Canberra United 1-1 Central Coast Mariners
by Callum Logie (20/12/25)
Above: Michelle Heyman leading the way for Canberra United against Central Coast Mariners today. Photo: Canberra United.
A Sasha Grove equaliser in the final minute of regulation time ensured Canberra United would share the points with Central Coast Mariners in a match that endured several delays for both the heat and lightning.
This was a battle between two teams looking to create more momentum for themselves as they head toward the middle of summer. Canberra United made one change from their win over Melbourne City, bringing Jazmin Wardlow into the defence and dropping Tegan Bertolissio to the bench. Central Coast tweaked their starting shape from their 2-1 victory at Western Sydney, but kept the same personnel.
Canberra United created an early chance at five minutes in the game after a delivery from Josie Aulicino found Hawkins for a free header which was directed wide of the Mariners goal. The home team started positively, looking to continue their path to the top of the ladder.
A couple of minutes later, Michelle Heyman showed some great hold-up play which created an opportunity for Sasha Grove. Grove’s shot from about 20 yards was well collected by Annalee Grove who was the starting keeper for Central Coast this week.
At 10 minutes, Bethany Gordon burst forward into the box after an excellent first touch on the edge of the box and drove a ball across goal. Grove was able to push the ball out, but it was the most promising attack the hosts had put together up to that point, with Gordon and Grove regularly pushing forward to support Heyman in the middle.
Many players for Canberra United were peppering the goal of Central Coast in the first half, with Emma Hawkins directing a shot on target from yet another Heyman initiated attack. She did not connect well with the shot at 12 minutes, and Grove was able to keep her team level in what was a Canberra dominated 15 minutes.
The match was disrupted at a few points in the first half, with heat and lightning predicating regular breaks in play. After an hour off the pitch, the game resumed play an hour and a half after kick off time. With the scores being level, it was effectively a 65 minute game rather than the full 90 if you discount the first 25 minutes of play.
A minute after play resumed, Josie Aulicino won a free-kick after making a run inside. She often drifted wide to help support the attacking full backs and Heyman up front. Nothing came from the resulting free kick from Bethany Gordon, but it did mark that United intended to continue where they left off.
After a period of back and forth play and physical challenges. Nanako Sasaki created an opportunity for Canberra United with a well weighted cross directed toward Michelle Heyman landed at the edge of the six yard box. Greta Kraszula was able to spoil the efforts of Heyman and deflect the ball safely into the arms of Grove.
Central Coast were on the back foot for the entire first half, only managing one shot on goal and one corner. The tackling of the Canberra United defence and the physicality of the midfield made it difficult for the Mariners to create anything meaningful when pushing forward.
In order to create advantages on the flanks, the home side elected to tweak their formation, having a back three, while Hawkins and Sasha Grove were free to roam forward into attacking positions. The tackling of Hayley Taylor-Young and Wardlow along with the solid positioning on the defensive side of Emma Robers and Elizabeth Anton allowed for the team to continue deploying their attacking wide players forward.
This is a part of what has made Canberra United such a dangerous team this season, their ability to rotate players around and continue to play at a high level. On the other side, it was the physical defence of Elizabeth Barwick-Gray and Taren King that prevented Canberra from getting open in the box and in attacking options, so while they had the majority of the chances, Annalee Grove had quite a clean game in goal thanks to the efforts of her defenders.
Sienna Dale was introduced in the second half, the exciting youngster looking to bring some energy to the Canberra attacks. The second half was characterised by a lot of physicality in the first ten minutes, neither team able to create any major advantage.
It took 59 minutes for the Mariners to get their first meaningful chance, and it was seemingly out of nothing. A physical run from Isabella Coco Di-Sipio lead to her taking a snapshot from just outside the box that forced a save out of Sally James.
In terms of territory and possession, the Mariners did seem to have a stronger showing through the first portion of the second half, having more touches in Canberra United’s half. For United, the inclusion of Dale and the energy of Aulicino saw them pressing the Mariners defenders more when they were not on the ball.
Against the run of play, a long hopeful ball forward from Isabel Gomez found its way to Annalise Rasmussen who ran forward into the box and tucked away a great effort at the near post from about 14 yards. The Mariners had to wait 67 minutes for their first shot on target, but Rasmussen delivered with a goal.
Canberra started playing with a sense of desperation after falling behind, but were again having trouble breaking down the defence of the Mariners. Central Coast were able to maintain a fair potion of possession while continuing to frustrate their opposition.
The capital city side piled on the pressure, particularly in the final 10 minutes, looking to create that chance to get them back into the game. Another lightning delay was called at 85 minutes through the game, the weather doing its best to keep this game from finishing.
Finally, the game resumed with Central Coast creating an early chance, substitute Tiana Fuller directing her shot off target.
Despite their efforts in keeping their clean sheet, Central Coast did end up conceding in the 90th minute, with Sasha Grove striking from a low driven cross to tie it up for the hosts. Canberra continued to press for a winner, but Central Coast were resolute and able to preserve an important away draw.
Considering all the stoppages and disruptions of play, one goal a piece seemed to be a fair result at the end of this game.
Teams: CANBERRA UNITED (4-4-2): James, Hawkins, Wardlow, Taylor-Young, Robers, Sasaki, S.Grove, Anton, Gordon, Heyman, Aulicino. Substitutes: Bertolissio, Christopherson, Dale, Majstorovic, Malone, Stanic-Floody.
Scorer: S.Grove 90′.
CENTRAL COAST MARINERS (4-1-4-1): A. Grove, Baumann, King, Barwick-Grey, Martin, Gomez, Coco Di-Sipio, Quilligan, Kraszula, Trimis, Rasmussen. Substitutes: Buchanan, Clough, Farrow, Fuller, Prakash, Varley.
Scorer: Rasmussen 67′.
Referee: Isabella Mossin
Attendance: 1,152.
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