Canberra came into this match on a high after the 2-1 win away to Brisbane Roar a few days earlier. This was another match where Canberra lined up against old buddies, this time McKellar Park welcomed back Chloe Lincoln, Sasha Grove, Grace Maher and Emily Roach. Curiously, and disappointingly, recent Matilda cap Chloe Lincoln sat on the bench. There was tactical changes aplenty. It took a while for Canberra to settle into a groove in what turned out to be a ding-dong entertaining battle.
Coach Jararenic made two changes again for this match. Mary Stanic-Floody and Darcey Malone came in for Alex McKenzie and Ruby Nathan, who were both given a day off. Interestingly, Hayley Taylor-Young assumed the spot on the right midfield/wing normally occupied by Maya Markovski or, in the last match, Ruby Nathan. It looks as though Jagarenic is looking at Taylor-Young as a right sided attacking option on occasions where her speed can exploit an opponents weak spot. This left a three player defensive line with Christopherson belting up and down the left side playing the full length of the pitch.
Western United started the better of the two sides, pressing Canberra back in their own half. Zimmerman tussled with Hayley Taylor-Young on the right hand side of Canberra’s penalty area and crossed for Karli Johnson in the six yard box. Johnson’s shot was blocked by Darcey Malone, otherwise it was 0-1 after 2 minutes. Western United were winning the early duels and Canberra looked disjointed. Bertolissio started at right back with Taylor-Young playing the Markovski role further forward. Neither player seemed sure where the other was or who was covering who. Meanwhile, on Canberra’s defensive right side gaps were appearing behind Christopherson who kept forward alongside Gordon and Malone, relying on Ayson for cover. Western United spotted the gaps and started pushing more down Canberra’s left side. So, Bertolissio swapped sides to plug the gap. It was all a bit higgledy-piggleldy.
Before things had settled the ball looped to the edge of Canberra’s box, Malone and Christopherson missed the bouncing ball and it fell for Logarzo. She fended off Bertolissio and pulled the ball back for Zimmerman who turned nicely and shot into the roof of the net past there’s only one Sally James. Canberra found themselves 1-0 down and a bit all over the place.
In the Logarzo-Bertolissio exchange leading to the goal, Bertolissio appeared to cop something in the eye and looked distressed. Perhaps she was feeling dizzy having played multiple positions in the first 15 minutes! She went off and was eventually replaced by Holly Murray – a midfielder! Logic would have it that Christopherson would drop back to the left back position, a role she has played in the past and Murray would drop into a wide midfield role. No, Murray went straight into the vacancy left by Bertolissio when she started the match, at right back, a role she has never played before. At this point you wondered how the game would pan out for Canberra.
Still, Canberra had 5 midfielders on the pitch and Michelle Heyman up front so expectations were that there would be chances aplenty, at both ends. The first of which fell shortly after to Heyman who was threaded through by Robers. Heyman’s flick shot on the run was well saved. Canberra’s packed midfield soon paid dividends as Gordon laid off a nice pass to Stanic-Floody, who turned and struck a lovely defence turning pass through to the galloping Taylor-Young. The devious plan coming to fruition. Taylor-Young hit a fine first time cross into the box and the presence of Heyman was enough to force defender Mihocic to stumble the ball into her own net. It was nice play that ended in a scrappy goal.
The goal seemed to settle Canberra and the game started to even out. Holly Murray slotted seamlessly into a three player backline. The compressed midfield combination of Gordon, Robers, Malone and Stanic-Floody got more of a grip on the game. Gordon made a break down the left wing and hit a cross that found Heyman. Heyman turned like an international footballer, on a sixpence, but shot over while falling backward.
Half an hour into the match and Canberra were knocking the ball about with a growing confidence. Ayson squared the ball to Anton, then out wide to Murray. Murray forward to Gordon who slid the ball to Taylor-Young on the wing. The ball came back to Murray. Holly Murray flicks it to Gordon, back to Taylor-Young who bangs it straight to Heyman who whispers it to Stanic-Floody. Stanic-Floody finds Malone who spots the advancing Gordon still on the wing. Bethany Gordon puts in a dangerous near post ball that neither Stanic-Floody or Christopherson could get a toe to. It was delightful football and a glimpse of what this side is capable of.
Systems football is what most sides strive for these days. Possession and position rule. But Canberra play with a flexibility that is refreshing, if a little nerve racking at times! Players move into new territory often. They press high and move the ball quickly through the middle. When they play well, they play very well.
Canberra were playing very well now. Bethany Gordon, now on the left wing, played a fancy back heel to Christopherson who went to the line and shunted the ball into the box. Heyman was closing in but was beaten to the ball. Another flowing attack saw Ayson move the ball to Malone, then to Christopherson and back to Malone. Darcey Malone played an absolute peach of a ball into a gap that Heyman was rushing into. She sent it back to Christopherson who crossed it once more into the box. More frantic defending. Western United was under siege. Just before half time Canberra had a shout for a penalty as Gordon went down in the box following another foray.
The half time whistle couldn’t come soon enough for Western United. Before it blew Canberra put together another delightful move orchestrated by Gordon who spread the ball out wide Christopherson. She steadied herself, pull the ball back toward Heyman, who dummied and let the ball flow back to Gordon just inside the box. Her shot was blocked but it was close to being a fitting end to a half where Bethany Gordon was having a field day. Canberra United’s best 20 minutes of the season.
The second half continued as the first half ended with Canberra pressing forward at every opportunity. Four minutes into the half Emma Robers fed Christopherson out on the left wing. Sofia Christopherson was having a field day too and her confidence was clearly high as she drove toward the edge of the box, cut inside a little to create some space and unleashed a shot that flew into Western United’s net.
Western United defender Claudia Mihocic was injured defending the goal and her torrid afternoon was cut short when she was replaced by Dehakiz. Next up for a pop at goal was Hayley Taylor-Young who found herself in space inside the box. Her slightly panicked first time shot sailed wide.
Western United suddenly decided to fight fire with fire. Taranto drove hard through midfield and found Johnson running into the box. Her cross was precise and straight at Chloe Logarzo. Madison Ayson made a desperate last minute challenge to deny Logarzo in front of goal. A good move and excellent defending.
On the 65th minute Canberra made their first substitutions. Mary Stanic-Floody and Darcey Malone came off for Maya Markovski and Jaynaya Dos Santos. Dos Santos was immediately booked for reasons only known to the referee.
Chloe Logarzo is an intelligent, strong and experienced player with a propensity to be in the wars at regular intervals. Because she’s good, teams tend to play very close attention to her during games. Canberra was no exception. They had largely controlled Logarzo but it took a concerted effort. She left the field in the 70th minute not looking happy. Logarzo’s absence seemed to work in Western United’s favour as Canberra eased off the constant pressing a little knowing Logarzo wasn’t around to cause any damage. Problem was that Western United had reinforcements off the bench that started to match Canberra’s midfield pressing and Canberra were getting tired.
Christopherson missed an opportunity to make it 3-1 when Heyman pulled down a long ball from Taylor-Young and cut a neat reverse pass straight to Christopherson a few metres out from goal. Her tame shot was easily saved. As you’d expect, Western United gradually became more desperate as the game wore on, trying to find an equaliser they didn’t really deserve. Zimmerman broke in midfield and let substitute Kiara De Domizio free to the right of Canberra’s penalty area. Her shot was narrowly wide of there’s only one Sally James’s net.
Canberra’s strategy for the final 10 minutes became more obvious when they withdrew Heyman for 21 year old Tianah Miro, making her A-League debut. Huge credit must go to the resilient Miro. Her debut follows three ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injuries in her young career so far. Markovski dropped into Heyman’s position and Miro went wide right, her energy and speed being handy in either defence or attack. Near the end of the match there was a hold your breath moment when Miro appeared to bring down Taranto in Canberra’s penalty area. The tackle was clean and normal breathing was resumed.
Canberra saw out the match with all hands on deck as Western United pressed for an equaliser. They left their surge too late and Canberra came away with a fine 2-1 win. It was an entertaining and interesting game. Canberra’s flexibility is a genuine strength and it will be fascinating to see if the 3-5-1-1 (sort of) formation is developed further.
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