It was all go at Deakin Stadium - good surface, wonderful weather and the chance to play in a Grand Final:
- In the Men's PL Belco did well to hold out Cooma. So its CFC to play Belco in the Grand Final and you would be brave to pick a winner ahead of full time next Saturday.
- The PPL saw Belco go to the Grand Final to play Woden Valley. This will be a fantastic game.
- The P18 game went to Woden Valley and what a game it was! Cooma (aka Marist) had absolutely smashed Woden at Cooma only a few weeks ago and were the form team of the competition in the last 4-5 weeks, peaking at just the right time, a hallmark of Marist PL18 teams of the last few years and a credit to their coach(s). Woden were a bit thin on the bench this game and knew for certain that this was one game that had to be toughed out for the full 90 minutes. As it turned out the game went for 120 minutes, followed by a heart stopping penalty shoot out. I have followed Woden PL18s since their admission to the PL and I can declare with absolute certainty, that I have not seen a more determined and praiseworthy performance by A Woden PL 18 team. It wasn't always pretty to watch from either side, but the margin for error was so very slim. A remarkably "clean" game for one so filled with tension and tiring players. Subs from the bench from both teams changed little, which must have frustrated the coaches, but there was little they could do - players had control - it went beyond coaching and how exactly do you coach for these contingencies? Now this brings me to one matter which I rate as "rare indeed" in football - Marist had two penalties awarded to them in the box in the first twenty minutes of the game. They missed both. You will go to a lot of football games before you see this happen again. You can't coach for this contingency. This was an incredibly narrow escape for Woden, breathed wind into their sails and I wonder if it did not dent Marist's confidence. As I watched I felt certain that the opportunity to finish off Woden early had slipped through Marist's fingers. No such opportunity appeared again in the game. That "near football death" experience galvanised Woden. Both teams played themsleves to a standstill. Marist threw everything but the kitchen sink at Woden, while Woden steadfastly repelled borders, they blunted Marists attack and replied with occassional counter attacks, which gained in lethality as Marist pushed players forward, thinnned the back, looking for a goal! As the game progressed, there seemed to be two complementary deficiencies, one from each team. There was a sameness to the Marist attack, aimed as it was so often at the slippery number 7 striker with blinding pace off the mark. He was very good, but I felt Woden got just enough luck in the first half of ordinary time to work out how best to handle the threat he posed every minute of the game. The second was that as Woden counter attacked, their sharp end was not sharp enough on the day. Reduced to 10 players for extra time, Woden looked more likely to concede. Marist did not spare them. But as I mentioned, this was an exemplary performance among all the Woden PL18 games over several seasons and instead of relenting under the pressure, Woden seemed to take the initiative in extra time and probably looked a shade better in the second half of extra time. Woden rolled the dice - they played to win. If they had done otherwise, if they had fallen back to defend the draw, Marist would have had them for sure. It was gutsy play. Did the players think this through, who knows? As they say "Who Dares Wins". Very true most of the time in football. If Marist had found one more attacking variation, it may have unhinged Woden's defence. But that's just speculation on my part. Extra time finished and both teams looked finished. Woden also owed a fair measure of thanks to their GK, Jacob Cole. He was right on his game. Now it was down to a penalty shoot out - at this point the football stops. Its a lottery. So much pressure renewed after so much pressure absorbed in the football. The game closed with one last twist of fate - The Woden GK Jacob Cole walked up to take a penaly shot (sudden death now!), slotted it in calm as you please, then kept walking into the goal to deal with the Marist penalty shot. He did too, goal saved, game won and Marist heartbroken. I stood looking and said aloud to myself - "I'll be buggered, what next, snow!" Just an amazing game. The Woden Valley coaching staff, Tony Olivera, Pepe Lopera and Alex Redmond have been meticulous in their preparation of the Woden Valley team and its been a long, long season. Who wouldn't want to play with a team that has this standard of coaching and support? However, they looked a wreck at the end of extra time and "shot ducks" after the penalty shoot out - and they won. The Marist coach was the model of patience and careful direction throught the game. No wonder he and his staff produce such good teams. They'll do it again next year, you can be sure of that! If there had been no penalty shoot out we might have been there still under lights and the PPL and PL fixtures would have had to be played during the week. Not a classic match from a technical stand point, but highly entertaining, pure theatre and yes, all about "winning". Sometimes playing to win can be a good teacher. Both sides were well coached and prepared for the game. Neither team let anyone down today. Wonderful football.
- The PL16 game was jam packed with good football and a ton of "football irony"! Woden Valley won 3-1. CFC have bested Woden Valley both times they have played each other this season - but not by much. The Woden Valley Coach, Micheal Azize, in his third and final year as the WVFC PL16 Coach (he has decided to step down to coach younger players at WVSC next season), has manufactured finals teams each year and they have all been splendidly different in character and successful. Its a pleasure to watch his teams campaign the season. There is a rich vien of talent in the junior football ranks at Woden Valley, its a good place to have you son or duaghter play and learn football. Season 2010's WVFC PL 16 team is a very talented bunch, they had not played together before this season, but from the early pre-season it was obvious that this group of players were a bit special. They are a "possession based" style of team, there is a lot of good process in them, but best of all, they have all got a lot better as the season has progressed. That's down to Michael Azize and his assistant coach George Stewart and lets not forget the Manager Leisa Brown. The irony I referred to previoulsy is well understood by those around both teams. You see, the CFC PL16 team is esssentially the Woden Valley Under 15 team of 2009 and a very good team they were and are today. Some like to say this is Woden Valley 1 v Woden Valley 2 and I can see why they say it. The Coach of the 2010 CFC PL16 team, for reasons best known to himself, convinced the parents of players and players (well most of them, not all) to depart Woden and go to CFC at the end of 2009. It came as a real shock to all at WVFC and WVSC. It was a terrific windfall gain for CFC and one they didn't have to work to produce. For a short period there was a feeling of despair at WVFC as all wondered where the next group of competitive PL16 level players would come from for 2010. Almost a complete Under 15 Div 1 cohort from WVSC club had disappeared. It takes years to produce teams of this standard at a club. Its not a nice thing to experience and so easy to allow oneself to become resentful over it. No sense in that though and wiser heads at WVFC prevailed, focussing on the future and not what had been lost. However, it's an ill wind that blows someone some good and so it was for all those that stayed or trialled for places in a Woden Valley PL16 team. Players that might not have otherwise emerged at Woden or perhaps been given the opportunity to step up to the PL16 level had the others not left, now had their chance to play PL16 football. This is somthething that's given many, pause for thought and to reflect on just how much young talent there is out there and what needs to be done to ensure it emerges at the right time, is recognised, encouraged and given the chance to prosper. Not for the first time have people wondered at the wisdom of letting any coach continue to take the same cohort of players through the age groups in a club. As well intentioned as it my be, it is just as likely to be undermined by a more narrow view of the playing talent each season. These "new" players that came to play at WVFC or were drawn from lower grades the season before, came to play for a club with an established reputation for excellent PL16 and PL18 teams and coaching staff. And that's the way it should be, it recommends itself. There were a couple of important lessons here for WVFC going forward, including the need for a much greater effort to keep the communication channels open between the Junior and PL clubs. This has been taken to heart. The focus from WV club officials went back to the players. It was an excellent decision. The club moved on. The message is clear - this game is about the young players, as many as we can get playing and playing good football - the rest of us just help it happen. In the final analysis, Woden Valley FC recuited and trained the team that beat CFC today, and CFC got a terrific PL16 team from Woden Valley that has done so well for them all season. What more could one club do? As they say - football is the winner, but its not an experience you would like to encounter every season. The Woden Valley PL16 team won in convincing style today, they took control early and looked the real thing the whole game. In one sense they have "over - achieved". Now the Grand Final beckons and Woden Valley play Canberra Olympic (aka White Eagles Under 15 team of 2009 season and another terrific team, well coached) - and what an outstanding game it will be. Funny game football!
Preliminary Finals
PREMIER LEAGUE
Belconnen United 2 (David Kemp 47’, Cameron Reinhart 92’) Cooma Tigers 1 (Marcial Munoz 53’)
PREMIER PATHWAY LEAGUE
Belconnen United 4 (J. O’Dwyer 11’, 33’, J. Sverdrupsen 24’, J. Colley 78’) Tuggeranong United 2 (P. Oxford 1’, S. Oxford 75’)
PREMIER LEAGUE UNDER-18
Woden Valley 1 (S. Lee 35’) Cooma Tigers 1 (C. Phillips 19’) – Woden Valley win 6-5 on penalties
PREMIER LEAGUE UNDER-16
Woden Valley 3 (P. Varga 5’, A. Popovich 11’, J. Calabria 56’) Canberra FC 1 (J. Vanleeuwen 75’)
