Women’s Match Report: Royals Go Down Swinging at Olympic Village
The Essendon Royals senior women were gallant in defeat on Saturday evening, going down in a five-goal thriller to league leaders Heidelberg at Olympic Village.
Essendon were on the wrong end of another masterclass from the NPLW’s leading goalscorer Sawa Matsuda, who displayed her aerial prowess and goal-poaching instincts as she netted her second hattrick of the campaign. The Japanese striker now has 13 goals in 11 league appearances, and just three sides have managed to keep her scoreless in a game this season.
The Royals trailed in the 14th minute when Asuka Miyata drilled in a cross from the left flank. Matsuda rose highest to head past the onrushing Zara Board and into the empty net, as the Essendon keeper collided painfully with both Matsuda and her own defender. Board bravely nursed the apparent quadriceps injury through to halftime, with her defenders taking her goal kicks, but eventually had to be replaced by Ava Walters.
Essendon hit back quickly, however, as Ava Groba’s visionary pass found the run of Sasha Coorey, who coolly flicked the ball past the advancing Mia Bailey in the Heidelberg goal.
Groba squandered a golden chance to take the lead in the 33rd minute, but Coorey completed her brace a minute later with a quite remarkable solo goal. The ball appeared to be rolling out harmlessly for a Heidelberg goal kick, but Coorey nipped in on the blind side of defender Cameron Barreiro to somehow keep the ball in play, before beating Bailey with a powerful left-footed drive from the narrowest of angles.
The Royals’ jubilation was short-lived, though, as the brilliant Matsuda had Heidelberg level again before the break. Only Bronte Peel will know if she intended to cross to a teammate or strike at goal, but Matsuda’s acrobatic diving header made it seem like the perfect pass.
It would prove to be Matsuda’s night. After substitute Emilia Ingles rattled the crossbar from range midway through the second half, Miyata collected the rebound and fired low across goal into a crowded six-yard box. As backup goalkeeper Walters collided painfully with her own defender, the ball somehow squirmed through to a waiting Matsuda, who cleverly contorted her body to convert into the empty net.
The result leaves the Royals women in sixth, four points adrift of finals football, but the side will take plenty of encouragement after a spirited display in their toughest away trip of the season.