Hyundai NTC lifted the 2023 WA State Cup on Saturday after a dominant display to beat MUM FC 6-1 in wintry conditions.
The new State Football Centre hosted its first-ever competitive women’s football match, and given that it has been built to encourage the development of new talent, it was apt that the two teams in the final contained some of the most exciting young female talent in WA.
The game was less than two minutes old when the first goal was scored, with NTC’s Louise Tana applying the finishing touch to some excellent wing play by Emily Garnett. Even at this early stage, this was going to make a difficult task for MUM FC even more challenging, but they thought they would level the scores when, in the 18th minute, Charli Wainwright was fouled in the box and the referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty.
Clara Hoarau stepped up to take the spot kick but it was too close to NTC keeper Lily Bailey, and she was able to push the ball away to safety to the obvious delight of her teammates and fans in the stand.
NTC nearly doubled their lead in the 20th minute when Tanika Lala forced a good save from Stacey Cavill in the MUM FC goal, but the reprieve was short-lived because, in the 24th minute, Tana turned provider to Garnett and her first-time left-foot shot was too hot to handle for Cavill to make the score 2-0.
MUM looked a little shell-shocked at this point as they just couldn’t keep the ball for any length of time but they were given a lifeline in the 28th minute when Jessica Johnson pulled one back for them. Picking the ball up deep inside her own half the young winger carried the ball into the NTC half where she then played the ball into Sophie Meaden. She took a couple of touches before feeding a clever ball into the penalty area for Johnson to run onto and she finished with real authority to make it 2-1.
Unfortunately for MUM, the goal did little to stem the tide of NTC possession who restored their two-goal advantage just three minutes later through Lala. She showed strength to initially win the ball just outside the MUM FC penalty area and then some nice footwork to work some space inside the box before hitting a right-foot shot into the net to leave Cavill with no chance and make the score 3-1.
The score remained at 3-1 until halftime, but NTC made it four in the 58th minute. A free kick was floated into the area and Cavill came for it but her punched clearance didn’t relieve the threat and instead left the ball bouncing around until Garnett lashed it home from close range for her second goal of the game.
The fifth goal arrived in the 75th minute when Lala burst down the right flank. Her cut-back cross was perfectly placed for Garnett to sweep high into the roof of the net to complete her hat trick.
The icing on the cake was supplied in the 80th minute. Mia Brittain fired in a dangerous cross from the right which Katy Schubert nearly sliced into her own net. Cavill saved smartly from the attempted clearance but the ball fell to Klaudia Houlis who made no mistake from inside the six-yard box to make the score 6-1.
The final whistle signalled the first silverware in the NPLW era for the NTC and also marked the end of the road for Georgia Cassidy, Lala and Garce Johnston at the NTC as they now move on to play for Perth Glory.
The player of the match and winner of the Sandra Brentnall Medal was Emily Garnett.
Goal Highlights from the State Cup Final.
