With the SA NPLW taking a break, this week’s action centred on the Quarter-Finals of the NPLW & WSL Cup.
First up on Friday night was the clash between in-form NPLW side Adelaide City and Football SA NTC Reserves at Adelaide City Park. The young reserves from the NTC put in a massive shift before going down 1-0 to City thanks to a goal three minutes from half-time by Daniela Di Bartolo.
The remaining three ties all took place on Sunday, with the score lines wfar more comprehensive. The tie between Fulham United and Salisbury Inter went to form as Fulham, still searching for their first NPLW win of the season, were handed a comprehensive 5-0 defeat. The writing was on the wall as early as the third minute when Chilean star Cote Rojas put Inter ahead with the first of her customary goals. Fulham stemmed the flow for the next half hour before Mina Nishitani doubled the black and blue’s lead. Emily Condon made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time. Two goals in four minutes in the second half sealed the deal for Salisbury Inter with Chantelle Ryder and Cote Rojas on target.
Metro United, finally hitting some form after a tough start to their NPLW title defence, made the semi-finals after a 4-1 win away to WSL outfit Flinders Flames. However, Metro far from had it their own way. The Flames took an early lead thanks to a penalty from Sarah Denton after nine minutes. Roxanne Dodd leveled after 21 minutes and the sides went into the sheds level. Chanel Todino put Metro ahead four minutes into the second half and they never looked back with Dodd and Laura Stockdale adding further strikes.
Adelaide Comets took the final place in the last four with a 3-0 win away to WSL side Modbury Vista at Newspot Stadium. Valeria Gujardo’s eighth-minute strike was added to by a second-half penalty from Nicole Robertson. Nanako Sasaki completed the scoring with three minutes left.
