Western Sydney Wanderers – Adelaide United
by Kieran Yap (8/2/26)
Above: Fiona Worts in possession for Adelaide United Photo: Adelaide United
Adelaide United are up to fourth on the ladder, and have only lost once in their last eight games after this win at Wanderers Football Park on Sunday.
It took an own goal from Danika Matos just before the hour mark to separate two of the A-League Women’s in-form teams of recent weeks.
Wanderers came into this match on the back of superb wins at both Sydney FC and Melbourne City, and head coach Geoff Abrahams made two changes from Wednesday’s win in Victoria with Amelia Bennett coming in for Wang Ying, and Alana Cerne replacing Wang Cong.
Adelaide United fielded an unchanged starting XI from their previous game – which was also a win over Melbourne City at Coopers Stadium last weekend. It meant that the Reds had an extremely strong bench to call on with the likes of Dylan Holmes, Chelsie Dawber, and Adriana Taranto listed.
It was an arm wrestle of a game, but both sides played with attacking intent and drew the best out of the goalkeepers at either end. These teams prefer to counterattack leading to an intriguing contest despite the lack of goals.
Adelaide United created the best chance of the first half. Isabel Hodgson’s cross was nudged along by Erin Healy toward Fiona Worts. The striker got a good touch on the ball with Sham Khamis beaten but Poppy Hooks was on hand to clear it off the line.
Adelaide’s centre back pairing of Matilda McNamara and Ella Tonkin both like to start of join in attacks. McNamara’s pace allows her to become another overlapping attacker, while Tonkin’s long passing can unlock defences. But the home side sat deep and were able to absorb the pressure created by these chances.
In midfield, Melissa Taranto was putting her stamp on the game and was the most dominant player for the visitors. But as The Reds pushed forward, they left gaps at the back. Danika Matos was able to find space and cross for Bennett who shot straight at a typically composed Ilona Melegh.
Wanderers striker Yaun Kong took matters into her own hands in the second half. She created space for herself with a purposeful run through the middle, but her shot was dragged just wide of the near post with Melegh at full stretch just in case.
Matilda McNamara’s individual skill broke the deadlock. The centre back cruised into attack and cut inside from the left. The Wanderers defenders scrambled, perhaps expecting a cutback but McNamara saw an opening and shot on goal. The ball crashed off the far post but was hit with enough venom that any rebound touch would have spun it over the line. Unfortunately for Matos, she was the one to get that touch. It will go down as an Own Goal, but it belongs to Tilly Mac.
Alyssa Ng Saad almost levelled the scores for the home side, but her brilliantly struck half volley found Melegh equal to it. The young goalkeeper dove athletically to parry it away in spectacular style.
Despite the loss, The Wanderers played well and showed that their recent results were not fluke. They are once again an improving team, and if they can keep this squad together, they can build a promising future. Talia Younis was a standout performer for the hosts, the Young Matilda was involved in almost every promising attack as a busy and dangerous presence in midfield.
But The Wanderers could not find the equaliser and Adelaide continued their impressive recent form. The Reds have won six of their last eight games with their only loss in the time coming away to Wellington Phoenix. The Wanderers themselves have also shown improvement, in the reverse fixture just over a month ago, they conceded five to Adelaide United.
The three points were crucial to Adelaide’s ambitions this season, but also important from a symbolic standpoint. This was Chelsie Dawber’s 100th A-League Women’s game.
The Adelaide local made her debut for the club at the age of 17 and has been a star for the club ever since. Dawber is a creative forward with a powerful shot and can produce pin-point crosses from deep, while her mobility makes her a nightmare for defenders.
A highly watchable player, who sometimes feels like a barometer for the team, Dawber forms part of a locally developed leadership group at the club alongside the likes of McNamara, Isabel Hodgson and Dylan Holmes.
She’s long been a star of this competition and will always be an icon at Adelaide United. Impetus Football congratulates Chelsie Dawber on 100 games, and looks forward to the next 100 in Red.
Teams: WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS (4-3-3): Khamis, Bennett, Hooks, Cerne, Younis, Harada, Chessari, Harrison, Ng-Saad, Matos, Yuan. Substitutes: Buchanan, Edwards, Fazzari, Khoshaba, Rue, Wang.
ADELAIDE UNITED (4-4-2): Melegh, E,Hodgson, McNamara, Tonkin, Tolland, Condon, Morgan, M.Taranto, I.Hodgson, Worts, Healy. Substitutes: Holmes, Dawber, Jenkins, Murray, Rossi, A.Taranto.
Scorers: Matos (OG) 59’.
Referee: Rachael Mitchenson.
Attendance:
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