Adelaide United 1-3 Western United
by Emma Burke (9/12/23).
Above: Adelaide United’s Nanako Sasaki (red shirt) in possession against Western United today. Photo: Adelaide United.
Western United have beaten Adelaide United in an exciting 3-1 clash, marking their first match under new head coach Kat Smith.
While the Adelaide rain could delay kick-off, the Reds were unable to delay Western’s attacking prowess, and also unable to finish their own equal chances at goal.
The first half was back and forth between the two teams, and it looked like either could have broken the deadlock, with both sides having solid moments in attack.
It was in the final minute of the first half that Western found their opener through the Taranto twins. Melissa Taranto sent a ball in across the face of goal that Adriana was able to get onto the end of after beating out her defender.
Western United doubled their lead again through a Taranto twin team-up, which replicated the first goal. Adriana again put herself at the far post at the right time to again be on the receiving end of her sister’s cross. Adriana put the ball away with ease and collected her second goal for the afternoon.
It seemed that everything was going Western’s way, but Adelaide weren’t ready to give up. Their breakthrough came from star player Chelsie Dawber, who picked the pocket of defender Alana Cerne, taking on Hillary Beall in goal one-on-one. Dawber made the correct choice in driving the ball hard and low, beating the keeper’s dive and clawing a goal back for the home side.
The final 20 minutes of the 90 were spent with Adelaide trying to find their equaliser and Western pushing for a third goal to take them out of Adelaide’s reach.
Western were successful in the final minute of stoppage time, when Hannah Keane was released perfectly by Lucy Richards. Keane then sent the ball under the arm of a diving Claudia Jenkins in goal, putting Western back up by two goals.
This result pushes Western up to fifth on the ladder, and leaves Adelaide sitting one off the bottom, a far contrast from the team that played finals only two seasons ago.
Teams: ADELAIDE UNITED (4-3-3): Jenkins, I. Hodgson, Tonkin, Waldus, E. Hodgson, Sasaki, Holmes, Jancevski, Blake, Dawber, Lee. Substitutes: Condon, Grigg, Holtz, Tolland, Wilson (GK).
Scorer: Dawber 71′.
WESTERN UNITED (4-2-3-1): Beall, Sardo, Cerne, Maher, Papadopoulos, Sawicki, Logarzo, M. Taranto, A. Taranto, Keane, Vlajnic. Substitutes: Dakic, Dell’Oste (GK), Hieda, Richards, Robers.
Scorers: A. Taranto 45′, 66′. Keane 90+4′.
Referee: Isabella Blaess.
Attendance: TBC.
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