Monaro Panthers 1 (Meuronen 5’) def. by Canberra FC 4 (Jones 5’, 66’, 28’, Churchill 8’)

Canberra FC rebounded from their first week loss to Tuggeranong United with an emphatic win over Monaro at the Riverside Stadium on Sunday morning. Alicia Meuronen opened the scoring after just five minutes to put Panthers in the lead, but were pegged back almost immediately as Chantel Jones netted her first goal.

 

Alice Churchill put Canberra FC into the lead just three minutes later as the match began in a flurry of goals and Monaro struggled to keep up. Jones doubled the advantage after 28 minutes as FC held the weight of possession and they went into the break leading 3-1. The second half was a controlled affair as Panthers looked to fight their way back into the match, however the visitors sealed the win in the 66^th minute as Jones completed her hat-trick.

 

Tuggeranong United 1 (Ilheo 47’) def. Belconnen United 0

Tuggeranong United claimed the shock of the round as they knocked off reigning Premiers Belconnen United by a single goal at Kambah. Adriana Ilheo’s goal just moments into the second half was enough to seal the win as Belconnen controlled the weight of possession.

 

Belconnen struck the crossbar as they pushed for a goal of their own but were unable to make it count in the final third on a testing afternoon on the Southside. Tuggeranong’s win continued their strong start to the season following last weekend’s 4-2 defeat of Canberra FC at Woden Park and they now sit second on the league table.

 

 

Gungahlin United 3 (B. Palombi 32’, A. Palombi 85’, Whiteley 82’) def. Woden-Weston FC 0

Match Report by Mitchell Keenan

 

The Match of the Round for round two of the Playstation 4 National Premier League Women’s was a physical battle at Gungahlin Enclosed, as Gungahlin United and Woden Weston were both hungry for their first points of the season, but a first half goal and two second-half strikes gave the home side the all-important three points.

 

The game was played at a high tempo from the get-go, with the dangerous sister pairing Brittany and Ashleigh Palombi creating a string of early chances, but neither providing the final touch. 

 

Woden Weston looked fit and well prepared, and their fast paced pressing game caused some nervy moments for the home side, as Cassia McGlashan skewed a pair of chances around the 10th minute failing to give her side the advantage.

 

The first goal came for the home side in the 31st minute, as Georgia Fogarty lofted a pin-point long ball to Brittany Palombi, who made the most of the space and placed the ball past the goalkeeper with finesse to open her account for the season.

 

Woden Weston started the second half with intent, playing high up the field but exposing a number of gaps in the middle. Gungahlin created a number of chances, but it seemed an impossible task to beat Nat Lacey in the visiting side’s goals, as the goalkeeper made three vital close-range saves to keep her team well and truly in the game.

 

Tempers flared as both sides showed frustration in not being able to finish, with Gungahlin’s Sally Rojahn and substitute Ashlyn Garrity receiving yellow cards for lashing out at Woden Weston players.

 

Lacey was finally beaten in the 82nd minute, as Gungahlin’s Darby Whiteley pounced onto a wide free kick, volleying the ball home into the top left corner. All hope of a comeback was lost as Ashleigh Palombi joined her sister in opening her season tally, barrelling through the Woden Weston defence and slotting the ball inside the far post.

 

Gungahlin United will hope to carry their goal-scoring form into next weekend when they play at home once again against the Canberra United Academy who are coming off a huge 15-2 away win at Canberra Olympic.

Woden Weston will continue the search for their first points of the season, but a visit from the in-form Tuggeranong United could prove tough to handle for the home side. 

 

 

 

Canberra Olympic 2 (McCann 7’, Cameron 90’) def. by Canberra United Academy 15 (Genovesi 10’, 37’, 67’, 69’, 71’, 73’, 89’, Morgan 63’, 82’, 84’, 86’, Colvill 32’, 36’, Murphy 15’, 65’)

Canberra Olympic slumped to their second defeat of the NPLW season on Sunday as they were soundly beaten by the Canberra United Academy side. Olympic started brightly and took the lead after just seven minutes as Nat McCann raced onto a lofted through ball and calmly slotted into the net to give the home side the advantage. However the Academy side soon found the ascendancy as Jasmine Genovesi brought them back on level terms after 10 minutes.

 

From their it was all the visitors as Genovesi scored six more of her own, Sarah Morgan added four, and Aiofe Colvill and Gemma Murphy both claimed braces. Olympic grabbed another goal back at the death after a foul in the penalty area, and Jen Cameron calmly slotted the ball into the top corner to finish off the match.