Ninja A-League round-up: Adelaide continue superb run, Sydney claim important win | OneFootball

Round 17 of the Ninja A-League Women’s season saw surprise packages Adelaide United continue their superb run of form. Elsewhere, table-topping Melbourne City travel to Canberra, looking to preserve their unbeaten season

We’ve rounded up all the results from the latest round of action. Here’s how the weekend played out.

Central Coast Mariners 1-2 Western Sydney Wanderers

An injury time strike from Holly Caspers completed a late turnaround for the Wanderers in Gosford.

The hosts were aiming to solidify their place in the top six and made a bright start. Annalise Rasmussen drew two smart stops from Wanderers goalkeeper Sham Khamis in the opening 11 minutes.

It took until after the hour mark for the Mariners to break the deadlock. Peta Trimis’ cutback was turned home by Issa Gomez at the back post for her third goal of the season.

Olivia Price equalised for Western Sydney with ten minutes to go. Sienna Saveska’s pass found Price unmarked in the 18-yard box. Price took one touch to bring the ball under her control and lashed home with her second.

The turnaround was completed deep into stoppage time. Mariners keeper Sarah Langman’s pass out had too much on it for Jessika Nash. Talia Kapetanellis nipped to steal the ball before feeding it through to Caspers and her shot crept over the line via the post.

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Canberra United 1-1 Melbourne City

Aideen Keane’s late goal gave Canberra a share of the points against table-topping Melbourne City.

City set their stall out from the off. Canberra’s Sally James acrobatically denied Alexia Apostolakis with just over a minute played. James was called into action again not long after to bravely deny City at the feet of Bryleeh Henry. Taylor Otto gave City the lead early in the second half as she forced home a corner.

Canberra stuck to their guns. Sofia Christopherson fired over from close range just five minutes later. The Canberra equaliser was all City’s own undoing. A poor back pass was latched onto by Keane. She lifted the ball over the stranded Malena Mieres and raced home in spite of Otto’s best efforts to deny her.

Having kept City at bay in the opening minutes of the match, James again excelled to ensure her side came away with a point. Laura Hughes’ cross was hammered goalwards by Mariana Speckmaier from close distance, but James spread herself superbly to deny the Venezuelan. Another save, this time from Rhianna Pollicina compounded City’s frustration as their lead at the top was cut.

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Newcastle Jets 2-1 Perth Glory

Two early goals from Sophie Hoban saw the Jets claim all three points in this battle at the bottom of the table.

Barely two minutes had elapsed when Hoban’s cross floated over Miranda Templeman in the Perth goal. Less than 60 seconds later, Hoban doubled hers and the Jets’ tally. Driving through the heart of midfield, Hoban laid the ball out wide for Lauren Allen. Her sweet delivery was pushed back out by Templeman for Hoban, who’d continued her run. Her first effort was blocked, but she made no mistake with the second to slide home.

Perth gave themselves a lifeline with 10 minutes of the second half played. Isabella Foletta’s cross was well converted by Ella Lincoln, who was surrounded by Jets’ shirts.

Newcastle went down to 10 players with just over 15 minutes to go. Libby Copus-Brown brought down Megan Wynne just outside the box as she was through on goal. Perth couldn’t make the numerical advantage count as Newcastle held on for their third win of the season.

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Western United 1-2 Melbourne Victory

Melbourne Victory reduced the gap at the top to five points with a win over Western United.

Holly Furphy put the visitors ahead in the 10th minute. An outswinging corner was headed out as far as Furphy, and her shot crept through a thicket of legs and into the net.

Chloe Logarzo’s long-range strike stung the palms of Courtney Newbon as Western looked for a quick response.

The hosts got their reward just before half-time. Grace Maher forced Adriana Tranto’s corner goalwards. The ball bounced off Victory’s Claudia Bunge and Emily Gielnik and squirmed over the line. Another corner, this time early in the second half, saw Victory retake the lead. Alana Jancevski’s set piece was plundered home by captain Kayla Morrison.

It would’ve been three just seconds later, but some alert goalkeeping from Alyssa Dall’Oste denied Gielnik, with Claudia Mihocic’s goal line clearance thwarting Rachel Lowe. Victory’s win keeps them just two points above Adelaide United in the A-League table.

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Wellington Phoenix 1-3 Adelaide United

Adelaide continued their stunning A-League season as they dispatched Wellington in New Zealand.

Ella Tonkin gave the Reds an early lead. Ghosting in at the far post, her powerful header left Carolina Vilão with no chance. The South Australians had chances to extend their lead. Dylan Holmes’ scuffed shot was knocked onto the bar by Chelsie Dawber.

Wellington equalised late in the first half. Olivia Fergusson punished Adelaide, firstly picking off an undercut back pass from Matilda McNamara. She finished the job to fire past the onrushing Claudia Jenkins to level the match.

Into the second half, Adelaide retook the lead when Lucía León’s cross crept into the far corner past the despairing Vilão. Adelaide were then awarded a penalty when Tiana Jaber was punished for a high foot on Dawber. Fiona Worts stepped up, but Vilão stood tall to deny her from 12 yards.

León’s second of the game, five minutes from time, wrapped up the points and kept Adelaide on track for a top-three A-League finish.

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Sydney FC 3-2 Brisbane Roar

Sydney FC claimed their first win in five as they came from behind to beat the Roar.

McKenzie Hawkesby’s piledriver gave the Sky Blues the lead after 13 minutes.

Brisbane faced an early change in goal after Olivia Sekany sustained an injury. Her replacement, Keeley Richards, was quickly called into action. She denied Princess Ibini and Hawkesby to keep her side in the game.

Richards produced another stunning save from Ibini early in the second half to tip over an effort from Ibini. That save proved even more valuable when Brisbane drew level. Laini Freier gratefully received Jordan Thompson’s wayward pass. She needed no encouragement to take aim and score from 25 yards to cap off a week in which she made her international debut.

The Roar took the lead on the hour mark. Bethany Mason-Jones denied Grace Kuilamu from close range. Mariel Hecher reacted quickest to rifle Brisbane ahead.

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Sydney drew level with a stunning free-kick from Nat Tobin. With the ball all of 30 yards from goal, Hawkesby rolled it forward and Tobin absolutely hammered it. As good as Richards had been since her introduction, there was nothing she could do about that.

Shea Connors’ first goal of the season gave the reigning champions a morale-boosting win in their battle to avoid the Wooden Spoon.

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