Newcastle Jets 1-1 Western United
By Emma Burke (23/11/24)
Above: Grace Maher is congratulated after her wonder goal. Photo: Western United.
For the second game of day two of Unite Round, Newcastle Jets faced off against Western United at Nestrata Jubilee Stadium in Kogarah.
An opening half filled with end-to-end football saw both sides have their chances at goal.
Western United’s chance was the clearest with Sasha Grove winning her side a penalty, after taking a shot on goal that clipped the hands of Jets’ defender Claudia Cicco.
Cicco was let off for her error however, when United Captain Chloe Logarzo missed the spot kick, sending the ball into the right post.
The Jets were forced into an early change, having to take out Natasha Prior, who received a knock in a collision with her own keeper Tiahna Robertson.
A challenge at goal from the Jets left Western scrambling to clear, with the final clearance being made just in front of the goal line by Alana Cerne, whose header took the ball over the bar.
The deadlock was broken by a stunning goal from Cicco who shot from the top of the box. The layoff from Sophie Hoban was timed with perfection for Cicco to run onto the ball and shoot.
Moments later Western United found their response in the form of Maher. The defender was left in simply too much space and fired from thirty yards away.
Newcastle was forced into another injury-prompted change when Lara Gooch went down with an off-the-ball injury which looked to be to her knee, however, having already used up all their substitutes, they were forced down to 10 players.
The Jets were able to hold on to the draw despite being a player down and keep Western United at bay for the final minutes of the game.
With the points split between the two teams, they both look to Round Five where Newcastle Jets will travel to play Adelaide Untied and Western United will host last year’s Champions Sydney FC.
Teams: NEWCASTLE JETS (3-4-3): Robertson, Baumann, Prior, Cicco, Davis, Allan, Dundas, Wilson, Jackson, Gallagher, Hoban. Substitutions: Copus-Brown, Hammond, Gooch, Adams.
Scorer: Cicco 71’.
WESTERN UNITED (4-3-3): Lincoln, Grove, Mher, Cerne, Dehakiz, Eggesvik, Logarzo, M. Taranto, Zimmerman, Johnson, Medwin. Substitutions: Hieda, Roach, Sardo, Prakash.
Scorer: Maher 80’.
Referee: Rebecca Durcau.
Attendance: 1,494.
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