Elimination Final: ADELAIDE CITY v FOOTBALL SA NTC:
The first game of Friday night’s Finals double header at VALO Football Centre saw 2020 Premiers Adelaide City take on the talented youngsters from Football SA NTC.
City’s third-placed finish meant this was the first time they ended a regular season outside the top two since 2017. The NTC were impressive in 2021 and finished fourth, returning to the Finals after a two year absence.
This game marked the fourth meeting between the teams in 2021. Adelaide City defeated the NTC 3-2 in mid-September and 3-1 in late June, while there was a 1-1 draw in early May.
Both sides went into the match with poor form – City had only won two of their last eight games, marginally better than the NTC who had recorded two wins in their last nine outings.
The game was eventually settled by a single goal, just over a minute before the break. Sophie Leszczynski played a long, high ball into the box from inside her own half which bounced awkwardly between NTC defenders Zoe Tolland and Abbey Burns. With NTC keeper Elyshia Ogston also advancing to try and claim the ball, City’s Alana Fitzsimmons took a touch and rolled the ball into the far corner of the net, sending her team into the second week of the Finals.
Qualifying Final: SALISBURY INTER v WEST ADELAIDE:
The second game of the night saw a battle between two teams who have been head and shoulders above the rest of the competition this season, with 12 points separating them from the chasing pack. However, whilst Inter’s form was red hot going into the match, West have been going through their stickiest patch of the campaign.
Inter won the Premiership after five consecutive victories, scoring 25 goals in those games and only conceding four. West ended the campaign with one win from their last four, a run which saw them lose their lead at the top of the table and finish as runners-up, four points adrift of Inter.
Salisbury Inter have also had by far the best of their games against Hellas this season with two league wins (4-1 in early September and 2-1 in early June) and a 2-0 win in the WNPL & WSL Cup Round of 16, while the remaining match was a 1-1 league draw in early August.
The match went the way of the form book, with Inter chalking up another mighty haul of goals in the process.
It took just five minutes for the Premiers to go ahead when Emily Condon picked up the ball on the left and drove inside towards the box. An attempted pass came back off a Hellas defender into her path and Condon curled a lovely effort into the far right-hand side of the net.
Just four minutes later, it was 2-0 as Erin Murphy’s clearance kick fell to Dragana Kljajic around 30 yards out just to the left of centre. She played a lovely 1-2 with Cote Rojas before advancing further into the left-hand side of the box and squaring the ball back for Rojas to sweep home.
With seventeen minutes on the clock, the game already looked to have gotten away from West when Emily Heazlewood picked up possession on the far right-hand side and squeezed past Laura Johns. Heazlewood’s low ball in allowed Rojas to hit a glorious shot high into the net on the turn from around ten yards for her 26th goal of the season.
20 minutes later, Salisbury Inter struck again. Condon’s free-kick on the far right near the corner quadrant flew straight into the far left-hand side of the net despite the best efforts of Emily Hodgson.
Amazingly, there was still enough time remaining in the first half for things to get even better for Inter. Kljajic combined with Rojas again in the centre of the field. As Kljajic advanced further, she was initially dispossessed by Elena Psaroulis, but the ball then found its way back to Kljajic after a minor muddle on the edge of the box and she made no mistake, extending Inter’s halftime lead to an incredible five goals to nil.
Ten minutes into the second half, the Premiers made it six as a corner came in from the left and Anna Pritchard got up highest amongst the massed ranks at the near post to flick a back header into the net.
Shortly afterward, West finally got on the scoresheet. Georgia Macri collected Hodgson’s pass and played a ball from the right for Christie Hillyer to volley home – but it was far too little too late.
Salisbury Inter now advance to the Grand Final in a fortnight’s time. West Adelaide must pick themselves up and attempt to end a slump of form which has come at the worst possible time. They face Adelaide City on Friday night at VALO Football Centre for the right to challenge Inter in the decider.
