Perth RedStar 3-4 Perth SC
by Ben Gilby (9/6/24)
Above: Perth SC celebrate after Kim McCartney’s free-kick put them 4-2 up earlier today. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Rob Lizzi.
Perth SC earned their first-ever NPLW WA win at champions Perth RedStar in a superb seven-goal thriller between the league’s top two sides today.
The Azzurri were never behind against the league leaders, but still needed to score four times in order to ensure their victory which is vital in the context of the title race as Danielle Brogan’s side are now within two points of RedStar.
The visitors went into the game with evidence of yet further strengthening of their squad. Reliable defender Baxter Thew, a key part of the Balcatta Etna backline last season made her first start, and Perth Glory youngster Grace Johnston, who was consistently impressive in her debut A-League Women season before injury, took her place on the bench.
In grey, breezy conditions with rain developing as the game went on, RedStar had the first offensive opportunity, forcing a corner in the opening two minutes. The league leaders were looking to immediately install their rapid press game on The Azzurri to force concession of possession.
So often in the games between these two sides, Perth SC have the better of the first half but struggle to convert chances into goals and pay the ultimate price on the scoreboard. That was not the case this time round as their growing number of dangerous offensive players were at their razor-sharp best.
Just four minutes in, Daisy McAllister, who was outstanding throughout, motored up the right-hand touchline to find Ruby Marshall. Looking up, she fed Ella Lincoln on the edge of the box who turned her defender and let fly with an absolute rocket into the top of the net to put Perth SC ahead.
Not long after, there was a chance for Brogan’s side to double their lead. Lincoln attacked through the middle and fed Epril Nossent, one of the real unsung heroes of the Azzurri side this season. Nossent repaid the favour for Lincoln to supply a low cross from the right to find McAllister centrally, but Dal Busco saved.
However, as is their wont, RedStar stepped up to the plate, and before the quarter-hour mark were level. Momoko Sakairi turned to find Leota centrally. Kim McCartney tried to hold the menacing home attacker Doeglas for long enough for keeper Stacey Cavill to come out and pounce, but there was a fatal hesitation between the pair and the former Perth Glory player nipped in to turn the ball home from 15 yards.
Crucially though for the visitors, they hit back almost immediately. A gloriously well-weighted low ball from McAllister in the centre of the park dissected the RedStar midfield and found Lincoln outside her on the left of the box. Her low ball in was swept home first time at the back post by Marshall.
Perth’s success in this period was down to the dual factors of taking their chances when they came as well as a clever tactical ploy. If one azure shirt lost possession, there was always another in the immediate vicinity to attempt to close down the resulting RedStar threat. They were also playing the crisper football and were that bit pacier with their passing.
RedStar were finding it challenging to get shots in on goal as the visitors were well-organised at the back. Thew was superb alongside the consistently strong Matilda Bohm, Nossent, and McCartney. The keys for the hosts would be Renee Leota and Sarah Carroll who had the vision and the ability to thread telling passes through under the pressure of being closely marked.
Indeed, Leota was involved with the home side’s best chance in the remaining period of the first half as she supplied Manami Arai to break through, but the resulting shot was pushed out for a corner by Cavill in the Perth SC goal.
As the half entered its last five minutes, the visitors stepped up the pressure once more. Lincoln drove across from the left, turned Andreia Teixeira, and played the ball across – it was too pacey for Marshall, but McAllister smashed a shot goalwards from the right of the box that Dal Busco pushed away for a corner.
That proved to be a warning sign as shortly afterwards, Lincoln threaded a pass through for Jess Flannery. Her marker Quyen Doan looked to have the situation under control but unfortunately slipped allowing Lincoln to pick up the pieces and find Flannery in space again outside her. A pass was then squared for McAllister to come in unmarked at the back post to score.
Perth RedStar boss Carlos Vega Mena looked to ring the changes at the interval in a bid to change his side’s fortunes, with Abbey Woolley and Jayna Ridley coming on. The early momentum was with the hosts, who forced an immediate corner.
Whilst the Azzurri remained steadfast, generally well-organised at the back, and able to use their pacey passing game to launch attacks with regularity, another one-off error cost them a second goal.
Charli Wainwright sprayed a pass to Georgia Cassidy in the centre of midfield, but the Young Matilda’s control was not to its usual standard and Doeglas gobbled up possession, comfortably beat McCartney in the foot race, and advanced in on goal. Whilst her initial shot was repelled by Cavill, the ball squirmed out to the attacker to side-foot home the rebound for her 10th goal of the campaign.
Despite this setback, the visitors kept plugging away, and they responded immediately with Lincoln crossing from the left for McAllister to angle a first-time shot from the back post that Dal Busco pushed away for a corner.
Three minutes later, Lincoln surged forward through the centre and was brought down by a combination of Doan and Teixeira around 25 yards from goal, to the left of centre. McCartney picked up the ball and fired in the free-kick which bounced in front of the diving Dal Busco at the left-hand post and into the net to restore their two-goal advantage.
Perth SC were now visibly full of confidence. They kept possession by playing pacey passing football to continue to come forward when opportunities were there. Wainwright put in another superb shift that belied her tender years. Her vision and passing ability marks her out as a potential A-League player of the future.
In addition, Perth were well marshalled at the back, with a switched-on push to catch RedStar offside. These tactics resulted in the defending champions being largely held at arms-length, with very few penetrations into the visitors’ penalty box.
There would be though one further goal for the hosts. With six minutes left, Mischa Anderson floated an intelligent corner right into the mix. Cavill, under heavy pressure, couldn’t make sufficient contact to get the ball away, allowing Reina Kagami to fire home. A grandstand finish was in the offing.
Yet, RedStar were not able to mount the time-honoured siege of their opposition box to gain a late equaliser that they have done so often before.
Indeed, it was Perth SC who had the best chance to grab a further goal in the final minute of regulation time. McCartney’s corner came in from the right and was met by a firm header from Marshall in the middle of the box. Teixeira was at full stretch on the goalline to prevent it from going in, then substitute Anika Stajcic’s follow-up from close range was repelled magnificently by Dal Busco. Closer inspections of the match footage after the event would show that the ball was behind the line when Teixeira cleared it.
The final whistle brought the win for Perth SC. It was an intelligent performance that saw them complete all the jobs necessary to send RedStar to a rare defeat – take chances when they come, remain focussed and well-organised at the back, and have all key players performing at the top of their game for the full 90 minutes. Despite that though, RedStar still scored three times.
Whilst this result will be savoured at Dorrien Gardens today, it doesn’t get any easier for the Azzurri next weekend. They will travel to in-form Balcatta Etna who have so many weapons that can trouble the Perth defence. If they can come through that challenge with a win, there can be ever greater positivity about what the club can achieve this season.
Perth RedStar next face UWA-Nedlands, and one feels that they will be firing at 110% next weekend to put this result behind them.
Further images from Rob Lizzi at RedStar Arena today:
Don’t miss Ben Gilby’s review of the round’s other two games – on the site tomorrow evening.
Teams: PERTH REDSTAR: Dal Busco, Teixeira, Studman, Dunn, Doan, Sakairi, Kagami, Carroll, Doeglas, Arai, Leota. Substitutes: Woolley, Bennett, Ridley, Ritchie, Continibali, Anderson, Odonohoe.
Scorers: Doeglas 13′, 53′. Kagami 84′.
PERTH SC: Cavill, Thew, Nossent, McCartney, Bohm, Wainwright, McAllister, Cassidy, Lincoln, Flannery, Marshall. Substitutes: Stajcic, Johnston, Harvey, Mathers, Hannan, McKenna, Papalia.
Scorers: Lincoln 4′, Marshall 18′, McAllister 43′, McCartney 66′.
Referee: Alex Novatsis.
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