by Ryan Miller-Woods (18/2/24).
Above: Western United celebrate during their win over Wellington Phoenix on Sunday. Photo: Western United.
A commanding and outright dominant performance by Western United eased them up to the top of the A-League Women’s ladder for the first time this season with a 3-0 win over Wellington Phoenix at City Vista Recreation Reserve.
In the fourth minute, a brilliant pass was made down the line by Western’s Stacy Papadopoulos for Hannah Keane to cross the ball into the box for a charging Chloe Logarzo but before the recalled Matilda could get a touch, it was cleared out for a corner by Wellington’s Tiana Jaber.
Early on in proceedings, United piled on the pressure in attack with their runs down the line with the ball and crosses into the box, which really made them look dangerous and kept the Phoenix on their toes.
In the 19th minute, Wellington almost had a great opportunity in front of goal thanks to a through ball by Emma Main that was intended for Isabel Cox but the pass had too much power on it. Four minutes later, the Nix had their first shot thanks to a floated pass by Hope Breslin that found Main who made a great first touch of the ball to control it down as she made a promising run into the box but was on a tough angle as her shot was covered by Western’s Hillary Beall.
Just before the half hour, Keiwa Hieda slotted a great through ball for Keane whose shot came off the underside of the crossbar but that wasn’t an issue for Logarzo as she headed the rebounded ball into the back of the net for the opening goal of the match and Logarzo’s eighth of the season as Western took a deserved lead. Logarzo is on fire at the moment at exactly the right time ahead of the international break.
13 minutes later, Wellington had a goalscoring opportunity via an Alyssa Whinham pass for Cox who made a run into the box and whilst she beat Grace Maher, the United defence covered it off. In the 44th minute, Keane from a Jaclyn Sawicki header very nearly doubled Western’s lead as her volleyed first-time shot towards goal just went wide.
Two minutes into the second half, the Phoenix had a good opportunity to equalise as Cox provided a through ball for Main who made a run into the box where her shot on an angle was comfortably saved by Beall. In the 52nd minute, Western came close to a second goal via a Logarzo through ball for Sawicki in the box but Rylee Foster shut down the play and got to the ball first.
Just ahead of the hour, Keane almost scored a first-time volley in the box via an amazing through ball by Maher as Keane’s shot went over Rylee Foster but agonisingly off the crossbar. Ten minutes later, Logarzo, stationed on the edge of the box almost scored a great goal which forced Rylee Foster to make a very good save.
However, it would be just after a further two minutes that Maher scored an Olympico for United’s second of the match and her first goal for the club. What a way to open your account for your club.
In the 78th minute, Western scored their third and final goal of the match as Papadopoulos provided a through ball for Aimee Medwin who from her run down the line floated her cross into the box for a charging Keane who at the near post perfectly timed her and put the ball into the back of the net for her sixth goal of the season. There still was time for the hosts to come close to a fourth as Keane was fed by Sawicki but powered the shot over the top.
Teams: WESTERN UNITED (4-2-3-1): Beall, Vlajnic, Maher, Cerne, Papadopoulos, M. Taranto, Sawicki, Hieda, Logarzo, A. Taranto, Keane. Substitutes: Dall’Oste, Dakic, Medwin, Prakash, Johnson.
Scorers: Logarzo 29’, Maher 72’, Keane 78’.
WELLINGTON PHOENIX (3-4-3): R. Foster, Jaber, Lake, Davidson, Robertson, Whinham, Brazendale, McMeeken, Breslin, Main, Cox. Substitutes: Danieli, Brown, Elliott, McMillan, Errington.
Referee: Casey Reibelt.
Attendance: TBC.
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