Perth RedStar 4-1 Perth SC
Report by Ben Gilby, photos supplied by Rob Lizzi (17/9/23)
Above: Perth RedStar celebrate after their Top Four Cup Final win. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Rob Lizzi.
Perth RedStar produced an all-round impressive display to retain their Football Top Four Cup title with victory over Perth SC at the State Football Centre.
An intelligent defensive structure that was maintained with outstanding discipline, marshaled by the outstanding Andreia Teixeira allied with a typically ruthless attacking display ensured that more silverware found its way into the RedStar Arena trophy cabinet.
Both sides went into the game with some changes of personnel from their previous Top Four Cup clashes with Perth RedStar able to bring Bronwyn Studman back into defence. For The Azzurri, head coach Pete Rakic’s perennial selection headache eased slightly with Jess Flannery’s return from State U18 Schoolgirl duty, and Matilda Bohm back available after sitting an exam that clashed with the side’s preliminary final on Wednesday.
Perth RedStar came into the Grand Final after seeing off Perth SC last weekend to the tune of 5-1 in the major semi-final. That result last Sunday forced Perth SC into a preliminary final in midweek against Hyundai NTC, who overcame Fremantle City to qualify for the encounter. A hugely impressive opening 45 minutes sealed Perth’s 3-0 win over the NTC to set up this encounter at the State Football Centre.
Perth SC could point to some success against Carlos Vega Mena’s side this season, coming from behind to win the Night Series Final on penalties, and also defeating them in the State Cup – this was a game that had the potential to be a fitting way to bring down the curtain on the NPLW WA season.
RedStar imposed themselves on the game from the start, maintaining an ultra-high press that made it extremely tough for their opponents to escape their own half. It was particularly successful in causing serious challenges for Perth SC to play out from the back.
With just eight minutes on the clock, RedStar’s possession and territory domination translated onto the scoreboard. Chiori Ikeda cut the ball back from the right for Renee Leota to hit a shot that Rebecca Bennett palmed away in the Perth goal, but the ball fell for Jay Coleman to fire back. The Azzurri defence repelled the danger, but only as far as the edge of the box where the ball was headed down into the path of Reina Kagami to take a touch, turn and lift a shot into the net from the edge of the box.
Perth SC continued to find it hard to break out of the stranglehold, but they were not without opportunities. With 23 minutes gone, Ella Lincoln probed and provided a centimeter-perfect pass for Gemma Craine to drive forward and unleash a powerful drive from the edge of the area that Maya Diederichsen pushed over the top.
On the half-hour mark, RedStar threatened once more. Coleman broke through from the right and found Leota who hit a side-footed shot that was repelled by Bennett’s hand at the cost of a corner. Ikeda’s flag kick came in high from the left and, with Bennett surrounded by players as she jumped, the referee ruled in her favour as RedStar players claimed to have forced the ball over the line.
The final chance of the half fell Perth SC’s way as Lincoln broke before cutting in and firing a shot into the side netting.
Despite being forced on the back foot for much of the opening half, Perth SC crucially went in at the break only one goal behind. If they could find a way for key players Jess Flannery and Lincoln to get more touches and entries into the final third, then a comeback was still eminently possible.
However, that was not to be. After an opening ten minutes of the second period that yielded few clear-cut chances, it was RedStar who broke through. A throw-in on the left from Studman produced an attempted back pass by Bohm that didn’t have enough pace on it, allowing Olivia Wood to steal in and lift over Bennett.
The league champions continued to press, with Bennett called into action to keep her side in the game, denying both Leota’s high shot and Abbey Woolley after the sub was played through clinically by Kagami.
With 20 minutes remaining, Perth SC rallied with the creative trio of Flannery, Lincoln, and Craine instrumental – but crucially, they were unable to force saves out of Diederichsen despite forcing a number of corners in the spell.
As always seems to be the case when playing RedStar, if chances created against them are not matched by goals scored, Carlos Vega Mena’s side has a habit of making you pay – and this was displayed once again. With five minutes remaining, Kagami threaded a perfectly weighted pass through to Woolley to slot home.
Bennett was called upon once more to save her team shortly afterwards as she denied Wood who broke through to a one-on-one with her.
However, as the clock ticked towards stoppage time at the end, Wood had better luck as she was played through in Woolley, brought it down on the edge of the box, and fired home for 4-0.
Four minutes into added-on time, The Azzurri got some reward for their efforts as Craine broke through the centre and found sub Emily Henderson outside her to supply a low ball in which was forced over the line by Faye Phillips after a scramble.
Whilst the season has ended in bitter disappointment for Perth SC, when the dust settles, they have so much to be proud of. A first piece of silverware won in the Night Series, plus a second-place finish in the league and runners-up spot in the Top Four Cup after a season which saw the squad decimated by injuries.
It is only fitting that the final word goes to Perth RedStar. They are a champion team in every possible way. Whilst, overall the NPLW WA felt a lot tighter this year, they were still able to come out on top when it mattered and produced a style of football that was outstanding.
Teams: PERTH REDSTAR: Diederichsen, Studman, K. Carroll, Teixeira, Dunn, S. Carroll, Coleman, Kagami, Ikeda, Leota, Wood. Substitutes: O’Donohoe, Ridley, Doan, Woolley, Mogridge, Ritchie, Neal.
Scorers: Kagami 8′. Wood 54′, 89′. Woolley 85′.
PERTH SC: Bennett, Cook, Connolly, Bohm, Phillips, Godding, Papalia, Jarvis, Flannery, Lincoln, Craine. Substitutes: Meakins, van Heurck, Duncanson, Ottobrino, Caceres, Tulp, Henderson.
Scorer: Phillips 90+4′.
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