Cambridge United claim derby day victory in win over Guelph United

Published June 3, 2025

Cambridge United’s Women’s First Team sustained their perfect record in league

play with a 2-0 win over local rivals Guelph United in derby day action at Fountain

Street Soccer Fields.

Anastasia Kraja gave Cambridge the lead late in the first half, converting from the

penalty spot to put the home side up 1-0 at half.

Cambridge began to control the possession in the second, Annick Lariviere with the

second goal midway through the second half to secure the 2-0 win for the Bridge at

home.

Team

Cambridge: Mitchell, Blazek (Mackie 76’), Fraga (Desouza 46’), Halley (Richards

59’), Owen (McCall 59’), Kraja (Bruni 76’), Derry, Di Benedetto, Lariviere, Voutour

(Lunshof 84’), and Heyes.

Unused subs: Courtney, Hunt, Harris

First Half

Cambridge found themselves in Guelph’s end early on, with a corner in the opening

minutes where Molly Owen found the head of Claire Di Benedetto who directed it just

wide.

It was pretty much all Cambridge in the first half of play, though they struggled to find

the net—but it wasn’t for lack of effort.

Kraja and Megan Voutour combined consistently throughout the half, putting

Guelph’s back line to work. Voutour came close around the 27th minute with a volley

from outside the eighteen-yard-box, but the visitor’s goalkeeper would continue to do

well to shut down the home side.

The deadlock wasn’t broken until the 31st minute. A long ball by Cassidy Derry over

top was flicked on by Voutour to bring Kraja into the box where she would be taken

down by two Guelph defenders. The ref called for a penalty kick and Kraja would

step up and place it right side to convert in back-to-back games from the spot.

Cambridge continued to press late in the second, earning a series of corners, but

wouldn’t add to their lead.

Guelph lacked any sort of real offensive threat with only two close calls easily

collected by goalkeeper Shae Mitchell, keeping the score 1-0 in Cambridge’s favour

to close out the first half.

Second Half

One substitution kicked off the second half, Cambridge’s Sam Desouza coming in for

Ava Fraga. Desouza made an early impact, contributing to a sharp combination play

atop Guelph’s box that stemmed from a good defensive play by Kate Halley. Owen

finished off the play with a left-footed strike that would ricochet off the bar.

Guelph earned their first corner in the 52nd minute, but Megan Heyes would get her

head to the ball first to clear it and relieve any threat of pressure. The visitors gained

some momentum after a series of fouls, but failed to capitalize.

In the 59th minute, Owen was replaced by Kay-Lynn McCall who made her

Cambridge debut on the day. Shenasia Richards came in for Halley to add more

fresh legs to the Cambridge side.

Midway through the second with 67’ on the clock, Ashley Blazek combined through

the middle with McCall who would thread a ball through to Lariviere running into the

left half-space. Lariviere cut in sharply to lose her defender, setting herself up for a

well-placed shot along the turf near post to put Cambridge up 2-0.

Sophia Bruni and Hayley Mackie entered the field for Kraja and Blazek in the 76th minute and

Jordan Lunshof made the final substitution for Cambridge in the 84th minute. With minimal

stoppage time signalled by the fourth official, Cambridge completed the shut-out and claimed the

2-0 win over local rivals, Guelph United.