Women’s Match Report: Clinical Royals Too Strong for Brunswick

Essendon Royals picked up another valuable three points with a composed 2-0 win over Brunswick Juventus at Cross Keys Reserve on Saturday afternoon.

The Royals were boosted midweek by the arrivals of new signings Olivia Wood, Alana Cerne, and Deven Jackson. Wood was impressive in her starting debut. Cerne entered the match at half-time, while Jackson will join the squad in the coming weeks.

Despite what turned out to be a comfortable result, the Royals were initially tested by Brunswick, who started brightly but were ultimately undone by their own wastefulness in front of goal. Natalia O’Leary’s header against the crossbar was the closest Juventus came to scoring, a key turning point as Essendon took control from that moment on.

Fujiwara Airi opened the scoring after 33 minutes, confidently converting a penalty after a clumsy foul by Brunswick’s Shishido Nanami. The goal settled the hosts, allowing them to assert their control.

Essendon doubled their lead just after half-time. After Sasha Coorey’s powerful shot rattled the bar, Emma Langley reacted quickest to fire an emphatic volley into the roof of the net, putting the Royals firmly in the driving seat.

Langley could have added more, narrowly missing late on, while a good save from Juventus substitute keeper Tiana Orfanidis denied Coorey. At the other end, goalkeeper Zara Board and the Royals’ defence were steady, securing another clean sheet despite Brunswick’s early pressure.

Ultimately, Essendon’s efficiency from set-pieces and improved second-half control proved the difference, however they will feel that their failure to put away the countless opportunities they created could prove a missed opportunity to add give a boost to their goal difference.

With momentum building again, Vince Battiato’s team looks forward to continuing their strong form into next weekend’s fixtures, aiming to climb even higher on the NPLW table with top four and finals football now firmly in their sights.