Canberra United 0-0 Newcastle Jets
by Joe Rosedon (29/12/24)
Above: Canberra United move into attack. Photo: Canberra United
Canberra United and Newcastle Jets play out a competitive but ultimately frustrating 0-0 draw that saw both teams miss big chances to take all three points.
An end to end opening twenty minutes saw both sides come excruciatingly close to scoring.
The first sight of goal was fashioned by the visitors. Josie Allan used her low centre of gravity to great effect, evading the pressure of Madison Ayson and slipping the ball through to Deven Jackson. Jackson’s shot was comfortable for Sally James to hold.
Canberra were quick to respond. Beth Gordon picked up space in the middle of the park and saw Sofia Christopherson in space on the right-hand side. Gordon played the Canberra forward in, but the angle was tight, and her options were limited.
Christopherson did force Tiahna Robertson into a good but expected save inside the penalty area. The subsequent corner saw Gordon involved again, her effort from the edge of the box flashed past the post.
The best chance of the three came from Newcastle, however. Cutting in from the left, India Breier jinked her way towards the box and fired towards the net. James did well to stop the shot but could not direct the ball away from danger. The ball fell tantalising towards Allan who, on the goal line, could not direct the ball goalward and Canberra managed to clear.
Unsurprisingly, after such a frenetic start to the game, the rest of the first half was somewhat subdued. Canberra were controlled in possession but were not particularly creative. Newcastle’s approach was symmetrical.
The second half began with Canberra ramping up the pressure. Hayley Taylor- Young cross’ was chested by Michelle Heyman into the path of Maja Markovski. Hitting it on the half volley, the attempt produced an excellent save from Robertson at her near post.
Heyman had much more of an impact in the second half than she did in the first but could turn the increased influence into a goal or assist. A player of her quality really should have scored with the chance she was presented with on the 68thminute.
A deep pass from Ayson was misjudged by Robertson and Heyman capitalized on the goalkeepers’ hesitation. With an open goal and time on her side, it seemed inevitable that the ALW all-time top scorer was going to add to her tally. Yet, inexplicably, her contact with the ball was weak and scuffed the chance.
Following this, clear cut chances were limited. In a similar circumstance to the Heyman miss, Markovski was found from deep, but time Robertson was quick to clear. Canberra played the last ten minutes of the game with ten players following second half substitute Lillian Skelly’s withdrawal due to injury and Canberra using up their replacements.
Yet Newcastle could not generate any chances of note with the new found advantage and the game petered out to a goalless draw.
Teams: CANBERRA UNITED (3-4-3): James, Anton, Ayson, Robers, Murray, Taylor-Young, Bertolissio, Gordon, Christopherson, Markovski, Heyman. Substitutes: Majstorovic, McKenzie, Stanic-Floody, Malone, Skelly.
NEWCASTLE JETS: (3-5-2) Robertson, Wilson, Cicco, Prior, Davis, Breier, L.Allan, Hoban, Baumann, Jackson, J.Allan. Substitutes: Boertije, Dundas, Copus-Brown, Gallagher, Hammond.
Referee: Molly Godsell.
Attendance: 1,188.
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