Canberra United 3-0 Perth Glory
by Ben Gilby (22/11/25)
Above: Canberra United celebrate during their win over Perth Glory today. Photo: Canberra United.
Two goals in the opening eight minutes ensured that Canberra United earned their maiden win of the A-League Women season, condemning Perth Glory to a third successive defeat as a consequence.
Goals from Michelle Heyman and Emma Robers in that breakneck start put the capital city club well on the way before Bethany Gordon put the icing on the cake 12 minutes into the second half.
Canberra head coach Antoni Jagarinec gave an instant start to returning defender Liz Anton, with the New Zealand international facing her former club, replacing Kiara De Domizio in the back line. Bethany Gordon and Sienna Dale came into the starting line-up as well for Mary Stanic-Floody and Darcey Malone.
Perth Glory boss Stephen Peters made three changes to his starting line-up from last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Sydney FC. Charli Wainwright came into the midfield along with Bronte Trew, and Gabby Hollar was restored to the front line for defender Naomi Chinnama, midfielder Izzy Dalton, and attacker Sarah O’Donoghue.
Canberra hit the front with just three minutes on the clock, as a pass along the left flank ran perfectly for an unmarked Josie Aulicino to slide a low ball in for Heyman to sweep home at the back post.
Just eight minutes later, they doubled their advantage as Gordon’s free-kick from the left curled in to the back post, where Robers looped a high header over Alyssa Dall’Oste and in.
Perth looked to hit back and, shortly afterwards, earned a corner. Emma Tovar played a high ball into the back post, where Wainwright directed a header narrowly wide.
The home side continued to press and find gaps in the Glory defence to exploit. With just over 20 minutes on the clock, Heyman fed Sasha Grove along the right flank. She beat Onyi Zogg and played a low pass in for Sienna Dale to hit a shot that Dall’Oste held at the second attempt as Heyman slid in.
Rola Badawiya had a half chance after the half hour when Hollar profited from loose control from Hayley Taylor-Young to lay in a pass for the American striker, but Sally James held the shot comfortably as the hosts maintained their 2-0 lead into the break.
Canberra sealed the deal with a sensational third goal after 57 minutes that was so good that the visitors never had a chance to repel.
A superb barrage of one-touch passing in the centre of the park ended with Heyman laying back for Gordon to slam a shot into the net from 20 yards.
It could have got even better for Canberra if they had managed to force the ball over the line after a penalty box scramble, but Robers, Jazmin Wardlow, and Heyman all saw efforts blocked.
In the end, it was a comprehensive win for the capital city club, who will look to re-establish themselves in the top half of the table next weekend when Sydney FC visit.
Perth’s next face a third straight away trip – to Melbourne Victory next Sunday, which will be a fiendishly tough examination as they bid to shore up a defence that has conceded eight goals in their last three matches.
The Western Australians have had a tough set of games to open the season, with four of the first five games away from home, on top of this, but they are a team who are capable of scoring goals. However, in order to put chances away, their key midfield creatives need to be on point, and today that wasn’t the case often enough. It will have to be against Victory.
Teams: CANBERRA UNITED (4-4-2): James, Gordon, Robers, Anton, Bertolissio, Grove, Sasaki, Aulicino, Heyman, Dale. Substitutes: Hawkins, Majstorovic, Malone, McKenzie, Stanic-Floody, Wardlow.
Scorers: Heyman 3′, Robers 8′, Gordon 57′.
PERTH GLORY (3-4-3): Dall’Oste, Tovar, Zogg, Sardo, McKenna, Wainwright, Johnston, Trew, Phonsongkham, Badawiya, Hollar. Substitutes: Skinner, Brooking, Lala, Lincoln, Chinnama, Wood.
Referee: Rachael Mitchenson.
Attendance: 845.
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