Despite a brave fight with ten players, our Lions Women fell to Gold Coast United in Extra-Time of the Kappa Queensland Cup Quarter-Finals
It was a dream start at Luxury Paints Stadium, hosting Gold Coast United again after our NPL clash on the weekend had been abandoned due to the weather.
This time in the Kappa Queensland Cup, it was Anna Soulsby again who opened the scoring with a sharp, close-range finish inside five minutes!
3′ | 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐀𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐋!!!
Anna Soulsby opens the scoring early!𝐋𝐈𝐎 1 – 0 𝐆𝐂𝐔 #HeartPridePassion | #KappaQueenslandCup pic.twitter.com/vhVwZDOtrD
— Lions FC (@lionsfc1) June 16, 2026
Despite our promising start, Gold Coast United struck back on the half-hour mark, before ultimately snatching the lead minutes before the break. We entered the interval trailing 2-1.
Our response after the break was swift, with Anna Soulsby once again proving her impeccable goalscoring ability. A brilliant bouncing half-volley unleashed into the top left corner!
52′ | 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐀𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐋!!!
Anna Soulsby strikes back! A lethal bouncing half-volley, buried in the top left corner 🔥
𝐋𝐈𝐎 2 – 2 𝐆𝐂𝐔#HeartPridePassion | #KappaQueenslandCup pic.twitter.com/6N4CfuObDo
— Lions FC (@lionsfc1) June 16, 2026
Hunting her hattrick, Anna curled a wicked curling effort inches shy of the top right corner, before Scarlett Premerl tested the keeper with a stinging strike from an acute angle!
An unfortunate collision while chasing possession in the centre of the park saw Scarlett shown her second yellow card, and our Lions Women were down to ten players.
Elisa Karas made a crucial fingertip save to keep us level, and a great team move saw our Lions Women create space with ten players, finding Daisey Bateman in the centre of the box. She was dispossessed before she could shoot.
Anna and Daisey again linked up inside the box, but Anna’s through-ball was smothered by the keeper before Daisey could shoot.
The ninety minutes elapsed without a breakthrough, and our Lions Women prepared for Extra Time with a player down.
An improvised scissor kick cross from Anna Soulsby fell at the back post, but nobody could meet the ball. Natalie Tathem then delivered an insane defence-splitting through-ball to find Anna at the back post, but her effort missed the target by inches after beating the keeper!
In the 100th minute, Gold Coast United found the breakthrough.
Daisey Bateman forced a fine save after a great exchange between Tonia-Marie Rantucci and Natalie Tathem. Then, in the 118th minute, the visitors struck again and forced us out of the cup.
A tough end to a great Kappa Queensland Cup campaign. We were brilliant in possession despite playing with ten. Immensely unfortunate, but we’ll take this outcome as fuel for the rest of the season.
𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐀.𝐄.𝐓. | There’s no denying the passion and quality of this team, and that was evident in how hard we fought and the quality of chances we created with ten players on the field.#HeartPridePassion pic.twitter.com/uXY3OMPXH4
— Lions FC (@lionsfc1) June 16, 2026
