Graphic: Michael Alesich

Brisbane got to travel interstate this round, as a treat, and they made sure to make the most of it with a Thursday night win over Wanderers and a shock thumping of Sydney FC. Adelaide avenged their earlier loss this season against Canberra.  

Western Sydney Wanderers 1 – 2 Brisbane Roar

Written by Lani Johnson

The Western Sydney Wanderers have dropped to eighth place while Brisbane Roar move into second after the two teams played on Thursday night at Marconi Stadium.

Leena Khamis put her side in front after just 14 minutes. It was the striker’s first goal of the season, sending the ball into the top right corner from close range.

Brisbane were quick to respond, with Emily Gielnik getting on the end of a cross from Tameka Yallop only two minutes later. Gielnik touched the ball into the middle of the penalty area and slotted it home to equalise for her side.

But Brisbane weren’t done there. At the 30th minute mark, the referee called for a handball on Georgia Yeoman-Dale on the edge of the box. Gielnik took the resulting penalty, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way as she drilled the ball into the bottom left corner. Gielnik now has six goals to her name this season, putting her in equal first running for Golden Boot.

Gielnik almost completed her hat trick in the 80th minute after a beautiful passage of play, but her shot was deflected by goalkeeper Sarah Willacy. The Wanderers hit the woodwork twice in the second half, but luck wasn’t on their side. Debutant Morgan Aquino make an important one-handed save on the dying moments of the match to deny Leena Khamis a second goal, and to secure the three points for Brisbane.

The Roar are set to play ladder leaders Sydney FC on Valentine’s Day, while the Wanderers will play another home match against Perth next Thursday.

Sydney FC 1 – 4 Brisbane Roar

Written by Dale Roots

Brisbane remain the only undefeated team in the W-League after completing a successful trip to the Harbour City in emphatic fashion, dispatching ladder leaders Sydney 4-1 at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday afternoon.

A brace from Roar fullback Jamila Rankin, and goals to club stalwarts Tameka Yallop and Clare Polkinghorne gave the visitors all three points, even after Sydney midfielder Clare Wheeler’s incredible first-half equaliser.

Without midfielder Katrina Gorry for the remainder of the season, Jake Goodship again chose Yallop, Isobel Dalton and Olivia Chance to patrol his side’s midfield, while Sydney coach Ante Jurić’s only change was the inclusion of former Matildas goalkeeper Eliza Campbell on the bench, replacing the injured Katie Offer.

Brisbane took the lead almost immediately, with Yallop towering over Teresa Polias to head Emily Gielnik’s dinked cross in at the back post after just eight minutes. 

Almost as soon as the visitors had taken the lead, Sydney equalised – and in the most bizarre (and most W-League) of circumstances; receiving a pass just outside her six-yard box, Brisbane goalkeeper Morgan Aquino was put under immediate pressure by Sydney’s attack, and while she did well to get her clearance away, the young stopper could only watch and weep as it ricocheted in off Wheeler for the most unlikely of goals.

Brisbane re-took the lead all of four minutes later, with young fullback Jamilla Rankin on hand to tap home Jada Whyman’s fumble from close range after the Sydney gloveswoman spilled her lollies in the penalty area.

Trailing at half-time, Sydney needed a spark from the restart, but their chances of claiming a win dwindled close to zero after Clare Polkinghorne extended Brisbane’s lead nine minutes into the second half. Cutting through a Sydney set-piece defence resembling something akin to Florence’s Piazza della Signoria – a myriad of statues standing still forever – Brisbane’s skipper nodded home her side’s third goal before replicating the famous Rock The Baby celebration in honour of her teammate. 

Brisbane added its fourth goal minutes from full-time, through another unfortunate error from Whyman; left all alone on the left wing from a short corner, Rankin sent a hopeful cross in towards goal, only for Sydney’s keeper to spill the ball inside her near post to seal a horror result for the Sky Blues and send the Roar back to the Sunshine State with all three points.

Adelaide United 2 – 1 Canberra United

Written by Steffen Moebus

A physical encounter at Marden Sports Complex in Adelaide saw the home team narrowly take the spoils on Sunday night to complete the round and overtake their opponents on the ladder into third place.

Canberra United looked assured on the ball in the first 20 minutes but it was Adelaide who opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Isabel Hodgson chipped beautifully for Chelsie Dawber at the Canberra back post, with Dawber ghosting past her defender and stylishly volleying past Keeley Richards.

Michelle Heyman had a golden opportunity to strike back after half an hour, toeing Kendall Fletcher’s pinpoint through ball just to the left of the Adelaide goal. Not long after, a penalty shout for a handball by returning Canberra defender Clare Hunt was denied by the referee.  

Adelaide settled into the game as the first half progressed, playing with patience as a solid unit for the balance of the game, while for the second game running Canberra frustratingly displayed a penchant for undoing good work with poor passes.

Kiwi flyer Paige Satchell has looked impressive all season and kept her side in the game at 1-1 on the stroke of half-time, easing past a defender then squeezing a narrow angled shot under debutant Adelaide keeper Annalee Grove for a first W-League goal.

Adelaide was the more dominant of the two sides in the second half with both keepers (but especially Richards) prominent. Emily Condon continued her impressive season by intelligently placing the winning goal to Richards’ left ten minutes into the second half, the beneficiary of a ball played to her across the top of the box after the Canberra defence failed to clear the ball.

Canberra pressed hard to equalize with attacking substitutions, counterattacking football, and chances to Heyman and Flannery which were without reward.

At the end of the day, Adelaide won through their brand of structured, tough, and controlled football earned by years of playing together, while Canberra will feel as if that was one that got away. 

  

Round 9 details

All times are AEDT. 

  • Western Sydney Wanderers vs Perth Glory at Marconi Stadium – Thursday 18 February, 7.10p
  • Newcastle Jets vs Melbourne Victory at No. 2 Sportsground – Saturday 20 February, 4.05pm
  • Sydney vs Adelaide United at Cromer Park – Sunday 21 February, 4.05pm
  • Brisbane Roar vs Perth Glory at Lions Stadium – Sunday 21 February, 6.05pm

Download our shareable W-League calendar. 

DALE ROOTS
DALE ROOTS
Dale is a Canberra-born, Sydney-based writer for Beyond90, covering both W-League and NPL competitions, as well as the Australian national teams.
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