There’s a saying in football that the mark of a good side is if they can play well below their best but still pick up points. On this evidence Canberra United are a good side. Canberra is struggling with injuries to key players and are down to the bare bones of a young squad. The average player age for this match was 22. Their recent good form and string of results is testament to their fight and resilience – and the positive tactics of a coach in his first season in the A-League.
How the team lined up
Minutes before kick-Off the ground announcer read out a team sheet that included captain Michelle Heyman. Heyman was part of the warmup minutes earlier. As they walked onto the pitch it was Liz Anton who led the team out. Heyman was nowhere to be seen. Maya Markovski, named as a substitute, wandered on in front of Darcey Malone. The only other change was that Holly Murray came into the starting team in place of Alex McKenzie. Losing Heyman and McKenzie for a team already without Keane, Ayson and Skelly, meant that Canberra named a very inexperienced bench.
Holly Murray is a very versatile player. In this match she resumed her new role as central defender/right back alongside Liz Anton in the centre and Tegan Bertolissio on the left. The absence of Madison Ayson and Alex McKenzie, and the preference to play Hayley Taylor-Young more forward, has thrust Murray into the role. She looks comfortable and solid as a defender and is rapidly developing as a key player for Canberra.
The last-minute absence of Heyman (it was later revealed that she had a ‘tweak’ in the warmup) didn’t disrupt the game plan for Canberra. Maya Markovski slotted straight into the centre forward role with Mary Stanic-Floody being the main supplier. It was Markovski who had the first serious attempt on goal, getting spectacularly on the end of a cross from Christopherson and whooping the ball over the bar with a bicycle kick. Then Bethany Gordon was fed by Robers and had a shot from distance that was well wide. By the 15-minute mark Canberra were settling into the game well after a scrappy start.
Canberra’s challenges increased when Matos tripped Bethany Gordon, forcing a rolled ankle. Gordon knew she was in trouble and shouldered on for a while but had to come off once the magic spray wore off, replaced with young Jynaya Dos Santos. Canberra can ill afford to be without another important player.
Hayley Taylor-Young started to find space on the right wing but her crosses were not finding heads or feet. For reasons only known by Jagarenic – or maybe Anton – Bertollisio and Murray then swapped sides, as they have done in previous matches. Soon after Bertollisio fed a ball between the defensive line toward Christopherson who somehow wrestled the ball from the defender and crossed into the six-yard box. Mary Stanic-Floody was inches away from an easy tap in.
Christopherson then gained possession in a dangerous position and squared a long ball to Stanic-Floody, who can hit them from distance. The shot struck Lobo’s hand and a free kick was awarded on the edge of the box. Stanic-Floody stood, Ronaldo like, above the ball, her shot going just wide of Shamiran Khamis’s right post. Mary Stanic-Floody has scored two cracking goals this season but has also been the A-League’s leading creator of chances (14). Remember, she’s 19 years old.
Canberra was coping comfortably defensively, largely limiting Wanderers to long range speculators. Meanwhile, the midfield was working hard but ball security, without Gordon, was an issue. Stanic-Floody lobbed a lovely ball over the defence to release Taylor-Young who cut inside and shot from distance but straight at Khamis.
Wanderers were relying on breaks, and they got one close to half time as the ball flew across Canberra’s penalty area. Anton did enough to force Harada into a shot that flew over there’s only one Sally James’s net.
A minute before half time Canberra won a corner. Emma Robers played it short to Malone, who gave it back to Robers. Robers first time cross was met by an unmarked Sofia Christopherson who headed the ball onto the post. The diving Khamis was unlucky, as the ball hit her back and dribbled into the net. Canberra went into half time 1-0 ahead.
The second half started in a similar scrappy fashion that characterised the first half. Both sides trying, unsuccessfully, to get a grip on the game. Stanic-Floody released Markovski down the right side. Markovski weaved her way into the box and slipped a nice ball across goal that Dos Santos was unable to reach.
Wanderers bought on the current Dolan medallist Sophie Harding in a clear attacking move. There was a feeling that the game could hinge on the odd moment of inspiration and/or error. Harding was their inspiration factor. Ruby Nathan came on for Stanic-Floody, so Canberra lost their midfield inspiration. Jagarenic once again pulling off Stanic-Floody around the hour mark. Make of that what you will.
Nathan was quick into the action, blazing a shot high and wide from the edge of the box. Wanderers have a habit of scoring in the last 15 minutes of a game, and they started to show more attacking intent as the half wore on. Price, with her last touch of the match, went close with a long-range shot. Then Nathan did well to release Christopherson who cut in and shot first time, Khamis smothering the chance. Nathan followed up but Khamis was quick enough to save again.
There’s only one Sally James nearly made the moment of error when she threw the ball out straight to Talia Kapetanellis. Her shot was well saved but it was a worrying moment for there’s only one Sally James who hadn’t had much to do all afternoon. Wanderers bought on all their substitutes to add more energy and drive in the final minutes. And it worked. Canberra was now on the back foot. Younis released a great shot from distance as she ran through midfield. Then Harding broke free from Anton and had a pop from a tight angle.
As the game played out Canberra went into game management mode, i.e., wasting time to hang on for a result. Which they did. Given the circumstances you could understand the approach. Canberra’s final game management tactic was to bring on Tianah Miro, for her second appearance, and Ivana Galic for her debut. Expect to see more of Galic given Canberra’s injury list. Galic had a single moment to impress as she cut short a final Wanderers attack.
It was a hard-fought victory that wasn’t very pretty. The players put in a big shift to grind out a victory without their leader and losing their midfield general after 30 minutes. It’s a sign of a good team.
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