 |
| 2016 finalists Capital Football The JourneyFan |
Ingredients
2 teams
with similar records
2 teams
that have exceeded expectations
a winner
takes all game
2 game
changing players (1 per side)
a pinch
of inter-squad rivalry
Add in
a good
sized crowd
an early
goal or 2
A
potential game changing incident
a solid
defensive display
A super
sub
the lottery of a penalty shootout
2 teams with similar records
Capital & WaiBOP had both won 4
drawn 1 and lost 1 of their 6 games.The meeting between them ended in a 2-2 draw
2 teams that
have exceeded expectations
last season WaiBOP finished 5th
and Capital 6th and neither were really expected to make
it to the finals this season.
A winner
takes all game
the semi final of the National Women's League
2 game
changing players
Capital have Briar Palmer, WaiBOP ex Football
Fern, Helen Arjomandi
 |
| WaiBOP's Helen Arjomandi greets Capital's Briar Palmer The JourneyFan |
A pinch
of inter squad rivalry
WaiBOP's Serena Murrihy was playing for
Capital last season
Add in
a good
size crowd
despite NZF scheduling the game at the same time as
the Men's Stirling Sport Premiership game between Team Wellington and
Southern United a pretty decent crowd of 200 turned up, even the
mainstream media (DomPost) turned up!
an early
goal or 2
11 minutes in, slightly against the run of play
WaiBOP's Helen Arjomandi spotted Capital keeper Anna Whitman-Wenzel
off her line and chipped her from 20 yards out. Not to be outdone 6
minutes later, Capital's Briar Palmer collected a ball from Micheala
Robertson and fired a shot across the goal which found the far corner of
the net.
A
potential game changing incident
10 minutes into the second half
WaiBOP's Leanna Ryan broke through on goal, just outside the penalty
area she pushed the ball wide around advancing keeper Whitman-Wenzel,
who in turn bought Ryan down, leaving the ref, Debbie Stevens, with no option but to
send her off. WaiBOP's Chelsea Elliott scored from the resulting free kick to make it
2-1
A solid
defensive display
Capital reverted to one up front and put in a
great shift, it was hard to tell that they only had 10 players on the
pitch. At the back Tessa McPherson and Katie Barrot were immense and
sub Kennedy Bryant did a brilliant job of subduing the threat of Helen
Arjomandi. Emma Main and Jayme-Lee Hunter were brilliant in midfield, in fact the whole Capital team were fantastic, they didn't stop running, when they lost the ball they
were chasing it back down, they were backing each other up, they
really wanted this win
 |
| Super Sub Emily Morison makes it 2-2 The JourneyFan |
A super
sub
In Capital's last game against Northern, Emily Morison came
on and scored with her first touch, she almost did the same again but
the ball sailed over the bar. She did however in the 96th
minute, latch on to a brilliant through ball from Michaela Robertson,
round the keeper and slot the ball into an empty net. She then had a
penalty claim (correctly) turned down as she chased the ball down
with WaiBOP keeper Amanda Wilshier in pursuit.
The lottery of a penalty shootout
lots of people don't like penalty shootouts, but I love them (and
I used to be a goalkeeper) the tension, pressure and drama all makes
it for me and no one has ever come up with a better idea. Today it
was reserve keeper Natasha Ingram that became the hero with 2 great
saves that gave Capital a 4-2 win and sends them to Christchurch on
Sunday for the final against Canterbury United Pride.
 |
| Capital's Natasha Ingram saves Helen Arjomandi's penalty TheJourneyFan |
So there
is how to make a football cracker.
While this is all about Capital,
credit also goes to WaiBOP who made a game of it, but maybe having
made their own version of a football cracker against Northern,
winning 3-2 with a last minute goal after being 2-0 down, last week
had taken it out of them and today they came up against a team that simply wanted it more
It was a
fantastic advert for the women's game, should send a message to NZF
that this competition needs to be 2 rounds, and if you are in
Christchurch on Sunday get along to English Park to see Capital take
on Canterbury United Pride in the final 4pm kick off
 |
| Capital celebrate the winner The JourneyFan |
Comments
Post a Comment