The grand final for this year’s Women’s National League is guaranteed to be an all-Auckland affair after latest results in the competition.
Fourth-placed Southern United dropped two points in their 1-1 draw with Capital, meaning it’s now impossible for them to get into the top two places.
Northern Rovers kept up their bid for the title with a 4-0 win against Central Football, keeping them in with a chance of catching Western Springs who are currently in second place.
Leaders Eastern Suburbs can confirm a grand final place with a point or better in Sunday’s game against Canterbury United Pride.
Here’s our round-up of Saturday’s games:
Southern’s challenge ends with draw
A 1-1 draw with Capital Football has made sure Southern United can’t make the grand final this year.
The dropping of two points ruled out any theoretical hope that may have remained and United needed a second half goal to earn the point.
Capital took the lead midway through the first half through Pepi Olliver-Bell.
A Capital corner had eluded the Southern defenders and when the ball was played back into the box, Olliver-Bell was able to head the ball in off the post.
Emily Morison got the equaliser in the 78th minute when she ran onto a superb 40-metre through-ball from Kennedy Bryant and rifled it past ‘keeper Molly Simons.
Main photo: Emily Morison (10) about to celebrate with teammates after scoring Southern’s equaliser.
Northern keep the pressure on with win against Central
Northern Rovers overcame a winless Central Football 4-0 at McFetridge Park after turning the game with three goals in a seven-minute burst in the first half.
The opening goal came after a 30-metre effort from Rovers captain Talisha Green rebounded off the Central crossbar and in the follow-up play, Leanna Ryan was on hand to steer the ball home.
A minute later, Danielle Canham set up a goal for striker Kelli Brown, feeding the ball into space for Brown to meet on the run, placing her shot wide of goalkeeper Annie Foote.
In the 34th minute, Canham provided her third assist of the day, creating a chance for Mackenzie Longmuir to shoot on the turn, with the ball sneaking inside the post.
On the hour, Brown hit a cross hard and low across the face of the Central goal for substitute Shannon Henson to turn the ball into the net.
The win keeps Northern in with a chance of making the grand final — though they need Western Springs to slip up in games to come — and coach Ben Bate was able to rotate his line-up in the second half, bringing five outfield players off the bench for useful game time.
For Central, it was loss 11 from 11 games played, though the side has learned to be more resilient as the season has progressed.
Results
Games played on Saturday November 19, 2022
Southern United 1 (Emily Morison 78′)
Capital Football 1 (Pepi Olliver-Bell 25′)
Northern Rovers 4 (Leanna Ryan 26′, Kelli Brown 27′, Mackenzie Longmuir 34′, Shannon Henson 60′)
Central Football 0
Game played on Friday November 18, 2022
Click here for match report >>>>
Western Springs 3 (Sofia Garcia 73′, 87′, Emma Pijnenburg 75′)
Auckland United 2 (Bree Johnson 31′, Maya Vince 64′)
Standings
Fixture
Game to be played on Sunday November 20, 2022
Eastern Suburbs v Canterbury United Pride
William Green Domain, Pakuranga, 1pm
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