Western United 0-2 Western Sydney Wanderers
by Ryan Miller-Woods (25/11/23).
Above: Sophie Harding celebrates her opening goal for Western Sydney Wanderers. Photo: A-Leagues.
Despite only having had 38.7% possession come the end of the match, Western Sydney Wanderers achieved their first win of the season against Western United with goals from Sophie Harding and Cushla Rue late in the second half. With this result, the Wanderers have climbed off of the foot of the table.
United were the ones that created chances early in the match as their style of play and build-ups with the ball kept the Wanderers on alert – but they defended well and grew into the game the longer the half went on. Yet Western United had the control.
Seven minutes into the second half, United had a very good opportunity to open the when Jaclyn Sawicki made an interception before setting up a shot towards the goal that just went out of play.
In the 65th minute, Western Sydney came close in front of goal as Harding made a great run on the wing as she cut into the box but unfortunately, her pass that was intended for Rue was blocked by United’s Alana Cerne.
It may have taken 81 minutes for a goal to be scored but it was Western Sydney who finally did so. It came via an unfortunate mistake by United keeper Hillary Beall took too long to clear Alana Cerne’s backpass, and Harding pounced on it to slotted into the back of the net for her third goal of the season.
Three minutes into stoppage time, Holly Caspers provided a beautiful through ball with the outside of her boot that found Rue on the break. Her pace allowed a rapid approach on goal to shoot into the top left corner. It was Rue’s first goal in the A-League Women and Western Sydney’s sealer.
As Wanderers celebrated their first win of the season at the sixth attempt, last year’s Grand Finalists Western United have work to do, having lost three of their opening six games.
Teams: WESTERN UNITED (4-2-3-1): Beall, Papadopoulos, Cerne, Maher, Sardo, M. Taranto, Sawicki, Johnson, A. Taranto, Logarzo, Keane. Substitutes: Dall’Oste, Robers, Richards, Prakash, Hieda.
WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS (3-4-1-2): S.Khamis, Bruce, Harrison, McComasky, Matos, Gordon, Price, Apostolakis, Younis, Rue, Harding. Substitutes: Collins, Ferris, Brooking, Abdul-Massih, Caspers.
Scorers: Harding 81’, Rue 90+3’.
Referee: Azusa Sugino.
Attendance: 925.
Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Threads, Instagram, X (Twitter), TikTok, and Facebook.
impetusfootball.org 