Inter Lions 1 Blacktown City 1
A late goal on the counter-attack from Inter Lions’ Eva Gawel rescued a point for the home side after they had fallen behind to a brilliant Emily Jackson strike midway through the second half. Blacktown City hit the post and the cross bar as they looked to wrap up the three points, but instead they will have to settle for the draw after the late twist to this facinating season opener at Majors Bay Reserve. The season is up and running, both teams are off the mark, now let’s see what they can both achieve during this exciting Girls’ Youth League Under 18 season in 2025.
A repeat of last week’s pre-season trial game, same time, same venue, but with some cloud cover, conditions were much more conducive to entertaining, free-flowing football. Blacktown had the pressure on from the very start, Sarah De Sousa and Evdokia Papafilopoulos combining on the right and forcing the Inter defence into a risky ball across the face of their own goal. The home team were direct in their approach, Charlotte Priddy lifting a ball over for Zara Gard, but City goalkeeper Courtney Mackenzie was out smartly to intercept the danger.
An early inidication that Blacktown would receive no favours from the referee saw Sienna Bell crash-tackled in the corner after stealing the ball in midfield and racing to the byline. The assistant referee’s furious flag was ignored by the referee and play continued to puzzled expressions from the visiting players. Inter continued to probe, and when Angela Diamantopoulos combined with Gard, it was captain Courtney Kitching who cleared the danger at the back. As we had seen the previous week, the pace of Bronte Smith was the source of much danger for the home side, and a ball in from Priddy was again dealt with by Kitching.
Aurelia Smith sent Papafilopoulos scampering through and she forced a corner. Rachel Fry centred the ball but Sienna Froggatt in the Inter Lions’ goal was alert to the cross. Gard then slipped a ball through for Madeleine Cheng, but Mackenzie was out quickly to smother the opportunity. The home team were content to play the ball out from the back, and Montana McCormick had hearts beating a little faster as she turned her way out of trouble and strode upfield with the composure of a seasoned Matildas defender.
City were awarded a rare free kick on the left, Dominique Ashton played in an inviting ball that saw Jackson and Froggatt collide. Jackson emerged with the ball and shot low, but Froggatt had recovered well and made a smart save. Ashton’s corner was then played to Angelica Conate, who drilled in a cross for Fry, but the shot was wildly wide of goal. City were pushing for the opener, and when Jackson picked up the ball outside the area there was little indication that he would dribble into the area, play a neat one-two with Fry and find herself free in front of goal. Alas the low shot was again saved by Froggatt and Inter Lions escaped. The all-action Bell stole the ball midway inside the Lions’ half, and her persistence and bravery made sure the ball was out of play before Inter could break upfield. Liliana Waterhouse was lively on the left for the visitors, but the next opportunity fell for De Sousa, combining with Papafilopoulos to wind up a shot, but Aurelia Smith had made the run alongside her in the box and was completely unmarked, the difficult shot going wide and hands going on heads when she realised the opportunity missed.
Bell raced up the right onto Kitching’s ball. Kitching continued her run upfield to join the attack, controlled the cross at the second attempt and forced in a scuffed shot that hit the left hand post and bounced to safety. So close to an opening goal, but the whistle brought play to a halt for half time with the scores locked at 0-0.
The second half started much in the way the first half had done, with City asking the questions. De Sousa and Bell ambushed a defender and when Bell played in De Sousa, Froggatt was out smartly to save. A long free kick from Kitching found De Sousa, goalside of her defender and onside, but Froggatt did well to push the ball away with Papafilopoulos in close attendance. Bronte Smith then broke through the City rearguard, Jackson tracking back quickly to make the challenge, and Jackson was soon to have an even bigger impact.
Fry and Eva Milkovic contested a ball on the edge of the area, Jackson picked up the pieces and moved the ball on to her right foot and launched a shot on goal that cleared the despairing dive of Froggatt and flew into the net for a glorious opening goal. The City players swamped their first goalscorer of the season, and Inter Lions had it all to do.
Great work from Lara Green on the right then saw a low ball played across the edge of the penalty area. Emilie Chandran read the ball perfectly, cut onto her right and fired a shot just over the bar. At the other end, Gard stole the ball on the left and played a one-two with Bronte Smith but the chance was squandered, and then City had another great chance to extend their lead. Green rode a challenge on the edge of the area and played in De Sousa. A turn that Mark Viduka would have been proud of saw the City striker spin past her player and smash in a shot, Froggatt pushing the ball up and onto the bar, and Papafilopoulos unable to capitalise on the rebound. Such frustration for the visitors.
Instead this spurred on the home team, Bronte Smith stealing the ball from Ashton on the left, but Conate dealt with the low cross. A corner caused confusion, Gard making a nuisance of herself and Fry sandwiched in a tackle, but the ball broke for Alia Hawkins whose shot was easily saved by Mackenzie.
Bell’s long-range effort was plucked out of the air by Froggatt, before Alicia Mason coughed up possession to Gawel, but the young City defender raced back and closed down the pacy Inter striker and the danger was cleared. McCormick appeared to trip De Sousa as she strode away on goal, the City striker incensed by the lack of a whistle, and Blacktown continued to look for a second goal, Waterhouse stealing the ball on the right to cross low into the area, but Charlize Cencigh was there to intercept.
Bronte Smith played the ball through for Gawel to race away down the right as Inter launched one last foray on goal. Her pace took her into the penalty area and her low cross found Hawkins completely unmarked in front of goal. When her shot was competely miscued, City appeared to have dodged a bullet, but the ball fell kindly for Gawel, who smashed the ball goalwards, a deflection off Kitching taking the ball past Mackenzie and into the goal to loud cheers from the watching crowd. It was tough to see the reactions of the City players, so long in the ascendency in this game, but given a rude shock at is conclusion. There was barely a minute remaining and the final whistle was met with stony-faced disbelief from the visitors and relieved smiles from the home team.
A point a-piece from today’s game will be seen as an opportunity missed by Blacktown City; in a week when they lost their talismanic striker Zoe Thompson to further reduce dwindling squad numbers they will be happy to have negotiated this tricky fixture. However, to give up the three points in the final moments of a game they dominated, this was not in the script. More to come from this dynamic and resilient group of talented players, we look forward to welcoming South Coast Flame to Landen Stadium next week. Come on down and see what it’s all about at 1.05pm on Sunday.
Many thanks to Gerry for the photos this week; thanks for giving us images to match the action of a thrilling season-opener. Any errors or inaccuracies with player names, do not hesitate to leave a message.