Adelaide United 3-1 Brisbane Roar
by Alice de Koster-Kitto (23/5/25)
Above: Adelaide United celebrate in their come-from-behind win over Brisbane Roar today. Photo: Adelaide United.
Adelaide United have proven themselves more than deserving of their third-place position on the Ninja A-League ladder, as they came out victorious in a fiery battle against Brisbane Roar at Coopers Stadium this afternoon in front of their second-highest crowd for a standalone women’s game.
It was impact substitutes Fiona Worts and Erin Healy who changed the game, not only earning a win for the hosts, but transforming a tense yet, somewhat uneventful first half, into a riveting afternoon of football.
The first few minutes of the match saw an uncharacteristic lack of momentum from both sides, which left fans at either end nervous and unsure of what the outcome would be going forward, especially considering the weight of this fixture.
With three points to take home, a win would be crucial in order for Brisbane to maintain their current position on the ladder, while Adelaide would be looking to prove their place among top sides Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory.
Although the spirit of the match was back and forth until the end, there was a definite shift as the strength of Adelaide’s back line lit a fire under a trapped Brisbane Roar that brought a sense of urgency to the pitch.
A shot on target from Alicia Wood almost put Brisbane in the lead in the 25th minute, however, a wonderful save from Claudia Jenkins meant the visitors did not yet find the back of the net. While the strike did not result in a goal for Roar, it did establish their tactical dominance early on, which would leave them the favourites for a majority of this match, despite Adelaide holding most of the possession.
Congestion in the midfield made it difficult for Brisbane to cut through and really lean into their attacking strength in the first half, allowing Adelaide to take a large portion of the many chances. Although it was the hosts that brought the impetus to the pitch, capitalising on far more opportunities, Brisbane ultimately had the better of the chances, getting dangerously close each time they did manage to break the defense.
With frustrations rising, the match became quite physical, when the 27th minute saw Roar’s Laini Freier receive a yellow card, following a shoving match with Lucia Leon, setting a precedent for what would continue to be a contentious match that could not be looked away from.
The second half opened quite passively, as did the first, and although the game remained entertaining, neither side was really showing the capabilities that they have proven to possess so far this campaign.
Mariel Hecher opened the scoring in the 53rd minute putting Brisbane Roar in the lead, when she intercepted the ball from Adelaide’s defence.
Adelaide responded by making a double substitution, as Emily Hodgson and Nanako Sasaki, made way for Fiona Worst and Erin Healy, respectively. Worts and Healy have been a crucial part of the Reds’ squad in what has been an extremely successful campaign for the hosts this season, and their absence in the starting lineup was truly noticed, as was their presence in the second half.
The substitution quickly proved to be an impactful one, as Fiona Worts scored the equaliser, assisted by Chelsie Dawber, just two minutes after entering the match.
Tensions continued to build as the meeting was now anyone’s game, and the desperation from both sides could be felt, as Brisbane Roar finally brought the passion they are so well known for to the pitch.
Healy took a chance as Adelaide’s second goal, with a fantastic ball on target, that ultimately ended too high, flying just over the crossbar.
It was Worts who put Adelaide in the lead, earning her second goal of the match in the 86th minute, as a result of Dylan Holmes’ set piece. Although just four minutes left of regulation, Adelaide did not get comfortable on the pitch, as Brisbane capitalised on every remaining moment in search of an equaliser.
The uninhibited passion brought to the tail end of the game, resulting in Chelsie Dawber being fouled by Deborah-Anne de la Harpe, which gave Adelaide a penalty in the 90th minute. It was Dawber herself who took the shot, striking the ball directly to the back of the net, and leaving South Australian side a two-goal lead, in the final minute of regulation time.
The result earns Adelaide United an important three points, which have leaves them third on the ladder, just two points below Melbourne Victory, while Brisbane Roar now sit in sixth place, with only one point over Canberra United and a large group of chasing teams.
Round 21 will be crucial for both of these sides, as Adelaide United head to AAMI Park to face Melbourne Victory, in what is set to be one of the most defining, and thrilling head to head battles of the season thus far. Meanwhile, Brisbane Roar will also go on the road, taking on Central Coast Mariners at Industree Group Stadium. The Mariners currently sit just one position above Roar on the ladder, and the meeting is sure to be as gripping as it is unpredictable.
Teams: ADELAIDE UNITED (3-4-3): Jenkins, E. Hodgson, Leon, Tolland, Tinkin, McNamara, Morgan, Holmes, Sasaki, Condon, Dawber. Substitutions: Karambasis, I. Hodgson, Healy, Worts, Melegh.
Scorers: Worts 64’, 86’, Dawber 90’.
BRISBANE ROAR (3-4-2-1): Richards, de la Harpe, McQueen, Blissett, Pringle, Hayashi, Woods, Hecher, L. Freier, Popadinova. Substitutes: Varley, Kinsella, Kruger, Morris, Gibbon.
Scorers: Hecher 52’.
Referee: Mikayla Ryan.
Attendance: 3,305.
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