Azzuri celebrate title triumph
Perth SC put a bow on their 2025 NPLWA – Women’s title-winning season as they twice came from behind to defeat Hyundai Football West Academy 4-2 in an entertaining Round 21 encounter at Dorrien Gardens.
The Azzurri ultimately won the league by 11 points and attention now turns to next month's Top Four Cup. The Academy will also play in the post-season competition after missing out last year and now await confirmation of their semi-final opponents.
Stephen Walmsley’s side served it up to the NPL champions in the first half and took the lead on 14 minutes with a nicely worked move as Cate McAuliffe’s superb through pass was poked home by Lacey Heys.
Perth’s attempts had largely come from range before they equalised on 27 minutes when Maja Archibald got the better of Andie Williams-Jones and drove home from just inside the box.
The Academy led for a second time when Williams-Jones stood up a cross for Emily Garnett, who kept a cool head to put in her seventh goal of the campaign.
Tom Glavovic’s side showed why they are champions, though, with three goals in six minutes before half-time. The first came when Jess Flannery intercepted a stray pass and found Lincoln, who made no mistake when through on goal.
NPLW RESULTS, FIXTURES & STANDINGS
Epril Nossent’s long ball then ran to Daisy McAllister, who strode onto the pass and picked out the bottom corner. Then Kim McCartney scored directly from a free-kick for the second straight week when curling around the wall and beating Sofia Borg.
The rain fell in the second half but the goals dried up, with Garnett coming close to getting one back on a couple of occasions. The job was done for the Azzurri, however, and they were presented their maiden NPL trophy post-game by Football West Director Jade Concei in front of their supporters.
"It's been an amazing season for the entire group ... enjoyed it, loved it," Glavovic said.
"To win the first (women's top-flight) title, I'm very proud."
The champions will play Perth RedStar in the double-chance Top Four Cup semi-final, after Chris Atturo’s side won 3-1 against Balcatta Etna on Sunday.
RedStar were in front after nine minutes when Renee Leota sprung the offside trap to latch onto Andrea Teixera’s free-kick and score a 21st goal of the season, which puts her in pole position to win the Golden Boot.
Jayna Ridley intercepted Rebecca Bennett’s pass out from the back with the ricochet, breaking for Alkira Mogridge to slot in for 2-0 on 23 minutes. Ridley then raced clear from Leota’s pass to put RedStar three up and on their way to finishing runners-up.
Balcatta, who had won 6-0 at MUM FC in midweek, were second best despite a late improvement. Jamie-Lee Gale’s smart turn and finish gave them a consolation, then and Izzy Foletta forced Gabby Dal Busco into a save.
The result leaves Etna with work to do to lock away a top-four finish. They require two points from their two catch-up matches against UWA Nedlands and Subiaco to confirm a second successive top-four appearance, although they can still finish third and host a semi-final should they win both remaining games.
For now though, it is Balcatta's State Cup final opponents Fremantle City who are fourth, a point clear following their 3-1 win over Subiaco at Rosalie Park.
Subiaco took the lead on 20 minutes when Marianna Tabain’s cross was headed into a dangerous area by Freo defender Alex Poad and Danielle Suckling ran onto the loose ball to score.
That was as good as it got for Subi, however, and three goals in five minutes turned the game in Fremantle’s favour. Janice Kiama got the equaliser from close range after Monique Todd palmed Sophie Meaden’s cross onto the bar.
Meaden scored the second when collecting Abbey Green’s pass and rounding Todd to score, before Leyna Wood scored her 16th goal of an impressive season when putting in Green’s cross from wide out on the left.
With conditions worsening, the officials made the call to abandon the game at half-time with the 3-1 result standing.
Finally, UWA Nedlands ended their season on a high with a 3-1 win over Murdoch University in a meeting between the league’s bottom two sides.
Murdoch keeper Jemma Skinner saved from Emily Dinsdale and Samara Riches in quick succession late in the first half, only to see another save from Andrea Preiato’s header turned home by Chloe Gaspar.
Uni doubled the lead on 65 minutes when Taylor Reid picked up the ball and went on a solo run down the left before rolling across Skinner to net against her former side.
Ella Mastrantonio’s free-kick halved the deficit for MUM FC, and they should have levelled, but their hopes of picking up only their second point of 2025 were scuppered when Ellis Glanfield's penalty hit the bar and went over. Instead, UWA went up the other end and got a third goal - and a third win of the year - through Rhiannon Short.
Uni end the season in seventh with three wins from their 21 matches, while Murdoch finish bottom and will either be relegated automatically or will need a play-off to survive, depending on who finishes top of the Women’s League Division One.
