Tuggeranong United v Canberra FC – Kambah 2-1 – Sunday 2pm

Tuggeranong United will aim for a third win over Canberra FC this season when they meet at Kambah on Sunday afternoon. United were handed an easy three points two weeks ago when they were forfeited to by Monaro, and will come in off a two weekend break as a result. Those three points helped Tuggies to jump within five points of the top four, and they face a fellow finals rival here in this matchup. With no real danger of them dropping further down the table it is time for Tuggeranong to go for broke as the league enters the final cycle of matchups. With a tough game against Belconnen United up next weekend this clash could prove to be important in gaining momentum heading towards the end of the season.

For Canberra FC, a seven-goal thriller in their last outing saw them come away with a 4-3 win over Gungahlin United, and jump five points clear of fifth place. Mark Risteski’s side will need to buck the trend of this season however, and knock over Tuggeranong United for the first time. A combined margin of 7-2 across their two matches this season has seen them falter where they may have expected to win, and Risteski will be looking to change that with a fully fit squad that was largely not available earlier in the season.

 

Canberra Olympic v Monaro Panthers – O’Connor Enclosed – Sunday 2pm

Canberra Olympic have the chance to even up their season series against the Monaro Panthers when they host at O’Connor on Sunday. Having lost narrowly in the opening round before drawing with Monaro in Round 8, Olympic can pull one of their own back this week. Despite being yet to win a game this season Rob Scott’s side have consistently improved throughout the year, demonstrated most emphatically a few weeks ago as they lost only narrowly to Belconnen United. They do come into this match on the back of a cup loss however but will be eager to put that in the backs of their minds.

For Monaro, they come into this match having given up 14 goals in their past three matches, but will look to tighten up against an Olympic side that has scored just 11 goals so far, two less than Monaro. Like Tuggeranong, the Panthers have now had two weekends off following the forfeit and the Kanga Cup break and will be well-rested and likely fully fit here. Forward Zoe Szeremet has scored seven of Monaro’s goals so far this season and will likely prove to be a handful for the hosts with her pace and finishing ability, and could well be the difference maker with a strong performance in a tight matchup.

 

Belconnen United v Gungahlin United – AIS Grass 3 – Sunday 3pm

It’s a heavyweight matchup at the AIS on Sunday as Belconnen United host Gungahlin in a 1^st v 2^nd clash. A win here could put Belconnen 15 points ahead of their visitors, an essentially unassailable lead with 18 points on offer after this round, but the hosts cannot get ahead of themselves. While Belconnen have won both contests between the two this season they have been tightly contested affairs, and Antoni Jagarinec may lend one eye to the upcoming cup fixture against Gungahlin with his team selection. This matchup will be a great barometer for where both sides are at heading towards the pointy end of this season.

For Gungahlin, this match presents a big opportunity to almost secure a top four spot with six games remaining afterwards. They come in off the back of a narrow loss to Canberra FC in a thriller in their last outing, but will be full of confidence coming up against an opponent they know can be beaten. Gungahlin have the second best defence in the league behind Belconnen, although by a fair margin, and will need to be wary of the Chloe Callaghan-Maddy Whittall tandem that was produced 39 goals so far. As with Belconnen, Diego Iglesias may look towards the midweek cup fixture, but with the potential to go a long way towards securing top four, expect a strong team to run out here.

  

Canberra United Academy v Woden-Weston FC – Hawker Synthetic – Sunday 4pm

The final match this weekend sees Woden-Weston looking to jump back into the top four when they face the Academy at Hawker. Sitting three points behind the Academy currently, a win here would jump them into equal fourth on points but still behind on goal difference. With Tuggeranong only two points behind to start the round a win becomes even more vital and Diego Elmoudawar’s side will also be wary of the cup fixture against the Academy coming up during the week. A win in their last outing broke a three match winless streak and the Wanderers will be hoping that they can bring some momentum into this matchup.

For the Academy a humbling loss at the hands of Belconnen United in Round 14 was the second such this season, but they will carry confidence here after a 6-0 thumping of Canberra Olympic in their cup match on Thursday night. The young and fast side will relish a return to the synthetic at Hawker, and look to move the ball quickly ahead of their opponents. If the Academy can impose their style on this match then they stand a good chance of winning, but must make sure they do not open themselves up at the back. The last time these sides met saw a 3-2 win for the Wanderers after a blistering start put them ahead, and the opening stanza here will be vital for both teams.