Round 9 Review – NPL Women’s NSW
Round 9 of the National Premier Leagues Women’s NSW served up plenty of entertaining football and a few surprises to shake up the ladder arrangement heading into next weekend.
Have a read of our full breakdown of the weekend that was.
Match Of The Round – APIA Leichhardt 5-2 Illawarra Stingrays at Leichhardt Oval
APIA Leichhardt sent a statement to the National Premier Leagues Women’s NSW competition with a dominant victory over the high-flying Illawarra Stingrays at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday afternoon, coming away with a 5-2 victory.
In perhaps their final game at Leichhardt Oval this season, APIA ensured they would take the points with a convincing win.
Click here to read the full match report!
Northern Tigers 5-2 Bulls FC Academy at North Turramurra Recreation Area
The Northern Tigers and Bulls FC Academy played out an entertaining match on Saturday evening, with the home side triumphing 5-2 at North Turramurra Recreation Area.
The Tigers came into the match on a run of four games unbeaten after struggling in the early stages of the season, whereas the Bulls entered the match in search of a win to turn around their poor results of late.
It would not be an ideal start for the Bulls however, as Tigers star Nicola Dominikovich gave her side the lead in the 11th minute with a brilliant run and a composed finish that nestled its way into the back of the net via a deflection. 1-0 to the Tigers.
The Bulls would respond just a few minutes later as Amber Luchtmeijer was taken down just inside the box and Tamires Souza stepped up to calmly dispatch the penalty into the bottom right corner.
A second for the Tigers would arrive in the 31st minute as a pinpoint cross from Jade McAtamney was wonderfully nodded home by Tigers captain Lily McMahon.
The away side would again find an equaliser in the 48th minute through Petria Phillips, who showed plenty of quality in controlling a low cross and instinctively setting herself up for a smart finish into the bottom corner. 2-2.
With her side needing a goal to regain their lead, Saffron Glass stepped up to deliver an astounding volleyed finish after spotting Issabella Coelho off her line and taking the brief window of opportunity to bury it above the goalkeeper, who was unable to keep the ball out despite her best efforts. 3-2 to the Tigers.
The Tigers heaped continued to heap the pressure on the Bulls, and would extend their lead after Glass strongly won the ball in midfield and Charlotte Matlock seized upon the loose ball to play through Dominikovich with a quality cross that the No. 18 intuitively tucked away after a deflection aided her initial wayward touch. 4-2 to the Tigers.
McMahon would be the final goal scorer of the day when she placed a well-taken penalty down the centre of the goal to consolidate her side’s win and push them above the Bulls on the ladder.
Sydney Olympic 3-1 Blacktown Spartans at Peter Moore Field
Sydney Olympic proved to be too strong for the visiting Blacktown Spartans on Sunday evening, with the home side prevailing 3-1 in an entertaining contest at Peter Moore Field.
A tough loss to Manly United in Round 8 will have left Olympic determined to return to winning ways, however coach Alberto Di Sciascio will have warned his side not to underestimate a Spartans team fresh from knocking the Macarthur Rams off of first place last weekend.
Just a few minutes into the match, Olympic’s Rochelle Borromeo would spark her team into action after initially causing trouble for the Spartans defence with a chipped through ball before putting pressure on a Blacktown defender and winning the ball back to square a pass to Maxine Peak for an easy finish into the back of the net. 1-0 to Olympic in the 5th minute.
A ruthless counter attack would earn an equaliser for the away side in the 8th minute, with Spartans dynamo Allyssa Ng Saad positioning herself well to reward Blacktown with a goal after a fantastic run and cross from Alyssa McKenzie.
Quickfire goals in the second half would consolidate the win for Olympic, the first a terrific execution by Peak after a series of chaotic moments in the 65th minute and the second a thumping finish by Demi Koulizakis, who did well to steal a Spartans defender of possession and guide the ball home on the follow-up. 3-1 to Olympic the final score.
Emerging Jets 2-3 Manly United at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility
Despite a late fight back, the Emerging Jets went down 3-2 to league leaders Manly United at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Sunday.
Though they have struggled this season, the attack-minded Jets have shown their quality at times, having twice come close to earning a first win since the 2022 campaign at their Lake Macquarie home. At the opposite end of the ladder is Manly, who will have been focused on continuing their strong momentum away to the Jets.
Tegan Biasi would open the scoring for the day after taking down a cross from deep delivered by Phoebe Gilbane and finding time and space in the box to craft out a wicked finish into the far post. 1-0 to Manly in the 22nd minute.
Brilliant interplay between the Manly attack saw the visitors craft a special goal in the 61st minute, with Siahn Bozanic linking up with Emily Minett and confidently chipping Jets goalkeeper Lily-Rose Dunbar one-on-one. 2-0 to Manly.
Gemma Woolley would add a third for Manly in the 71st minute after Nicole Stuart connected with a Minett cross and played through the No. 7 for a tidy finish that Dunbar came close to preventing. The returning Woolley continues to be an excellent option for her side off the bench this season.
The Jets refused to make it easy for Manly however, and notched a goal of their own in the 79th minute courtesy of some tidy work by Chloe Walandouw in the build-up that gave Claire Adams a perfect opportunity to put her side back in the game, which she did with aplomb.
An improvised piece of play from the Jets at a corner in the 83rd minute saw Walandouw getting on the end of a shouldered pass with a calm header to give her side a real chance at attaining a result.
The home side nearly achieved a late equaliser in the 91st minute after a free-kick from Adams was mishandled by a Manly defender, leaving the Jets with a golden opportunity that was unfortunately blocked. 3-2 to Manly the final score.
Macarthur Rams 2-2 UNSW at Lynwood Park
Macarthur Rams were forced to stage a desperate late comeback as UNSW turned up to Lynwood Park determined to earn a result against last year’s Champions, with the match concluding 2-2.
Rams coach Stephen Peters will have wanted an immediate response from his side after their loss to the Blacktown Spartans last time out, though visitors UNSW will have entered the fixture focused on adding to their big win against NWS Spirit in Round 8.
The Rams opened the scoring in the 17th minute after an exquisite touch from Miku Sunaga opened up space for Libby Morris to run through and play a well-timed through ball to Bronte Trew, who showed total assurance in knocking the ball past the keeper and slotting the ball home for 1-0.
The away side showed plenty of desire and determination throughout the match and would find an equaliser in the 76th minute after Allira Toby confidently dispatched a penalty that had been earned by Chloe Smith.
UNSW would then take the lead in the 85th minute through Cassandra Christopher, who was well-placed to tap the ball home after great work down the right wing led to a cross finding its way to the substitute for an easy finish.
Sunaga rescued a point for the Rams late on after cutting inside and firing a low finish which eluded the UNSW defence and bounced in, sending the home crowd wild and securing a 2-2 draw for Macarthur.
Gladesville Ravens 3-0 NWS Spirit at Christie Park
The Gladesville Ravens returned to winning ways on the weekend as they triumphed 3-0 over rivals NWS Spirit at Christie Park.
The Ravens have experienced a choppy run of form in recent weeks, and will have known they needed to be on their toes coming into the derby against Spirit. On the other hand, Spirit (10) sit just above the Emerging Jets (5) in goals scored, and will have wanted their attacking options to start firing against the Ravens to begin their ascent up the ladder.
Isabella Edwards earned the opener for Gladesville in the 25th minute after initially pressuring the Spirit defence into making a wayward pass into midfield that Patricia Charalambous then latched onto and played through Edwards for a deft outside-the-foot finish underneath the goalkeeper.
Edwards would then double her side’s lead in the second half after Claudia Cholakian headed a cross toward the No. 51, who demonstrated her quality by taking a touch in a crowded Spirit box and quickly turning to smash the ball in for 2-0.
Keisha Allen wrapped up proceedings for the Ravens in the 70th minute with a well-guided header that eluded Katie Offer in the Spirit goal and bounced in for 3-0.
Sydney University v Football NSW Institute – POSTPONED
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By Matthew Badrov
