Canberra United 5-1 Brisbane Roar
By Ryan Miller-Woods 10/12/23
Above: Canberra United’s Michelle Heyman evades Ayesha Norrie (L) and Hollie Palmer (R) Photo: Canberra United.
Canberra United achieved their first win of the A-League Women’s season with a 5-1 victory over Brisbane Roar at McKellar Park that has subsequently brought them off the bottom of the ladder. However, they’ll be hoping the potential injury to star player Vesna Milivojevic isn’t as bad as suspected which could be a significant blow to hers and Canberra’s season
In the 6th minute, Canberra opened the scoring via a great through ball by Sophia Christopherson which found Milivojevic in the box. Without hesitation she put the ball into the back of the net for her sixth goal of the season.
Eleven minutes later, United doubled their lead thanks to another great through ball this time by Nicki Flannery which found Milivojevic. As has become common for her in the league, she seized the opportunity in front of her andslotted the ball past Brisbane’s Jordan Silkowitz.
Not only was it Milivojevic’s seventh goal of the season but now led the A-League Women’s Golden Boot. She has truly been on fire for Canberra this season.
Within the first 30 minutes of the match, Canberra did everything they needed to in defence and while the Roar came relatively close with some of their chances, United held their own in that regard and looked comfortable with their clearances.
In the 37th minute, Michelle Heyman provided an amazing pass to Christopherson who made a great run with the ball into the box that saw her shot go into the bottom right corner for Canberra’s third goal of the match and Christopherson’s first in the A-League Women. There aren’t many better ways to open your goalscoring account in the league.
As the first half concluded, what was quite telling was while Brisbane had the majority of possession with 54.4% and more shots than Canberra with six to four, it was United who converted three of their shots in that time which saw them deservedly in the lead.
Within the first minute of the second half, Canberra added a fourth goal thanks to an outstanding turn and backheel pass by Millivojevic that was directed to Christopherson whose cross into the box initially came off Silkowitz. The ball then found United’s Mary Stanic-Floody who with her run on the edge of the box and first-time shot put the ball into the back of the net for her first goal in the A-League Women.
Three minutes later, it was Brisbane who scored via a cross by Mia Corbin that found Sharn Frier in the box as she slotted the ball into the bottom left corner.
As the second half progressed, Brisbane continued to make chances for themselves and despite the scoreline at the hour mark, could have found a way back into the match if they converted better.
In the 73rd minute, any chance of Brisbane getting a result was emphatically shut out via a pass by Heyman that found Milivojevic whose eventual run into the box saw her cut in and slot the ball past Silkowitz for Canberra’s fifth goal in the match, Milivojevic’s hat-trick and her eighth goal of the season.
Unfortunately, the amazing performance by Milivojevic was abruptly halted just two minutes later after a coming together with Brisbane’s Ayesha Norrie that briefly stopped the match and left Milivojevic clutching her knee and in a lot of discomfort.
It was a massively unfortunate end to her afternoon and hopefully, it isn’t anything season-ending.
Teams: Canberra United (4-4-2): Lincoln, Grove, Ilijoski, Clough, McKenzie, Flannery, Stanic-Floody, Piazza, Christopherson, Milivojevic, Heyman. Substitutes: Majstorovic, Murray, Nathan, Jackson, Bertolissio.
Scorers: Milivojevic 6’, 17’, 73’, Christopherson 37’, Stanic-Floody 46’.
Brisbane Roar (3-4-3): Silkowitz, Scarpelli, McCormick, McQueen, Frier, Palmer, Norrie, Thompson, Yallop, Holgerson, Corbin. Substitutes: Richards, Brodigan, Cuthbert, Kirkup, Levin.
Scorers: Frier 49’.
Referee: Rebecca Durcau.
Attendance: 1236.
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