Perth Glory 3-2 Brisbane Roar
By Kieran Yap 26/1/25
Above: Ella Abdul-Massih celebrates with Charli Wainwright and Izzy Dalton after scoring her late winner for Perth Glory. Photo: Rob Lizzi for Impetus.
Perth Glory have snatched a dramatic win against Brisbane Roar. The home side twice came from behind to score a 93rd-minute winner from an Ella Abdul-Massih free kick.
The two sides have mostly experienced very different seasons. Brisbane Roar have been flying high in the top half of the table, and thrilled fans as the highest-scoring team. Perth have struggled with form and injuries. However, neither of them had won in the last month and given the travel that Roar had to undertake, this was anybody’s game.
Things looked tough for the home side early on. Tameka Yallop opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a clever backheel after a corner kick fell to her at the six-yard box.
Brisbane looked in fine form and almost doubled the lead soon after. Sharn Freier’s close-range effort was well blocked by Casey Dumont. It would turn out to be a turning point in the game.
The in-form Caitlin Doeglas turned cleverly 18 yards from goal and struck past Olivia Sekany to level the scores. Brisbane answered almost immediately when Emily Pringle set up Grace Kuilamu to turn and shoot from close range.
Remarkably, the first-half scoring was not over and Doeglas brought up her brace when she raced in to steal the ball off Sekany’s toes and tap into an empty net.
Perth began the second term in the ascendancy with Nat Tathem instrumental in winning control of the midfield. Brisbane continued to test the Glory defence but both sides looked prone to a defensive error and it felt like luck played the largest part in the score staying level.
It was beginning to look like it was not Brisbane’s day when star winger Sharn Freier went off injured. The recent Wolfsburg signing went down after racing to cross the ball and was clutching her ankle. Reports from the league indicate that it is not serious, and all Australian football fans will be hoping that early news is accurate.
With the game headed towards a draw and both keepers denying chances to Doeglas and Alicia Woods respectively, it would take something special to win this one. Abdul-Massih delivered that in the 93rd minute.
The former Western Sydney Wanderers youngster was fouled when clear through on goal, with Holly McQueen sent off as a result. Brisbane would have felt confident that they could hold on for the draw with the professional foul having been committed outside of the box.
Absul-Massih had other ideas and confidently drilled the resulting free-kick low and hard beyond Sekany for a dramatic late win. It was Glory’s third win of the season and their first since November.
Next up, Stephen Peters’ side will look to build on this momentum with a tricky away trip to Canberra. Brisbane are now in real need of a win and will be tested by an unpredictable and dangerous Wellington Phoenix.
Teams: PERTH GLORY (4-1-4-1): Dumont, Mckenna, Zogg, Chinnama, Johnston, Cassidy, Wynn, Tathem, Dalton, Doeglas, Hollar. Substitutes: Sunaga, Foletta, Abdul-Massih, Wainwright, Templeman.
Scorers: Doeglas 29’, 34’, Abdul-Massih 90+3’.
BRISBANE ROAR (3-2-4-1): Sekany, McQueen, Varley, Blissett, Kruger, Woods, Pringle, Yallop, L Freier, S Freier, Kuilamu. Substitutes: De La Harpe, Hecher, Popadinova, Richards, Hoyos.
Scorers: Yallop 5’, Kuilamu 31’.
Referee: Isabella Mossin.
Attendance: 1,044.
Exclusive photography gallery from Rob Lizzi for Impetus at the Sam Kerr Football Centre
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