Freo take over top spot while Dowe repeats national feat
Fremantle City are the new leaders of the New Balance NPL WA Women’s competition after winning 4-0 against Sorrento FC on Sunday afternoon.
Freo are one of five unbeaten sides after five rounds and went above Perth Azzurri on goals scored with the pair locked on the same points and goal difference.
Sorrento stay at the foot of the table and await their first points of 2026 but are only one point behind second-bottom UWA Nedlands.
Abbey Green opened the scoring on 15 minutes when taking the ball off the toes of a Gulls defender before weaving toward goal and firing in.
Lacey Heys doubled the lead just past the half-hour mark when Alex Poad’s pass ran to the midfielder, who drilled powerfully past Amalia Caceres.
After the break, Green went on a solo run and finished number three low across the goalkeeper, with the reigning Gold Medal winner one of four players on four goals this term alongside teammate Heys.
Harper Collinson got forward from full-back to drive in a fourth and the pick of the goals from outside the box which completed the scoring for the State Cup holders.
Sam Geddes’ side jumped Azzurri, who played out a goalless draw with Balcatta Etna on Friday in a repeat of March’s Night Series final.
Sam Mathers had the closest attempt of a cagey first half as the midfielder’s curler from range was tipped brilliantly onto the bar by Rebecca Bennett.
Jamie Lee-Gale brought a good save out of Dayle Schroeder in the second half before substitute Ailsa Zindell was denied one-on-one by Bennett.
Lauren Continibali lifted over a good chance for Perth with around 10 minutes to play, while at the other end there was almost a dramatic late twist when Caitlin Doeglas’ effort from distance came back off the post.
Balcatta currently sit third but can go top of the league on Wednesday if they beat Perth RedStar in a Round Two catch-up game at Home Group Stadium.
RedStar tuned up for that fixture on Sunday with a 4-0 home win over UWA Nedlands which moved them into the top four.
They led 1-0 at half-time thanks to Grace Monteiro who was quickest to react and nod in after Renee Leota’s header came off the bar.
Uni were up against it on the balance of chances but hung in the contest until they went two down on 65 minutes. Quyen Doan’s pass was dummied by Leota and Jayna Ridley took a touch and dispatched past keeper Janina Sauer.
Jay Coleman sealed the points on 83 minutes with a nicely taken goal from just inside the area, before Doan scored for a second successive week after heading in a cross from substitute Lily Yates.
Finally, Hyundai Football West Academy and Subiaco shared the points in a 1-1 draw on Saturday at the Sam Kerr Football Centre.
The Academy provided all but one of the 17-player WA State Team U16s squad that triumphed at the Emerging Matildas Championships earlier in theweek.
However, they were chasing the game against Subi when Eva Weber’s back-heel flick from Poppy Derhun’s free-kick hit the post and Catherine Curwood-Wagner turned in the rebound.
Stephen Walmsley’s side equalised three minutes after the interval following a nice move down the right, with Cate McAuliffe’s pass releasing Piper Dowe to calmly finish past Briana O’Dell. For Dowe, it was two goals in four days after her opener for the State side in the nationals final.
McAuliffe then curled over a free-kick for the home side, but the visitors had the best late chance when Sara Klott volleyed wide after a long ball over the top.
The Academy have now drawn four of five games this season and are a point outside the top four with Subi a further three points back.
