Perth Glory 2-3 Brisbane Roar
by Isabelle Campbell (7/11/25)
Above: Bente Jansen (centre) celebrates with her Brisbane Roar team mates after scoring one of her two goals against Perth Glory. Photo: via A Leagues
Bente Jansen’s brace helped Brisbane Roar edge Perth Glory 3-2 in a thrilling Round 2 opener at HBF Park. Despite a late goal from Ella Lincoln, the hosts couldn’t find an equaliser as Brisbane held on to all three points.
The game began at a steady tempo, with both teams looking to establish control but neither creating any clear early chances. Brisbane Roar struck first in the 20th minute through Grace Kuilamu, whose effort from just outside the box took a deflection off Onyinyechi Zogg and slipped past Perth goalkeeper Alyssa Dall’Oste to give the visitors the lead.
Perth Glory’s response was almost immediate. Rola Badawiya, full of confidence after scoring in Round 1, brought her tally to two goals in as many games with a superb curling strike that found the top corner, drawing the hosts level.
The equaliser lifted the tempo as Perth began to grow into the game. Tijan McKenna delivered a dangerous ball across goal to Emma Tovar, who narrowly missed with her attempt, while Gabby Hollar continued to test the Roar defence with powerful efforts from distance. Hollar looked especially lively late in the half, bringing about a couple of half-chances as Glory pressed for a second.
Despite a promising spell of pressure from the home side, neither team managed to get ahead before the whistle. The opening 45 minutes ended with the scoreline locked at 1-1, a fair reflection of a tightly contested first half that promised plenty more action to come after the break.
It was Brisbane who struck first in the second half.
In the 51st minute, Dutch youth international Bente Jansen continued her fine start to life in the Ninja A-League, scoring her second goal in as many games. Sharn Freier provided the assist, the pair combining neatly in what is fast becoming a dangerous attacking partnership for the Roar.
Just two minutes later, Jansen doubled her tally and extended Brisbane’s lead to 3-1 in a moment of horror for the Glory defence. A loose ball rolled agonisingly across the line after a scramble in the box, leaving goalkeeper Dall’Oste unable to intervene. Freier nearly added a fourth soon after but sent her effort just wide of the right post.
Perth refused to fold though, and looked to claw their way back into the contest. Rola Badawiya came close amid a goalmouth scramble, only for Marianna Seidl to clear with a clean header, while Brisbane survived a series of dangerous corners in the final stages.
The Glory pressed hard in the dying minutes, with captain Izzy Dalton driving forward to create one of their best second-half chances, only to be denied by the Roar defence. Brisbane appeared intent on managing the clock, but Perth’s persistence finally paid off in the 92nd minute when Ella Lincoln produced a brilliant solo run to slot home her second A-League goal, reducing the deficit to 2-3 and setting the game up for a tense finish.
Zogg came close to equalising moments later but sent her effort just wide, and Susan Phonsongkham had the final chance of the game, though her shot lacked the power to trouble Chloe Lincoln in goal. Despite a late surge from the home side, the visitors held firm to secure a hard-fought victory.
Teams: PERTH GLORY (3-4-3): Dall’oste, Tovar, Johnston, McKenna, Hollar, Chinnama, Badawiya, O’Donoghue, Dalton, Sardo, Zogg. Substitutes: Skinner, Anderson, Phonsongkham, Trew, Lincoln, Wainwright.
Goals: Badawiya 25’, Lincoln 90+2’.
BRISBANE ROAR (3-4-1-2): Lincoln, Seidl, Varley, Studer, Woods, Medwin, Freier, Miller, Stephenson, Jansen, Kuilamu. Substitutes: Franco, Yallop, Kruger, Meyers, Kinsella, Piazza.
Goals: Kuilamu 21’, Jansen 52’, 55’.
Referee: Bec Mackie
Attendance: 1,040.
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