Boroondara Eagles have leapfrogged Bundoora United on top of the WPL table with a vital 2-0 win over the latter at Knox Regional Football Centre on Sunday.
All it took was two decisive moments from the Eagles’ imports Taryne Boudreau and Sarah Jacobs to seal the victory in a highly intense, cagey and always entertaining encounter, despite Beth Mason-Jones’ efforts between the sticks, keeping her side in the contest for as long as possible.
One could sense the significance of the occasion immediately upon arrival via the abundance of cars parked at Knox, with one of the bigger crowds of the season lining up along the sideline to witness the action.
It almost started with a bang as the hosts were caught napping in their defensive third right from kick-off, as Rachel Alonso slipped through Elly Curo in a quick transition, but the striker’s effort missed wide of the upright.
The Eagles took a while to settle, allowing the visitors more time on the ball than they would have liked, though Taryne Boudreau hit a shot in anger from distance that just fizzed past the woodwork.
The Canadian looked a constant threat in the front third, playing through Amy Jackson who had just Mason-Jones to beat, but the custodian stood tall to win the duel and block the ball away for a corner.
Down the other end, the Eagles’ back four also began to look more composed, generally restricting Bundoora to long shots, including one from Louisa Bisby that Anna Lanning held confidently.
Following the half-hour mark, a five minute frenzy of opportunities for Boroondara culminated in the crucial opening goal of the game.
It started with Amy Jackson’s inswinging corner that Gummer rose to, rattling the crossbar with a powerful header.
Just two minutes later, the Eagles and Boudreau came knocking again when the Canadian latched onto Emma Hubbard’s piercing pass, but once more Mason-Jones was up to the challenge, making a crucial save.
However, the pressure eventually told as Boudreau scored with a moment of individual brilliance, going on a mazy run towards the touchline before turning back in, skipping past Gulcan Koca – one of the rare times the Turkish international has been beaten in a one-on-one situation this season – before tucking the ball into the net from close range.
The solo effort stunned the crowd and carried the home side into the break in high spirits.
The second half was a much tighter affair, yielding some interesting mini-battles across the park, but little in the way of goalmouth action.
The near side saw wingers Jess Au and Aliesha Newman often engage in duels against their respective fullbacks Liv Ellis and Monique Ianella, with the defensive players getting forward and the attacking pair tracking back, resulting in both intricate link-up play and crunching challenges.
Ellis almost personally triumphed when she marauded forward and latched onto the ball, dribbling into the box and forcing another save out of Mason-Jones at her near post.
The most telling absence for Bundoora was Enza Barilla, as while the defence managed to stem Boroondara’s flow in the second half – Claudia Fruscalzo doing well to close down Boudreau – the attack sorely missed a creative spark, with the play often breaking down before the final delivery.
The hosts sealed the win fortuitously just 10 minutes before the final whistle.
Sarah Jacobs curled in a corner kick over everybody’s head and into the far side of the net, with nobody at the back post to prevent the goal.
It concluded a quality contest between two of the state’s most talented and well-drilled sides, no doubt a motivator for the visitors to exact revenge the next time the two sides meet.
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Boroondara Eagles 2 (Boudreau 38′, Jacobs 80′) defeated Bundoora United 0 at Knox Regional Football Centre
Boroondara Eagles: 1. Anna Lanning, 5. Sky Jensen, 16. Emma Littlewood, 9. Alex Gummer, 22. Liv Ellis, 6. Ash Callaghan, 15. Amy Jackson, 2. Sarah Jackson, 17. Emma Hubbard (8. Ellen Turner 72′), 7. Taryne Boudreau, 11. Aliesha Newman,
Unused Subs: 10. Emma Gross, Mia Mossman
Bundoora United: 1. Beth Mason-Jones, 13. Claudia Fruscalzo 2. Monique Ianella, 10. Gulcan Koca, 9. Tyla-Jay Vlajnic (15. Krystal McKluskey 88′), 16. Louisa Bisby, 23. Jess Pitts, 14. Rachel Alonso, 11. Jess Au, 3. Emma Heckenberg (17. Stacey Papadopoulos 60′), 8. Elly Curo
Unused Substitutes: 18. Hailee Mesiti, 22. Deanna Fruscalzo, 21. Claudia Dimasi