Pride lift title in extra time
Canterbury United Pride won their fourth National Women’s Football League title in six seasons, beating the Northern Lights 3-2 after extra time in yesterday’s decider.
The two teams were locked 2-2 at halftime and at the end of 90 minutes, with Northern looking the stronger side as extra time began.
But the Pride stood strong and took the lead 12 minutes in, when Gabi Rennie chased down a long ball forward, did well to lose Northern defender Hannah Mackay-wright, then teed up substitute Monique Barker, who only had goalkeeper Anna Leat to beat.
There were few chances after that, with players on both sides shattered on a hot afternoon at Trusts Arena in Auckland – Northern came closest to drawing level in the final minute, only for Helena Kelderman to scuff her shot.
It was the Lights who struck first, just six minutes in, when Jane Barnett pounced after a throw-in was allowed to bounce in the Pride’s box, sending a thundering shot into the back of net.
Football Ferns midfielder Annalie Longo levelled the scores 10 minutes later, alert when Northern failed to clear a cross
and showing good composure to finish.
Northern had looked the stronger side early on, but as Longo began to see more of the ball, the contest tilted the Pride’s way.
Canterbury got the go-ahead goal in the 31st minute, as Cody Taylor was able to pounce after Leat played a risky short ball to centre back Mackay-wright, then tee up Longo for her second.
Northern looked short on ideas having gone behind, but won a corner in the 40th minute, after some good work by Dayna Stevens, which captain Claudia Bunge was able to steer goalward from right in front, making it 2-2.
Chances were few and far early in the second half, as the game became increasingly scrappy in the heat.
Northern nearly had a winner in stoppage time, when Kate Loye tapped home a cross from Nicole Stratford, only for the fullback to be flagged offside, while the Pride’s best late chance came when Whitney Hepburn blazed a shot from distance over the bar.
In the first half of extra time, Northern continued to be the stronger side, with the Pride hanging in there, looking to play on the counter.
That was how they got their noses in front with what proved to be the winner, through Barker, three minutes from halftime in extra time, and they didn’t let the game slip from there.