PS4 NPL NSW Women’s 2 Semi Finals Preview
The cream has risen to the top in the NSW NPL Women’s 2, and the first week of the finals series serves up two exciting encounters.
On Saturday Sutherland take on Sydney Olympic in a knockout semi-final that will be balanced on a knife’s edge. Hardly anything separated the teams all season, and this too will be a battle of fine margins.
Sunday’s winner will proceed straight into the grand final – a date Marconi have had one eye on since the early stages of the season. Southern Branch will be the underdog for the first time in months here, but they have every chance of overcoming the odds.
Minor Semi Final
Sutherland Shire FA v Sydney Olympic FC, 3.45pm Saturday 22nd August at Valentine Sports Park NO.1
Two contrasting styles here in the opening match of the finals series. Sutherland love letting the ball do the work as they stroke it round the field looking to open up gaps, while Olympic are compact in defence so they can launch counter raids, exploiting the open field with pace and power.
Sutherland will need to get Toni Vukasin on the ball as much as possible if they are to pick apart Olympic. This should create space for Rochelle Borromeo to either get in behind the defence herself, or to come short and find the killer pass for the onrushing Raegan Deeley and Verity Quartermain. Building pressure is the name of the game for Sutherland, and if they can sustain it the goals will come.
Olympic won’t mind too much if Sutherland holds onto the ball for long periods though. Their midfield holds the physical advantage here and they’ll be using that to wrestle the ball away and launch forward.
In Danielle Calvi they possess the most lethal striker in the league with 18 goals (7 clear of her nearest rival), and her style of play perfectly suits Olympic’s strengths. Her pace will cause enough of a threat here, and when you combine that with her partnership with fellow striker Kate Halaska, Sutherland’s defence has a tough afternoon on their hands.
The opening goal is so crucial here. An early strike for Olympic forces Sutherland to open the game up as they commit numbers forward, but a lead for Sutherland will take Olympic away from their winning blueprint.
Major Semi Final
Marconi Stallions FC v Southern Branch FC, 3.45pm Sunday 23rd August at Valentine Sports Park NO.1
The premiership itself was a foregone conclusion months ago with the Stallions very quickly asserting their dominance over the league, and they haven’t looked back since. However the rise of Southern Branch has been astounding, losing just one of their last 12 matches.
Marconi possesses quality all over the pitch, and is one of the only sides in the competition who show no glaring weaknesses. While Caitlin Jarvie is their leading scorer you could hardly say they rely on her goals to win games. This season they have spread the goals around, and the ability to strike from anywhere will be the key in this match up.
It’s the defence of Marconi that has really got them into this position. The Stallions are by far and away the most consistent side at the back, only conceding twice in a match on three occasions (they scored at least four in each of these matches); however they did concede three once – against Southern Branch.
That win will give Southern Branch all the confidence they need. Leading goal scorer Amanda Carney will create plenty of danger for the Stallions’ defence, and in Samara Wehmeyer, Wrylka Colburn, and Sarah Hickling they have a clinical front line in excellent form.
All of the tools are there for the premiership runners up to pull off an upset on Sunday, but you do get the impression that Marconi has another gear should they need it. If they can step it up a level, Southern Branch will need their best performance of the season if they are any chance of besting the premiers.
By Eamonn Warner, PS4 National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s 2 Reporter
