Round 19 Review – NPL Women’s NSW

Round 19 of the National Premier Leagues Women’s NSW competition delivered a weekend of surprises, upsets and important results in the lead up to finals.

Read on for our full review of the weekend’s matches.

Match of the Round – Sydney University 0-3 Hills United at Sydney University Football Ground – Click here to view the full report. 

Hills United got back to winning ways in the National Premier Leagues Women’s NSW competition with a commanding 3-0 victory over Sydney University SFC on a crisp Sunday evening at Sydney Uni Football Ground.

NWS Spirit 4-2 Macarthur Rams at Christie Park

Expectations were high for an entertaining clash between NWS Spirit and the Macarthur Rams at Christie Park. Spirit took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Mikaela Gavranic gathered the ball on the edge of the box and fired across goal from range to make it 1-0. The home side doubled their lead soon after the restart through Skye Halmarick’s lasered finish before India Breier rifled a strike from range that Issabella Coelho was unable to keep out to take her side 3-0 up. Marcella Santos’ header brought the Rams back into the match in the 67^th minute, but was soon cancelled out by Ella Abdul Massih’s corner kick floating directly into the back post barely a few minutes later. A brace from Santos would provide Manly further consolation when the striker turned home a well-taken finish in the 79^th minute, however Spirit would ultimately hold on for the three points.

APIA Leichhardt 5-1 Western City Rangers at Leichhardt Oval

APIA Leichhardt have reemerged as a title contender of late and will want to keep the momentum going against a Western City Rangers side desperate to secure a positive result from the encounter. A superb solo goal from Trudy Camilleri had the Rangers flying high early in the 21^st minute, however this would be undone by Ashlie Letta’s equalising goal in the 28^th minute. The APIA striker then brought her side ahead a minute later with a terrific chipped finish over the goalkeeper. APIA were looking unstoppable, and Letta capitalised with an assured tap in at the near post to earn a hattrick in the 37^th minute. Talia Kapetanellis’ strike led to Letta burying the follow-up on the rebound in the 69^th minute before the former saw her half-volley slip in over the goal line to ensure a 5-1 win in added time.

UNSW 0-0 Sydney Olympic at The Village Green

UNSW will be hoping to get their Premiership hopes back on track after dropping out of 1^st place on the ladder in recent weeks, whilst Sydney Olympic will want to disrupt the side’s momentum further in their visit to the Village Green. The away side certainly caused UNSW problems in the first half, with the home side unable to generate a shot in target and forced to compete with a strong Olympic defence. UNSW improved in the second half, however neither side were able to land a goal with the match ending 0-0.

Bulls FC Academy 4-1 Illawarra Stingrays at Northbridge Oval

Northbridge Oval would play host as Bulls FC Academy entered the match as the new league leaders and eager to continue their great run against an Illawarra Stingrays side that have recaptured some form of late. Amber Luchtmeijer showed her resilience to break past a defender and find the opener in the 18^th minute. The Bulls then produced a terrific end to the first half with Daniella Naeimi unleashing a fantastic strike from range in the 40^th minute before Petria Phillips headed in to make it 3-0 just prior to half-time. With seconds to go in the half, Hayley Taylor-Young’s goal offered the Stingrays a foundation to work on in the second half, but any hopes of a comeback would be put to bed by Luchtmeijer’s quality strike in the 82^nd minute to finalise a 4-1 win for the Bulls.

Manly United 1-0 Gladesville Ravens at Cromer Park

The Cromer Park faithful will have been hopeful for a first Manly United win since May, however with the Gladesville Ravens arriving the fans will have known it would be a hard-fought ninety minutes ahead. It was in fact Manly who found the opening goal in the 41^st minute when Chloe O’Brien raced onto a chipped ball into midfield and thundered a spectacular first-time half-volley into the top left corner, producing one of the goals of the season in the process to launch her side into the lead. Manly would ultimately hold onto the lead and ensure their first three points since late May.

Western Sydney Wanderers 1-2 Northern Tigers at Wanderers Football Park

The Western Sydney Wanderers will have entered this clash against the Northern Tigers hopeful of staying in the race for the Premiership. However, it was the Tigers who gained the ascendancy early when Josie Wilson put the finishing touches on a goal mouth scramble in the 26^th minute. Olivia Cartwright gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead in the 51^st minute when a well-taken header, before the Wanderers found a consolation through Talia Younis’ wonderful strike in the 82^nd minute that sailed up and into the top corner. The Tigers would ultimately leave Wanderers Football Park with the three points.

Words by Matthew Badrov