alex Paterson, Stefi Lejins, Stella De Marco, Tianah Miro, Rachael Corbett, Elke Aitolu, Erika Pennyfield
Subs: Sophie Spice, Ella-Rose Brown (68′ => Lejins), Jade Brown (68′ => Miro), Ayla Robertson (45′ => Sidhu), Ruby Gambale (80′ => Sander)

Yellow cards: 74′ Jade Brown

Tuggeranong United – Coach: Michael Aldred

Bella Sanzari, Ann-Marie Symss, Steph Coates (c), Lara Mustaine, Alyssa Bozinovska, Rhiannon Daisley, Emma Stanbury, Sofia Furlanetto, Sarah Daisley, Jacqui Freeman, Madeleine Magee
Subs:  Sophie Bui (84′ => Magee), Frances Christoudolou, Chloe Daisley (45′ => Symss), Ariadne Stergiou 

Yellow cards: Nil

Around The Grounds:

Canberra Croatia 3 – 1 Canberra United Academy

Wagga City 5 – 1 Monaro Panthers

Woden-Weston FC 0 – 7 Belconnen United FC

Canberra Olympic – bye

Round 6 fixtures can be viewed here.

Ladder:

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