Round 6 Review – NPL Women’s NSW
Round 6 of the National Premier Leagues Women’s NSW competition brought a wide variety of surprises, spectacular goals and strong wins, with the ladder beginning to take shape after a weekend full of action.
Match of the Round – Northern Tigers 0–2 Western Sydney Wanderers at North Turramurra Recreational Area
The Western Sydney Wanderers maintained their unbeaten start to the season and kept pace in the chase for APIA Leichhardt with a statement 2–0 away victory over the Northern Tigers in their NPL Women’s NSW clash at NTRA on Saturday night.
A decisive two-minute spell midway through the second half proved the difference, as Allyssa Ng Saad and Alyssa McKenzie struck in quick succession to secure all three points for the visitors.
Macarthur Rams 4–0 NWS Spirit at Lynwood Park
The Macarthur Rams and NWS Spirit have endured similarly challenging starts to the season, with just a single win between the two sides prior to this clash. It was the Rams who looked the stronger outfit in the first half, with Marcella Santos opening the scoring in the 29th minute after Sakura Nojima’s blistering strike rattled the crossbar, allowing the Rams attacker to volley home the rebound.
A costly turnover from Spirit soon after put them under pressure again, with the Rams quick to transition into attack, and Nojima providing a direct assist for Santos to double the lead with a tidy finish in the 34th minute.
The Rams extended their advantage to 3–0 in the 79th minute when Spirit’s defence collapsed under pressure, allowing Nojima to smash home from close range. Santos then capped off the performance in spectacular fashion, spotting the goalkeeper off her line and unleashing a stunning long-range finish to secure a commanding 4–0 victory.
Western City Rangers 1–4 APIA Leichhardt at Popondetta Park
APIA Leichhardt have led the pack so far this season and arrived at Popondetta Park full of confidence against a Western City Rangers side sitting mid-table following a mixed start.
The Rangers were in trouble early when Ashlie Letta intercepted an errant back pass, only for Renee Krstanovska to make a crucial save. The rebound fell dangerously to the APIA striker, forcing Ivana Galic into a last-ditch challenge that resulted in a red card, though Krstanovska redeemed the situation by saving the ensuing spot kick.
Despite holding on with ten players, APIA eventually broke through when Te Reremoana Walker headed home from a corner in the 44th minute. Walker added a second in the 57th minute with a superb strike from outside the box to make it 2–0.
APIA continued to press, with Talia Kapetanellis’ long-range effort eventually leading to Letta extending the lead to 3–0 in the 70th minute. Clare Holder then added a fourth in somewhat fortunate circumstances, before Roukayah Al Fararjeh converted a penalty for the Rangers in the 77th minute as APIA closed out a convincing 4–1 win.
Illawarra Stingrays 0–2 Bulls FC Academy at The Pond
Illawarra Stingrays’ struggles continued as Bulls FC Academy maintained their momentum from their 2025 Championship-winning form with a solid 2–0 victory.
A well-worked move down the wing from Claudia Valletta set up the opener just before halftime, with Jade Guichon cutting inside and unleashing a powerful strike beyond the goalkeeper.
The Bulls doubled their lead in the 62nd minute when Olivia Vanderlaan finished neatly after latching onto a ball played over the top. From there, the visitors controlled proceedings and comfortably held on for all three points.
Gladesville Ravens 2–1 Manly United at Christie Park
Gladesville Ravens and Manly United entered this clash with similarly inconsistent starts to the season, and it was the Ravens who struck early.
A corner inside the opening minutes saw Manly defender Ruby Jackson inadvertently turn the ball into her own net, before another set piece led to Leena Khamis powering home a header to make it 2–0 in the 21st minute.
Manly found a way back into the contest when Brinley Gentle capitalised on a fortunate clearance to reduce the deficit, but despite their efforts, the Ravens held firm to secure a 2–1 victory.
Hills United 1–3 Sydney University at Valentine Sports Park
Newly-promoted Hills United were put to the test against a potent Sydney University outfit.
The visitors struck early through Isabella Raad in the 10th minute, before Brooke Hastie responded quickly for Hills to level the score in the 20th minute.
Sydney Uni regained control in the second half when Ellen Hughes capitalised on a loose ball to restore the lead in the 52nd minute. Nour Hijazi then sealed the result in spectacular fashion in the 82nd minute, rifling a powerful strike into the top corner to secure a well-earned 3–1 victory.
Sydney Olympic 1–5 UNSW at The Crest
Sydney Olympic faced a tough challenge against a high-flying UNSW side and fell to a heavy 5–1 defeat.
UNSW made an immediate impact, with Lexie Moreno opening the scoring in the 4th minute. Olympic responded in the 26th minute through Ruby Nathan, who capitalised on a rebound to level the score.
However, UNSW regained the lead before halftime through Demi Koulizakis, who headed home from a corner. Chloe Smith then took control of the contest with a brace early in the second half—first with a powerful half-volley, then with a clinical finish into the top corner—to make it 4–1.
Angelique Hristodoulou completed the scoring from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute, sealing a dominant 5–1 win for UNSW.
Words by Matthew Badrov
