The chorus of the new Canberra United anthem goes like this:

This is our fight song

Canberra Unite song

Prove we’re alright song

Our powers turned on

Starting right now, we’ll be strong

We’ll play our fight song

And we don’t really care if nobody else believes

Cause we’ve still got a lot of fight left in green

They certainly have. Never has an anthem been more apt for a display where Canberra really had to fight to get a result. It’s official. Antoni Jagarenic has identified Canberra’s achilles heal of the last two seasons – defending. And organised defending with spirit and fight.

The last two seasons have followed a similar pattern. Canberra struggled for the first half of the season. They didn’t struggle to score goals. They struggled to defend. And it wasn’t as though they didn’t have good defenders. Individually Canberra had excellent defenders. But collectively they struggled to gel. In 2022-23 it wasn’t until Ellie Brush was tempted out of retirement that they looked organised defensively. Last season, the willingness to drive forward left Canberra exposed with big gaps opening up between defence and midfield. They got punished. This year, Canberra are playing a 4-5-1 formation with wide players Keane and Markovski dropping to help defensively when required. The midfield is quite compact with Emma Robers, Mary Stanic-Floody and Darcy Malone playing in close proximity. All three are very capable defensively. And it’s working, so far.

How the team lined up

Wellington are a strong team at home. Jagarenic rightly pointed this out after the game and was understandably jovial on having come away with three points given the travel and everything:

It’s a big, big trip…65 odd hours of travel, 4 or 5 bus trips, 4 or 5 plane rides, it’s a big, big trip so to come home with a clean sheet and the three points we’re very happy.

I’d probably recommend a change of travel agent but you get the picture! It wasn’t easy. The opening ten minutes were pretty even as both sides jostled for territorial superiority. Then it happened. Last week it was the Robers – Heyman – Markovski combination that set up the first goal. This week it was the Robers – Markovski – Heyman combination. The ball broke to Emma Robers on the half way line. She spotted Markovski on a smart run into space and threaded the perfect through ball. Markovski shrugged off the challenge and poked the ball to the on rushing Heyman – bingo, Canberra’s first ever goal in Wellington and Heyman’s 100^th in the A-League. It’s safe to say it will not be the last time this season we mention Emma Robers, Maya Markovski and Michelle Heyman in the same sentence. Robers has vision and can pass a mean ball. Markovski and Heyman are strong and know when to run into space. It will be good to watch.

So 1-0 ahead and only 80 minutes to go! After 15 minutes Wellington had 64% possession. But it didn’t seem like Canberra were in too much trouble. Elizabeth Anton was keeping Canberra organised defensively and their structure was holding firm. Elliot nearly capitalised on a speculator thrown into the box but blasted over Sally James’s goal from close range. Then after 23 minutes Canberra were momentarily disorganised from a goal kick and the ball broke to Whinham rushing forward with only Anton between her and Jale closing in on goal. This was where Anton’s experience came to the fore. She let Whinham bring the ball forward to the edge of the box then feinted slightly to get closer, as if going in for the tackle. But she wasn’t. This forced Whinham into the square ball and Anton, holding her ground, was able to intercept. It may have been a brief moment of play but it was top class defending.

As the half wore on Aideen Keane started to have more and more influence  down the right hand side. She’s strong and not afraid to have a run at the defence. One excellent run nearly paid off as she pulled the ball back for Heyman in the box. Then just before half time a cross from Stanic-Floody was expertly laid off by Heyman for Keane running in on goal. She almost got there but was thwarted by some brave goalkeeping. At first glance it was of those ‘hold your breath’ clashes that didn’t look good for either player. Keane bounced back onto her feet but Carolina Vilkao (full name – Carolina Jesus Vilao Dias), the Wellington keeper, stayed down for some time.

While we were waiting for Vilao to recover the stadium played Robbie Williams ‘Angels’, or better known in football circles as the ‘I’m loving big Ange instead’ Spurs song. Maya Markovski duly led an impromptu arm waving session for the players and fans. One thing noticeable about this Canberra side is that they appear to be enjoying themselves. There are smiles on faces which, of course, is easier when you are winning. But it’s a good sign.

Thankfully Vilao was eventually good to continue to half time. Then Keane had another pop at goal but, regrettably, didn’t force Jesus to save. The last action of the half saw Keane again break through and, this time, with a clear run at goal. Moments before preparing to shoot, the hamstring went. You could see the moment and it didn’t look good. She did very well to get a shot off which didn’t force a save from the stranded Vilao, but she went down immediately and was in some distress. Keane had a really good half and will be an important player for Canberra, but it was obvious that we wouldn’t see her in the second half if not for far longer. Sure enough, Ruby Nathan came on for the second half. And Amy Danieli came on for the bruised and battered Carollina Vilao in the Wellington goal.

Tiger time

Straight from the second half kick-off Wellington broke forward through the great work of captain Longo who put Elliot through on goal. She jagged it over the bar in a similar fashion to the first half chance. Then Wellington tried a tactic you don’t see often – sneaking on an extra midfield player without notifying the referee. Fortunately the referee was onto it in a flash and paused the game momentarily while the players, unsuccessfully at first, tried to persuade young Tiger, Annalie Longo’s very cute dog, to leave the field of play. He wasn’t keen and took up an excellent roaming position in midfield, showing a very good turn of pace. The crowd duly burst out into a chorus of who let the dogs out and Tiger was eventually escorted from the field. He should have been red carded!

The second half was largely one-way traffic toward Sally James’s goal. Fortunately for Canberra there’s only one Sally James! Having lost Chloe Lincoln from last season Canberra were left with only one first team keeper, Coco Majstorovic, who filled in admirably when Lincoln was called up for Young Matildas duty. Tempting Sally James back to Canberra was a very good move. James continues the long tradition of Canberra having top goalkeepers. And they needed her in this game.

On the 52 minute Wellington threw over a corner, former Canberra United player Grace Jale rose above everyone and James pulled off a terrific blind sighted save. Two more corners in quick succession had Canberra scrambling. Heyman’s defensive value is rarely talked about but it’s remarkable how many times it’s Heyman’s head that is last on the ball in the penalty box.

The wave became tidal. Emma Main unleashed a bullet but James was well placed again. Wellington did get past James only for Whinham to hit the post. The Paramount+ commentary was spot on –

the game had opened up like it was the 88^th minute, not the 60^th.

Jagarenic got to his feet, trying to create some order to proceedings. Liz Anton was losing her voice! Jale broke on the left hand side, chipped in a cross, James punted the ball out and Whinham should have scored. By the 65^th minute Wellington had 10 shots to 0 for Canberra. Bertolissio came on for Markovski to bolster the defence.

Canberra did occasionally wriggle free to create half chances. Christopherson broke down the right and sent a great cross for Heyman who was just beaten to it by Barry. Murray and Dos-Santos came on for Robers and Stanic-Floody to add some fresh legs. Wellington kept coming. Jaber broke free and pulled the ball back for Elliot but James parried the ball away. From the resultant corner the ball broke to Lara Wall who absolutely creamed the shot just over the bar.  Wellington wrung the changes too and the game continued at a rare pace. Unfortunately, Tiger remained on the bench. James made yet another fabulous save from McCutcheon then, in the last minute, dived at Ferguson’s feet and got a rib tickler for her efforts, which were considerable.

So Canberra hung on for an historic win. First ever win in New Zealand. Wellington will feel aggrieved for sure, on another day they’ll bag three or four goals. But these types of games happen all the time and there’s much to admire about a team that defends with such commitment and grinds out a result. Player of the match, there’s only one Sally James.

Thanks for reading. Feel free to leave a comment if you like. And, if you liked this match report, please do me a favour and click the ‘like’ button and/or share this in your social networks. That’s not for my benefit – as there really aren’t any apart from making me feel a little better – but it helps spread the support for Canberra United. The more people read, the more they are engaged and the more they support the team. So, come on, get involved and support the team by spreading the word.

6 Like this match report