Report by Tommy Doleman
Subiaco kept their hopes of a maiden Top Four Cup appearance alive after edging past Sorrento FC 1-0 in Round 15 of the New Balance NPL WA Women’s competition.
Subi’s victory, paired with defeats for Perth RedStar and Hyundai Football West Academy, means Christine Coppin’s team are five points behind fourth-placed RedStar, who they still have to face twice in the run home.
Sorrento stay three points clear of bottom side UWA Nedlands.
Ella Mastrantonio had a couple of long-range sighters for the visitors in the opening stages Percy Doyle Reserve. Their bright start was then rewarded with the game’s only goal on 21 minutes when Liana Cook’s cutback ran for Savannah Oolsthorn to curl first-time past Amalia Caceres from just inside the box.
Sorrento had a good chance to score soon after when Georgia Cassidy threaded a pass through for Greta Bailey whose effort was saved by Brian O’Dell.
After the restart, the Gulls were presented with an opportunity to draw level when Claudia Hocking was fouled in the box by Ana Denona. But O’Dell comfortably saved Cassidy’s spot-kick as Subi made it three games unbeaten away from home.
Elsewhere, the picture at the top of the league remained the same after the top three sides all claimed maximum points.
Perth Azzurri are still nine points clear after extending their unbeaten run this season to 15 matches with a 4-1 victory against bottom side UWA.
The reigning champions took four minutes to find the scoresheet as Daisy McAllister jinked her way in the box and side-footed into the goal, despite Phoenix Brownlie’s best efforts to slide in and clear the danger.
However, Perth switched off from a set-piece two minutes later with Shalika Viandrisa chesting down and volleying home in one motion.
That goal means UWA have scored half of the four goals Perth have conceded in season 2026. But the home regrouped and put their foot down to land a comfortable win in the end.
Jess Flannery’s cross from the left was met by a free header from Grace Warburton, who bagged her first goal of the campaign to give the Azzurri a half-time lead.
Perth was then awarded a penalty after the restart when Brownlie bumped into Ruby Marshall in the box.
Marshall saw her first spot-kick saved by Janina Sauer, but the goalkeeper was adjudged to have stepped off her line too quickly, which allowed Marshall to dispatch at the second time of asking.
Jess Flannery got the fourth and final goal on 64 minutes when her cross from the left looped up and in to keep Perth in pole position to go back-to-back.
Second-place Fremantle City returned to Hilton Park for the first time in a month and picked up a 2-0 win over Perth RedStar.
Leyna Wood netted the opener on 27 minutes when latching onto Tanika Lala’s pass and rounding the goalkeeper to score into a vacant net.
Lala was the provider again as Freo wrapped up the win seven minutes from time with the striker teeing up Ischia Brooking, who drove home on the volley from the edge of the area.
Balcatta Etna are still a point behind Fremantle after cruising to a 4-1 win over the Football West Academy at the Sam Kerr Football Centre.
Frankie Murray put Etna in front on 21 minutes after Abbey Meakins’ corner led to a scramble in the six-yard box which was poked in by the defender.
Two goals at the end of the opening period pushed Pete Rakic side further clear of their opponents. Monique Godding’s cross was met by Monique D’Opera with the full-back arriving late to put in at the back post.
Then, Zoee Spadano’s long free-kick went over the Academy defence and all the way into the back of the net with Daisy McGreadie-Cole deceived by the ball’s trajectory.
Ella Lange’s brilliant finish from just outside the box gave the hosts a brief lifeline, but D’Opera doubled her tally and made it three unbeaten for Balcatta when floating up and over the goalkeeper from the right.
