2023 NSW NPL Women’s premiers and club champions APIA Leichhardt has claimed the club’s first-ever treble, defeating Northern Tigers 2-1 to win the inaugural Sapphire Cup at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday afternoon.
First-half goals to Melbourne City A-League Women’s teammates Holly McNamara and Rhianna Pollicina gave the locals the upper hand at half-time, before Caitlin Doeglas finished off a mazy Hannah McNulty run shortly after the break to keep Northern Tigers in the contest until the end.
Playing under sunny skies at the Eighth Wonder of the World, Tigers wasted no time in pushing forward, executing a training-ground kick-off routine to perfection, only for APIA goalkeeper Sophie Magus to execute a sharp save from Beth Bernardi after just four seconds of play.
That early sighting of goal for Tigers turned out to be the side’s best chance of the opening quarter-hour, unable to play through APIA’s press with any success and resorting to quick transition, though these attacking forays were no trouble to Magus and her defensive cohort.
And it was a member of that defensive cohort, left-back Claudia Cicco, whose well-directed long pass over the Tigers midfield after 15 minutes picked out McNamara making a run in behind her defender, before the young Matildas flyer cut back onto her right foot and drilled a low effort inside the bottom corner, despite the best efforts of Tigers glovewoman Jodie Drever.
Just 12 minutes later, McNamara was instrumental in APIA’s second of the afternoon, winning possession in midfield after a well-timed Tash Prior challenge before driving towards goal and feeding Pollicina in space, with the APIA number 10 powering her shot across Drever and inside the far bottom corner to double her side’s advantage.
Tigers had a golden opportunity to claw a goal back eight minute before half-time after New Zealand midfielder Te Reremoana Walker cut through the APIA midfield in transition and played a wonderful through-ball to Claudia Cholakian, but Magus was aware to the danger and pressured the Armenian international into putting her effort wide.
Nevertheless, the side from North Turramurra wouldn’t have to wait long after half-time to open its account – and what a way to open that account it was. Collecting possession on halfway, captain McNulty sprinted through the APIA midfield and beyond centre-backs Annabelle Daczko and Charlotte Young, forcing Magus to parry her searing shot into the path of Doeglas for the easiest of finishes.
Moments later, APIA were inches away from re-establishing a two-goal buffer as Pollicina found space in the Tigers 18-yard box, providing a perfect square pass to Cicco for what should have been the easiest of finishes, only for right-back Josie Wilson to seemingly descend from the clouds and rob the locals of a third goal.
Tigers would have their best chance of an equaliser 15 minutes from full-time as Cholakian controlled a bouncing ball – with too high a foot for many APIA-adjacent observers – before rifling a low cross towards the penalty spot and McNulty, whose leaning shot forced a reflex save from Magus before the APIA goalkeeper collected a weak second effort.
APIA Leichhardt 2 (Holly McNamara 16′ Rhianna Pollicina 28′)
Northern Tigers 1 (Caitlin Doeglas 48′)
APIA Leichhardt: Sophie Magus; Claudia Cicco, Charlotte Young (Gisella Pipino 79′), Annabelle Daczko, Tanya Borazio; Estelle Fragale, Natasha Prior, Rhianna Pollicina; Holly McNamara, Sophie Hoban (Isabella Coco-di Sipio 79′), Ashlie Crofts (Isabella Habuda 61′).
Unused subs: Kaitlin Kiparizov, Emilija Vidaković.
Cautions: Cicco 44′.
Northern Tigers: Jodie Drever; Ariella Cabezas, Jessica Wharepouri, Teal Kilbride, Josie Wilson; Te Reremoana Walker, Beth Bernardi (Olivia Cartwright 82′), Hannah McNulty; Caitlin Doeglas (Saba Murray 75′), Claudia Cholakian, Lily McMahon.
Unused subs: Chloe Tseros, Tara Watson, Jasmine Meli.
Cautions: Walker 48′, Doeglas 63′, Wharepouri 74′, Bernardi 80′, McNulty 90’+2.
