At this time in the season games are often described as six pointers. Meaning, these are games that are particularly important for both sides given it is nearly finals time. Of course, this game was not a six pointer, it was a three pointer just like any other game. It was an important game though as both teams are on the cusp of making the top six and the finals. Both sides probably deserve to be there, having played enterprising, if erratic, football this season. It was a difficult match to predict beforehand and, sure enough, it was a difficult match to predict right to the last minute!
Michelle Heyman came back into the team for this game having fully recovered from her exploits overseas with the Matildas. Sofia Christopherson swapped positions again with Tegan Bertolissio who was on the bench. There was still no place for Mary Stanic-Floody in the starting lineup and Jynaya Dos Santos didn’t make the squad for this game, having started in Heyman’s absence for the last two games.
The game took a nice shape very early on. Catherine Zimmerman drove into the Canberra box and tested there’s only one Sally James in the first minute. It was a sign of things to come. After some early jostling, in the 11th minute Darcey Malone wrestled the ball in midfield and found Aideen Keane out wide on the halfway line. She turned, looked up, and delivered a perfect pass behind the central defender to find Heyman. Heyman did what Heyman does, turning the defender and finding the on rushing Bethany Gordon who arrived unmarked into the penalty area. Bethany Gordon remained calm and Chloe Lincoln didn’t. Uncharacteristically, Lincoln seemed to panic by going down to ground way too quickly, opening the goal for Gordon to pass it through the hole that Lincoln should have had covered. It was Bethany Gordon’s first A-League goal since March 2023. While Lincoln somewhat gifted the goal to Gordon, it was created from Keane’s superb pass and Heyman’s lovely control and calmness. Canberra took an early lead.
Watching this game, you had the feeling that there were more goals to come as the game opened up with both teams playing some nice football with the space available. Canberra United prefer a game that is open and which allows players a split second longer on the ball. Similar to how Western United like to play. So strap yourselves in.
Catherine Zimmerman and Adriana Taranto were combining well from the outset. They were at it again in the 22nd minute, setting up Sara Eggesvik on the edge of the box, who fired just wide with there’s only one Sally James beaten. Taranto then floated over a cross that was scrambled clear. Then she had a good pop from distance that again tested there’s only one Sally James. So far, there’s only one Sally James was having a better day then former Canberra favourite Chloe Lincoln.
Moments before halftime Taranto bounded into the box one more time. The ball fell to Logarzo, and Anton spread herself to block a shot that was goal bound. Canberra survived to halftime, but would have to come up with a plan to stop the rampaging Taranto and Zimmerman before they inflict greater pain in the second half.
For the second half Tegan Bertolissio came on for Sofia Christopherson at right back. Before Bertolissio could break a sweat, the ball came zooming down her flank courtesy of another former Canberra favourite Sacha Grove. Grove was enjoying herself against her old teammates. She fed the ball to Taranto who crossed with precision into the path of Keiwa Hieda. Hieda got to the ball ahead of Ayson to make it 1-1.
Shortly after Canberra won a corner and played it short to Darcey Malone. Malone skipped past the fullback and chipped a beautiful cross for Madison Ayson to nod in her first goal for Canberra. Canberra took the lead for the second time in the match.
Canberra were not going defensive and brought on Stanic-Floody for Keane to add a touch of creativity to the midfield. Zimmerman and Taranto were not going defensive either. Zimmerman broke free again and zipped a cross over, that Anton cleared straight to Taranto who laced a fierce shot wide of the goal. It was an open and entertaining game for the neutrals but a nerve-jangling affair for the loyalists.
In the 62nd minute Markovski misplaced a pass that went straight to, you guessed it, Catherine Zimmerman. She jinked, she turned and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top left corner of there’s only one Sally James’ net. A fine goal by a player who was having a day out to remember. 2-2.
This was now, officially, a cracking game. From the kick off Michelle Heyman flicked a forward pass over the defensive line and jinked herself into position for a dig at the far post that narrowly missed. To add to the crackiness of the game, Taylor-Young punted a ball forward that the Western United defence only partially cleared. It dropped to Mary Stanic-Floody who did her Zimmerman impression and whacked in a shot from distance that Chloe Lincoln could only parry into the top corner. Canberra took the lead for the third time in the match.
Heyman, not for the first time in the match, had a good shout for a penalty as she was wrestled to the ground trying to get on the end of a Stanic-Floody cross. Then Logarzo flicked on a corner that went close to the top corner. Another ex-Canberra favourite, Grace Maher, took a free kick that caused a fine save from there’s only one Sally James.
There was still plenty of time for drama. In the 81st minute, Grace Maher picked up a loose ball and hit a shot low and hard that Anton got a toe onto. It fell to substitute Sandra Ibarguen who controlled the ball and poked it past there’s only one Sally James to make it 3-3 with around 10 minutes left. In this match 10 minutes was a long time so the game was still up for grabs.
Ruby Nathan came on for Maya Markovski and very nearly put Canberra ahead for a fourth time as she chased down a ball that Chloe Lincoln got to first but cleared straight to the outstretched foot of Nathan. The ball rolled wide but it was agonisingly close.
Then, in a cruel twist with only two minutes remaining substitute Kiara De Domizio picked up the ball on the left of Canberra’s defence. De Domizio went wide and hit the cross. Ayson dived to block but the ball deflected viciously toward the top corner. There’s only one Sally James made a valiant effort to get to it but could only deflect it into the corner. Substitute Alyssa Dall’Oste ran onto the pitch to celebrate and received a booking (substitutes are not allowed onto the pitch, even to celebrate) and a black eye from the elbow of a teammate.
Canberra United did everything to win this game. Western United never gave up. The players, on both sides, sank to their knees at the end. Canberra will be hugely disappointed but should also be proud to have played in what was a great showcase for the Ninja A-League. It was though, a defeat snatched from the jaws of victory.
