Thursday 5th May
Canberra FC 2 (Emma Bestek 67’, Kate Thornton 73’) Woden-Weston FC 3 (Sarah Crittenden 32’, Karen Clarke 45’, Paula Van Dommelen 51’)
(Deakin Stadium)
Woden-Weston FC started their Federation Cup campaign with a 3-2 win over Canberra FC at Deakin Stadium on Thursday evening. The result was a first defeat of the season for Canberra FC and gives Woden-Weston FC the early advantage in the race for a place in the Cup Final later this year with what could be three very valuable points. FC made them work for the win though fighting back from 3-0 down to very nearly steal a share of the points close to the end.
The visiting team got off to a bright start although it was Canberra FC who created the better chances with Club Pink Player of the Month, Woden-Weston FC goalkeeper Georgia Boric, showing just why she was voted that award with a series of stunning saves to deny the FC frontline. And Woden-Weston would take advantage of that by sneaking into the lead in the 32nd minute as the experienced Sarah Crittenden opened the scoring.
They would get a killer second right on the half-time whistle as well. Karen Clarke found the room to score the crucial goal which gave the Woden-Weston FC squad a 2-0 half-time lead and the momentum, and self-belief to carry on and get the result in the second stanza. Starting the second half on the front foot, substitute Paula Van Dommelen added the third goal in the 51st minute to leave FC with a mountain to climb.
That they very nearly scaled it shows just how far they have travelled in the past three seasons under Peter Kavouras and his coaching staff. With two penalty appeals also waved away, luck was certainly going against FC. They did pull goals back through Emma Bestek, in the 67th minute, and Kate Thornton, thirteen minutes from time, but try as they might an equaliser eluded them and Woden-Weston FC held on for the win.
Canberra FC: 1. Georgia STEWART, 2. Alice CHURCHILL, 3. Meg MCFARLAND, 5. Kate THORNTON, 7. Kirsty BABINGTON, 8. Emma BESTEK, 10. Jennifer BISSET, 13. Bridget WRIGHT, 22. Milli MALLINSON, 33. Hiwot JOHNSTONE, 34. Marcia WALLIS
Substitutes used: 16. Kat CONROY, 31. Diarna GENOVESI
Woden-Weston FC: 1. Georgia BORIC, 3. Karen CLARKE, 4. Emma BEAUMONT, 5. Georgie THOMSON, 6. Lorna ARKELL, 8. Sarah WHITFIELD, 11. Raquel LOPERA, 12. Sarah CRITTENDEN, 14. Edith MELI, 16. Leah CARNEGIE, 17. Erika PENNYFIELD
Substitutes used: 7. Bridgit PLUMMER, 9. Paula VAN DOMMELEN, 15. Rachael GOLDSTEIN
YELLOW CARDS: Nil
RED CARDS: Nil
Saturday 7th May
Belconnen United 3 (Katie Woodman 13’, Jessie Williams 80’, Cara Cutaia 84’) CU Academy 0
(McKellar Park)
By Ahmed Jbeili
Reigning Women’s Federation Cup champions Belconnen United began their title defence with a dominant 3-0 win over the Canberra United Academy at McKellar Park on Saturday evening. Goals from Katie Woodman, Jessie Williams and Cara Cutaia gave the Blue Devils the win over a spirited CU Academy side.
The champions came out firing at the start of the match with midfielders Caitlin Munoz and Michaela Day controlling the midfield and setting up a number of chances in the opening ten minutes. Wingers Ellie Raymond and Chloe Callaghan had speed to burn and were unlucky not to score with shots just going wide of the posts. It didn’t take long for the home side to find the opening goal, with midfielder Katie Woodman scoring in the thirteenth minute. Woodman broke through the CU Academy defence and smashed the ball from the top of the D and watched on as it hit the left upright and went in to open the scoring.
The Blue Devils would dominate the match after finding the opening goal, continuing to press the opposition and creating more chances through Munoz and Day. It was a slow start for the CU Academy, with their best attacking outlet coming from midfielders Jasmine Genovesi and Alexia Karrys-Stahl. The away side had their first shot on target in the thirtieth minute from attacker Grace Maher. Belconnen keeper Maja Blasch had some work to do to save the shot from Maher who tried chipping Blasch just outside the box. This brought about CU Academy’s best passage of the play of the first half.
A quick counter attack from Belconnen in the last minute of the half after a CU Academy corner led to Belconnen right fullback Sofia Merkoureas almost scoring an amazing solo goal. Nearly going the length of the field, Merkoureas ripped through the CU Academy defence and had her shot just miss the bottom left corner of the goal.
The second half began with the CU Academy coming out of the sheds determined to find a goal. Genovesi was in the action again and almost found an equaliser in the fiftieth minute with a cracker of a shot just going over the bar. The away side continued to apply the pressure with Karrys-Stahl causing the Belconnen defence trouble and Genovesi getting more shots on target.
The Blue Devils couldn’t control the possession like they were in the first half and had to result to long play through balls to start an attacking play. The long balls began to work as Belconnen regained control of the match and had some better movement from the attackers. With time running out and the game opening up the home side scored a goal from out of nowhere in the eightieth minute. Belconnen right winger Madelyn Whittall broke through the CU Academy defence brilliantly and crossed the ball to Jessie Williams who easily slotted in the second goal.
Up two goals already, the reigning champions weren’t satisfied, and scored their third goal four minutes later by substitute Cara Cutaia. With some great build up play from Munoz who released Day with a lovely pass whose cross found Cutaia and was able to easily finish. A dominant performance from the Belconnen midfield was the big winner and the CU Academy ladies will feel they could’ve caused the champs trouble if they finished their chances early on in the second half. Belconnen will be confident going into their round two match-up next week against Gungahlin United. CU Academy put up a good fight against the title favourites and will have some positives going into their match against Canberra FC.
Belconnen United: 1. Maja BLASCH, 2. Katie WOODMAN, 3. Lauren KEIR, 4. Amy SPENCE, 5. Sofia MERKOUREAS, 6. Caitlin MUNOZ, 7. Jessie WILLIAMS, 8. Michaela DAY, 10. Chloe CALLAGHAN, 11. Madelyn WHITTALL, 14. Ellie RAYMOND
Substitutes used: 9. Aoife COLVILL, 12. Nicole JALOCHA, 16. Cara CUTAIA
CU Academy: 16. Olivia RIDDEL, 2. Zoe TERRY, 3. Courtney HALSE, 5. Grace BASSER-SILK, 6. Clare HUNT, 8. Jasmine GENOVESI, 10. Grace MAHER, 11. Sarah MORGAN, 12. Laura HUGHES, 13. Alexia KARRYS-STAHL, 16. Karly ROESTBAKKEN
Substitutes used: 4. Ivana GALIC, 7. Nickoletta FLANNERY, 9. Jasmine MAGUIRE
YELLOW CARDS: Nil
RED CARDS: Nil
TABLE
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
1 | Belconnen United | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 3 |
2 | Woden-Weston FC | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 |
3 | Gungahlin United | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
4 | Tuggeranong United | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
5 | Canberra FC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 0 |
6 | CU Academy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
LEADING SCORERS
1 Cara CUTAIA, Jessie WILLIAMS, Katie WOODMAN (Belconnen United), Emma BESTEK, Kate THORNTON (Canberra FC), Karen CLARKE, Sarah CRITTENDEN, Paula VAN DOMMELEN (Woden-Weston FC)