Talent stamps Sofi’s passport
IT speaks volumes of the impact Sofi Viarengo is having on North-West Graduates that she is stealing the headlines from her teammates.
This is because Graduates have an abundance of riches including goalkeeper Emily Harvey, Annie Scutt, Em Divin and Ashleigh Arthur.
They also possess the No. 1 ranked defender in the competition, Louisa Jacobson, whose consistency must have her placed as favourite for the MVP award at season’s end.
But Argentinian striker Viarengo again electrified the women’s Premier League with an insane five-goal haul in Graduates 7-1 defeat of University on Saturday night.
The effort moved her just a goal from top of the scoring charts, despite having missed the opening 10 matches of the season.
“I would love to play like that every game,” she said. “I feel I am now in the best physical shape and have improved my efficiency inside the circle, pressing opposition defenders and helping to open up attacking spaces with my leading to benefit the team.”
With experience also playing in Spain, Viarengo’s five goals showed her deadly prowess in the attacking circle.
“I think apart from making the right decision, another strength of mine is to also be in the right spot, which is a great skill too.
“But I am a team player and all I care about is that my team’s win, so while I love scoring goals, I didn’t come here to get the top scorer and just want to help as much as I can to hopefully get another premiership.”
But her nine goals from five matches was almost not to be, as difficulties in obtaining a visa threatened to derail her plans.
“It was so hard this time and a really confusing and frustrating process where I was starting to think it was just not meant to be.
“In Tassie, I feel at home and I was just so happy to get a three-month visa to come back and play hockey again with this amazing team and to see the rest of this beautiful state.”