Sport
Shepparton United keeps the pressure on table-leading Strathfieldsaye Colts in CVL division one women’s
Shepparton United women’s side is peaking at the right time, just ask its coach.
Jean-Claude Giuca has a placid pride about him when speaking about his outfit and for good reason ― it sits second on the ladder, has booked passage to a league cup final and has exacted revenge on Tatura twice in two weeks after losing to the Ibises 1-0 in round seven.
The latest came on Sunday as the Blues saw off their local rival 2-0 at McEwen Reserve, with goals to Olivia Saron and Rebekah Lawson moving United above Spring Gully and within reach of Colts.
“It was a great team performance, our defence is very sound at the moment which is good and our attacking prowess is brilliant,” Giuca said.
“We’re starting to gather momentum at the right time. Our periodisation plan is working, we are at the top end of the scale at the moment, so we’re starting to find our feet.”
United struck the lead on 13 minutes as Saron made no mistake from the penalty spot, slotting past Amelia Rando for her 12th goal of the season.
Chances flew thick and fast for United, but none would stick, that was until Lawson guided home a smart team move off the left boot to snuff out Tatura’s hopes of a comeback.
Giuca made a point of mentioning the cameos of Trinity Cameron and Maria Villani, also waxing lyrical about his most lethal striker amid extolling his entire forward line.
“Olivia has been excellent. She wasn’t there last week and we managed to put five past them, so we’ve got a lot of firing power,” he said.
“But Olivia so far, she’s been very good indeed.”
United now takes this weekend’s bye as a chance to fine tune all facets ahead of the league cup final on August 6.
The Blues meet the competition’s form side in Colts when lacing up for the decider, and it’s a shade of unknown for Giuca with his side not yet facing the star-studded Bendigo outfit this season.
“This will be the first time that we’ll meet on ground,” he said.
“What I’ve seen so far about their scores, that’s fine, but we haven’t played them, so we’re really looking forward to it.”
On the men’s front, Tatura restores its two-point buffer at the table’s top after beating Shepparton United 4-1.
Since faltering twice in the opening three weeks, the Ibises have gone on to cut down all opponents in their path and Sunday’s victory was no different for the reigning premier.
Tatura’s Aaron Niglia struck the lone goal of the first half before United’s marquee man Ryan Brooks made it 1-1 from the spot midway through the second period.
Niglia would go on to double up from the spot as Khodabakhsh Karimi was delivered his marching orders, captain Cody Sellwood then added another before Niglia completed his hat-trick in added time through another penalty.
At Strathfieldsaye Recreation Reserve, Shepparton South spared Colts no mercy in an 18-0 decimation.
The triumph does wonders for Rob Harmeston’s side’s goal difference, but now South relies on Tatura dropping a game if it is to make it back-to-back minor premierships.
Lastly, Shepparton claimed a 6-1 win over Shepparton Lushi in a division two men’s derby.