SA NPLW Wrap Round 19

Match of the Round: FOOTBALL SA NTC v ADELAIDE CITY:

Two of the league’s finals contenders faced off at VALO Football Centre on Friday night, both aiming for a big three points.

Last week, NTC edged out Uni in a gritty 1-0 victory thanks to Ella Tonkin’s powerful first half header, a result that saw them slash the deficit to Metro and the top four to a solitary point with three rounds to go.

Meanwhile, the Black and Whites took a significant step towards securing finals football for 2021 as they eased to a 3-0 victory over Metro in a Grand Final rematch, with Daniela Di Bartolo’s clever finish from a tight angle the highlight of a good night for City.

It was Adelaide City who took the lead when Isabel Hodgson’s corner from the right saw Matilda McNamara rise highest to head home with 11 minutes played. Shortly afterward, City doubled their advantage with a carbon copy of their opener, this time Isobel Dahlen-Flight heading in from Hodgson’s corner.

The busy opening to the game continued as NTC pulled a goal back with 26 minutes on the clock, Camila Madriz Figueroa dispossessing City and comfortably slotting home.

Yet there was another unfortunate development down the right for NTC within five minutes when, from a City throw, Tiarn Powell’s ball in could only be deflected into her own net by Zoe Tolland, City going 3-1 up.

Six minutes into the second half, NTC grabbed another lifeline when loose passing within their own box by Adelaide City saw them lose possession and when the ball was squared across the area, NTC’s Lily di Cola couldn’t miss. Try as they might, NTC couldn’t grab the equaliser.

NTC now face a massive clash with Metro United this weekend knowing that whoever takes the three points will almost certainly confirm their place in the top four.

FULHAM UNITED v SALISBURY INTER:

Round 19 kicked off under the lights at VALO with bottom of the table Fulham taking on a dominant Inter outfit who have reclaimed top spot.

Fulham endured another tough defeat last weekend, this time a 3-0 loss at the hands of Adelaide Comets, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the ladder and with consecutive losses after impressive back-to-back wins.

Inter have started to hit imperious form. They backed up their 4-1 thumping of West with a 5-0 demolition of Uni in mid-week, where Mina Nishitani’s long-range free kick, plus excellent strikes by Emily Condon and Erin Hood, capped a five-star performance.

Put simply, in this game Fulham couldn’t cope with Salisbury Inter’s rampant form as they extended their goal-scoring run to fourteen in three games with a 5-0 win.

Mina Nishitani put them ahead just before the half-hour mark when her free kick from around 25 yards slipped through the grasp of Fulham keeper Natalie Hayman.

Five minutes before the break another free kick saw Inter double their lead. Emily Condon curled in the set piece from the left-hand side and Nicole Calder headed home.

With 57 minutes played, a sweeping move saw the ball eventually find Erin Hood on the left-hand side of the box and she lofted an effort into the net. It was 4-0 with three minutes remaining when Cote Rojas and Hood combined brilliantly on the edge of the box to play in Condon, who side-footed home.

There was still time for Rojas to score her customary strike 90 seconds later when she was played through, gently hitting the ball over the onrushing Hayman to complete the rout.

ADELAIDE COMETS v ADELAIDE UNIVERSITY:

There was plenty on the line for the hosts with finals still on Adelaide Comets’ minds, as they took on Adelaide University looking for an important win.

Comets inched closer to the top four with a big 3-0 victory over Fulham last time out. Skipper Valeria Guajardo’s outside of the boot flick into the corner paired nicely with both her and Nanako Sasaki’s thumping finishes as the Comets moved within five points of Metro.

Uni, meanwhile, have endured a tough week: they were narrowly beaten at the weekend by NTC in a match that finished 1-0 and were thrashed 5-0 by Inter in mid-week, preventing them from increasing their points advantage on fellow cellar-dwellers Fulham.

It took 70 minutes for the first goal to arrive and it went Comets’ way. Pirrie Weeks’ corner from the right was headed back across the box for Nicole Robertson to nod home.

With seven minutes left, Valeria Guajardo continued her recent fine goal-scoring run after she was played in, ran into the box, turned her marker and shot home Comets’ winner. Comets still have a shot at a finals berth, but face a stiff challenge in their penultimate regular-season game against Salisbury Inter this weekend.

WEST ADELAIDE v METRO UNITED:

The newly ousted former leaders went into their clash against Metro United with a point to prove against a side in the midst of a heated battle for finals football.

Last weekend was one to forget for West as they were torn apart by Inter in a 4-1 loss that, combined with their rivals’ win in mid-week, saw their six-point lead at the top of the table evaporate.

Metro saw their grip on a spot in the top four loosen last weekend as they lost 3-0 to City which, coupled with NTC’s victory, means they only sit one point ahead of the chasing pack in the bottom half.

West took the lead with 33 minutes played when Laura Johns scored after running onto an outstanding ball which dissected the Metro defence. Nicole Tilley sealed the win ten minutes into the second half after receiving the ball on the left, taking it past Metro keeper Melanie Comyns and slotting home from an acute angle.

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