Canberra United celebrated their season launch with a 2-0 win over an Invitational All-Stars team in front of a strong McKellar Park crowd.
The Invitational All-Stars, made up of Canberra’s premier Women’s NPL talent, did well to prevent a Pre-Season United from running away with the game, with All-Star Goalkeeper Janet King, on loan from Canberra United, making several key saves.
United expectedly controlled the match, dictating the pace of the game while restricting the All-Stars ability to break their lines or progress the ball, and found the back of the net twice. United scored early through American import Emma Hawkins, who joins United after stints in the Portuguese and Icelandic leagues, who capitalised on a low cross into the All-Stars six-yard box. United then created several chances through Captain Michelle Heyman, who was well defended by the All-Stars to keep United to a single goal in the first half.
United continued their dominance in the second half, creating most of their chances through trialist Keira Bobbin of Belconnen United, who was named NPL player of the season and Golden Boot winner earlier this year. Bobbin started her debut strongly, forcing two crucial saves from King before her blistering header off a United corner found the bottom right corner, putting the game to bed for United.
Canberra United look control of the match from kick-off with a swarm of entries into the All-Stars box. United were only denied a goal in the opening minutes thanks to an outstanding save by All-Star goalkeeper Janet King, who dived to her left and parried a deflected Michelle Heyman shot in the fourth minute.
However, it did not take long for United to break the deadlock, thanks to a tap in by Hawkins in the 11th minute. United made a break down the right wing to the byline before playing a well weighted pass across the six-yard box, splitting the All-Star defence and leaving King with no chance.
United were denied a second soon after courtesy of the quick feet of All-Stars defender Alex Nealand, who darted across the box intercept a United ball, with the resulting corner put wide off the head of United’s attack.
Heyman was again denied a goal, this time by Belconnen United Defender Bronte Pyke, who raced across the 18-yard box to block the veteran strikers shot in the 19th minute.
The game halted in the 25th minute for a drinks break, which the All-Stars used to regroup after a dominate opening quarter from United. The All-Stars came out of the break with their first foray into United’s final third, gaining a numerical advantage on the edge of United’s box, before a ball to Ginger Oliver was played behind her and allowed United to recover their defensive shape.
United were unlucky not to trouble the scoreboard again close to halftime after a cross was mistimed off the shin of their striker to sail harmlessly over the crossbar. The All-Stars then defended a free-kick and corner in the 45th minute to keep the score 1-0 at the break.
United began the second half the way they had played the first, taking only one minute to register their first shot of the half, which flew harmlessly wide of the left post. Soon after, Bobbin was denied an early debut goal after King stayed low to block her bouncing header.
King was again the hero for the All-Stars, denying Bobbin from close range with a brilliant reflex save down to her right. The All-Stars then relied on a touch of luck, as Kings parried ball was skyed from close range by the United attack in a scramble that should have made the game 2-0.
A United error playing out from the back allowed the All-Stars a chance in attack, which resulted in a routine save for substitute goalkeeper Coco Majstorovic. The All-Stars used this attack to create their first momentum shift of the match, as straight after some quick passes by the All-Stars found Bonnie Young in space down the right wing. Young was able to beat her defender, cutting inside onto her right foot before narrowly hitting her shot over the crossbar.
The shifty did not last long as United continued to press the All-Stars fullbacks and won a corner. Bobbin was not to be denied a third time and leapt above the pack to fire a pinpoint header across King and into the bottom right corner to put United up 2-0 with 12 minutes to play.
United should have made it three with three minutes to go, when Bethany Gordan received the ball on the edge of the box and decided to shoot rather than playing to her teammate in space. Gordan did well to shake her defender long enough to get her shot away, which flew past the left-hand post.
Canberra United opens their A-league season at McKellar Park against the Newcastle Jets on November 2nd.
