The race to be crowned NPL Women’s Premiers continues in the rescheduled Round 11 as Lions FC and Gold Coast United both aim to boost their title chances with maximum points.
Watch all five matches this weekend live on NPL.TV.
Feature Match:
Lions FC v Eastern Suburbs
Lions lead Gold Coast on goal difference going into the weekend, but the table toppers cannot afford to slip-up given their title rivals have a game in hand.
That makes Saturday afternoon’s Feature Match against Eastern Suburbs in Richlands all the more important in the scramble for silverware.
Lions, to their credit, don’t look like making mistakes any time soon, having compiled seven successive victories since ending August with back-to-back defeats.
The powerhouse outfit also beat Easts 4-2 just over two months ago, taking all three points thanks to goals from Tegan Riding, Amy Gunston, Mariel Hecher and Leah Davidson.
Easts, however, are fresh from putting five past SWQ Thunder and proved they can topple the top teams in their 3-2 triumph over Gold Coast in September.
It all adds up to a must-watch match at Lions Stadium, where plenty of goals can be expected.
Match Details
Saturday, 24 October, 4:45pm
Lions Stadium
Live Stream Link
Other Key Matches:
Logan Lightning v QAS
Logan Lightning are locked in a fight for fourth and a Finals Series berth as the conclusion to the regular season draws closer.
With a two-point buffer on fifth-placed Easts, plus a game in hand, the odds are in Lightning’s favour, although their most recent victory came on 20 September.
They will feel better about the 5-1 win recorded against QAS in August, which featured five individual goal scorers.
QAS will hope talented attacker Kijah Stephenson, one of the Women’s Players of the Month for September, can create some headaches for the hosts at Cornubia Park.
Match Details
Friday, 23 October, 7:00pm
Cornubia Park
Live Stream Link
Gold Coast United v SWQ Thunder
Gold Coast must be feeling extremely good about overhauling leaders Lions as the NPL Women’s title race goes down to the wire.
Last-gasp victories tend to breed confidence and that’s what United managed on Tuesday night, when goals in the 89th and 92nd minutes earned them a remarkable 4-3 win over Souths United.
Deeanna Thompson and Isabella Habuda both supplied doubles to turn a late deficit into a crucial victory that keeps the pressure right on Lions.
Gold Coast might even be considered title favourites following this Saturday’s game against SWQ, who sit second from bottom with four fixtures remaining.
Melanie Lloyd was Thunder’s sole scorer in a 5-1 defeat when these teams met at Clive Berghofer Stadium in August.
Match Details
Saturday, 24 October, 4:00pm
Coplick Family Sports Park
Live Stream Link
Other Round 11 Matches:
Mitchelton FC v Gap FC
Saturday, 24 October, 6:00pm
Teralba Park
Live Stream Link
Souths United v Moreton Bay United
Sunday, 25 October, 4:00pm
Wakerley Park
Live Stream Link
Players to Watch:
Tessa Andujar (Eastern Suburbs): After sealing a spot in the Round 10 Team of the Week with a goal against SWQ, Andujar looms as a key figure for Easts in their attempt to upstage Lions on Saturday.
Sofie Persson (Mitchelton FC): Mitchelton might be ninth but they have a quality striker at their disposal in Sofie Persson, who could curtail Gap FC’s bid to get back in the frame for a top-four finish as the sides lock horns on Saturday night.
Isabella Habuda (Gold Coast United): Habuda was one of the heroes of Gold Coast’s come-from-behind success against Souths as she continued her scoring spree, which now stands at 14 for the season.
