Andy Wicks was at the Select Car Leasing Stadium for Impetus yesterday to capture this EXCLUSIVE photo gallery from the FA Cup Quarter-Final tie between Reading and Chelsea (20/3/23).
Above: Chelsea’s Millie Bright and Zećira Mušovićembrace yesterday as the FA Cup holders advanced to the semi-finals at Reading. Photo: Andy Wicks for Impetus.
Reading 1-3 Chelsea
Chelsea eased their way into another FA Cup Semi-Final with victory at Reading yesterday.
After keeping Royals keeper Grace Moloney busy in the early stages, Emma Hayes’ sides went ahead when Jess Carter dispatched Guro Reiten’s cross into the net. Within three minutes, the Cup holders doubled their advantage when Reiten was felled in the box by Brooke Hendrix and Maren Mjelde rammed the spot kick home. Reiten grabbed the third from Alsu Abdullina’s ball. Sanne Troelsgaard, who had earlier had a goal disallowed for offside, got one back for the hosts, but that was as good as it got for the Berkshire side.
Above: All smiles for AFC Wimbledon at home to Ashford Town (Middx) yesterday. Photo: Emily Topping.
by George Jones – AFC Wimbledon(20/3/23)
A debut goal by Amber Dredge rounded off a convincing Capital Cup semi-final victory for AFC Wimbledon on Sunday against fellow tier four FA Women’s National League Division One SE side Ashford Town (Middx).
Though injuries had restricted the options available to manager Kevin Foster, there was simply no stopping the Dons with the Tangerines emphatically beaten 5-0 at Carshalton Athletic FC.
And that paves the way towards a showpiece final with London Bees or Arsenal Academy awaiting in the Final.
With Wimbledon suffering from a number of injuries, a number of youth team players were called up to be on the substitutes’ bench and Sarah Wentworth made her first start in 16 months to complete her recovery from an ACL injury.
The Dons got off to a positive start by opening the scoring with less than 15 minutes on the clock. Centre-back Kelly Highman scored her second goal in as many games with a close-range finish after some fine play from Wentworth to bring down a corner. Ten minutes later the advantage was doubled as Becki Bath scored with yet another long-range screamer.
With several penalty appeals turned away by the referee and a goal also disallowed for offside, the Dons just missed out on securing the cushion of a third before the break.
However, there wasn’t long to wait for Wimbledon to extend the advantage after the interval – and it came in superb style too as Chloe Sampson scored a fantastic solo goal. With 20 minutes to go, Szofia Siber, twin sister of first-team regular Gloria, came on for her first senior appearance of the season, replacing the returning Wentworth. Seven minutes later it was 4-0 as Hannah Billingham got her second goal in three games with the help of a deflection.
With 10 minutes remaining, Elizabeth Mulvaney came on for her debut. A couple of minutes later Siber came close to striking a memorable goal as she rattled a post. Following this, the two remaining Under-23s on the bench – Amber Dredge and Chloe Gibney came on for their Dons debuts.
In the last minute, Dredge marked her debut with a powerful effort that flew into the roof of the net, leaving the visiting keeper with no chance, to put the icing on the cake.
Reflecting after the game, AFC Wimbledon head coach Kevin Foster said: “We were excellent – we passed the ball, moved it, and controlled the game throughout. We had some very positive performances out there.”
The Dons are back in action on Thursday night with a trip to East London to face London Seaward. This is followed by a visit to Loftus Road to face QPR.
Teams: AFC WIMBLEDON: Allen, Russell (Dredge), Highman, Wentworth (S. Siber), Billingham, Ali, Donovan, Dorey, Plewa (Mulvaney), Sampson, Bath (Gibney).
Above: Celebrations for Renfrew as they hit back to beat Rossvale in the battle between the second and third-placed sides in the SWF Championship. Photo: Sportpix.
SWF Championship
A second-half comeback by Renfrew Ladies to beat Rossvale at home has narrowed the gap with Scottish Women’s Championship leaders Livingston to ten points.
A goal from in-form Sinead Macleod and a free kick from Morgan Graham saw the Renfrew side take maximum points from their Glasgow rivals, who had gone ahead through a first-half goal from Morgan Anderson in a fiercely competitive game in the race for promotion to the SWPL 2.
The side which finishes top of the Championship will get automatic promotion, while the side which finishes second will enter a playoff with the side finishing second bottom of SWPL 2. Renfrew Ladies are currently second on 45 points with Rossvale four behind on 41, although the Glasgow side has a game in hand.
Elsewhere, doubles from Kayleigh Mackenzie and Rhea Hossack helped Inverness Caledonian Thistle beat Morton convincingly 7-2 in Port Glasgow, while Ayr United beat Hutchison Vale 2-1.
SWF League One
Above: Westdyke (sky blue) in action against Edinburgh Caledonia. Photo: Sportpix.
Westdyke secured an important away victory over in-form Edinburgh Caledonia in the capital, with goals from Bethany Cochrane and Georgia Park in a 2-0 win which keeps the northeast side in third behind promotion rivals Falkirk with a game in hand. The Bairns completed a 6-1 victory over Airdrie Ladies which saw veteran striker Suzanne Wyatt score her 24th and 25th league goals of the campaign for Falkirk, while Stenhousemuir won the battle for fourth with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at home to St. Mirren. League leaders FC Edinburgh won comfortably 4-0 against Grampian Ladies, while Giffnock SC enjoyed a goal spree in Dundee, beating Dundee West 10-0.
Biffa SWFL
Above: Dunfermline Athletic (stripes) look to breath through against Edinburgh South in the Biffa SWFL East division. Photo: Thomas Sands Media.
Bonnyrigg Rose returned to winning ways with a comprehensive 10-0 victory over McDermid Ladies in East while in West, Clydebank beat rivals Bishopton 2-1 as Dunipace and Drumchapel United played out a 1-1 draw. In South, Annan Athletic won an entertaining contest with Flip the Mindset 6-4, while in North, Westdyke Thistle picked up their first points of the season by beating Buchan 4-3.
Matthew Appleby provides us with all the action as York City hosted Middlesbrough in the North Riding County Cup Semi-Final that went all the way to a penalty shoot-out (20/3/23).
Above: Middlesbrough celebrate after Armani Maxwell hit the winning penalty in their semi-final shoot-out win at York City. Photo: Matthew Appleby.
York City 2-2 Middlesbrough
This was a dramatic encounter with the scoreboard swinging one way and then the other. Boro hit the front after 13 minutes when Armani Maxwell directed the ball home from close range.
Four minutes before the break, Jess Mett hit a rocket shot into the top corner as the visitors went in 2-0 ahead. Within eight minutes of the re-start, York were back in it when Milly Ash’s corner was headed home by Alice Hughes. Midway through the half, the home side levelled thanks to Jess Holder.
With no extra time, the tie went straight to penalties, and it was Middlesbrough who took the win 4-3. They will go on to face Redcar Town in the final who beat Middlesbrough’s Development side in the other last-four tie.
Each week during the home and away season, Impetus’ writing and photography team covering the competition will nominate a player, coach, and event of the week. We’ll keep a tally of the player and coach votes as the weeks go by, and just before Finals, will announce our winners for 2022/23 (21/3/23).
Player of the Week:
Above: Bethany Gordon received recognition for a great display for Western Sydney Wanderers. Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus.
BEN GILBY:Cortnee Vine. A great show against Melbourne City that showcased everything that the Matildas star has to offer. An honourable mention also for Bethany Gordon for her exploits for Western Sydney Wanderers against Brisbane Roar.
KIERAN YAP: It was not the fanciest goal, but Cyera Hintzen stood up and delivered in a must-win game for Perth Glory. It’s exactly what your overseas star recruits should provide.
BEN CAREY:Bethany Gordon. Her performance against Brisbane Roar was incredible. She provided a seamless link between the defenders and the front line and managed to score not only her first A-League goal, but her second as well!
Coach of the Week:
Above: Melbourne Victory boss Jeff Hopkins picked up a vote for coach of the week. Image: Melbourne Victory.
BEN GILBY:Jeff Hopkins. Melbourne Victory have lost two of the best midfielders in the competition in Alex Chidiac and Elise Kellond-Knight, yet the “tinkering” that Hopkins admitted in a recent press conference that he would need to employ is working and, once more, come the pointy end of the season Victory are picking up the wins. Even more impressively, they are doing it against the teams around them on the ladder.
KIERAN YAP: Jeff Hopkins. Victory continue to do just enough to grind out the season. They were under the pump all game against Canberra United, yet they remained composed, took their chance, and rode their luck. This is a manager and a team that knows how to perform under pressure.
BEN CAREY:Adrian Stenta. His side were down 2-0 after the first half against Newcastle Jets. He was able to inspire his side and deploy the right tactics to fight back and snatch a hard-fought draw.
Event of the Week:
Above: Kaitlyn Torpey (bottom)’s late leveller for Melbourne City against Sydney FC took the votes for event of the week this round. Photo: Melbourne City.
BEN GILBY: Melbourne City’s late goal by Kaitlyn Torpey to save a point against Sydney FC.
KIERAN YAP: Beth Gordon’s second goal for Western Sydney Wanderers against Brisbane Roar. The strike was something special, but the celebrations were truly heartwarming. She was engulfed by her teammates and then ran to the bench to be congratulated by the team physio.
BEN CAREY: Kaitlyn Torpey’s incredible strike off Chelsea Blissett’s corner in the 94th minute to secure the draw for Melbourne City.
Artwork: Charlotte Stacey, founder of On Her Side.
Kris Goman was at Wanderers Football Park for Impetus yesterday to capture the best of the action fromthe A-League Women match between Western Sydney Wanderers and Brisbane Roar (20/3/23).
Above: All eyes on the ball last night at Western Sydney Wanderers (red and black). Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus.
Above: Perth SC celebrate with the NPLW WA Night Series trophy after their dramatic win over Perth RedStar. Photo: Rob Lizzi.
by Ben Gilby(19/3/23)
Perth SC came from 2-0 down with six minutes of normal time remaining to defeat Perth RedStar in a sudden death penalty shoot-out in a highly dramatic NPLW WA Night Series Grand Final at Floreat Athena’s E&D Litis Stadium.
The Azzurri showed real grit and determination to become the first side to defeat Perth RedStar since the merger between Northern Redbacks and ECU Joondalup. As well as being two goals adrift during the 90 minutes, they also missed their opening penalty in the shoot-out. This was a trophy for Perth SC that was earned the hard way.
Carlos Vega Mena’s RedStar side won every trophy available to them last season. Despite losing key players Shawn Billam (retirement), Larissa Walsh (Calder United), and Carla Bennett (serious injury), the RedStar conveyor belt of home-produced talent and canny signings has put together another strong team.
Perth SC boss Pete Rakic has also put together a strong-looking squad for the new season, as the Azzurri look to mount a serious challenge across all competitions this campaign. Coming in are talented players such as former Perth Glory A-League Women players Poppie Hooks (from Murdoch University Melville), Gemma Craine (returning from 12 months injured), plus Monique Godding from Balcatta Etna and Ellie La Monte who comes back to WA after a 17 goal haul for Launceston United in the NPLW Tasmania last season.
The opening half-hour was largely cagey. There were a limited number of half-chances. First, with six minutes on the clock, Liana Cook floated in a free kick for Perth SC on the left-hand side of the box that led to Jaime Duncanson getting an effort away that Maya Diederichsen in the RedStar put out for a corner. The resulting flag kick saw Hooks fire in a shot that drifted wide.
RedStar began to threaten more often after the 20-minute mark with former Football Fern Renee Leota denied a shot on goal as Perth defender Alyssa van Heurck got in a fine tackle just as the trigger was about to be pulled. Cook also got back well to deny Leota another chance after reading Olivia Wood’s through ball expertly.
Goal!! for Perth RedStar FC out of NPL Women Night Series Final at RedStar Arena in the 31:15 mark of the First Half. Score Perth RedStar FC 1:0 Perth SC
However, just after the half-hour mark Leota ran towards the box and was challenged just inside the area, and referee David Avison pointed to the spot. Up stepped Sarah Carroll, who dispatched a low shot into the right-hand corner of the net, just beyond the outstretched boot of Perth SC keeper Rebecca Bennett.
Perth SC looked to respond instantly with Duncanson getting through and hitting a fierce low ball across the box that no one in a sky-blue shirt could get on the end of. Shortly afterwards, Abbey Meakins let fly from long range, but Diederichsen dealt with the danger.
In time-honoured fashion, once ahead, RedStar looked to make the most of it. Grace Monteiro turned and played in a high cross from the right that Wood, centrally positioned on the edge of the box headed backwards for Chiori Ikeda. The Japanese player showed great skill to first control the ball, and then backheel it for compatriot Reina Kagami to take a touch and sweep a low shot into the net to double the defending champions’ lead.
Goal!! for Perth RedStar FC out of NPL Women Night Series Final at RedStar Arena in the 41:03 mark of the First Half. Score Perth RedStar FC 2:0 Perth SC
Just before the break, Carlos Vega Mena’s side had one further opportunity as Wood’s long-range shot was well held by Rebecca Bennett.
Pete Rakic made an important half-time substitution, bringing on Craine, and his Perth SC side began to slowly edge back into the contest after an early mix-up in defence that saw an attempted clearance deflect off a sky-blue shirt and fall to Carroll whose shot from the edge of the area was cleared.
Just before the hour mark, Meakins combined with the industrious Ella Lincoln who forced a superb diving save from Diederichsen. Ten minutes later, the Azzurri came close once more as Duncanson’s corner from the left spun in viciously, and with Diederichsen beaten, came back off of the crossbar.
RedStar also saw an effort come back off of the bar within two minutes when Coleman found Wood, who rocketed a shot off of the woodwork.
Perth SC had survived, and then mounted an attack of their own as Judy Connolly was played through, only to be brought down in the box by Andreia Teixeira who was shown a yellow card and a penalty awarded. Abbey Meakins’ low spot kick found the net to bring Perth back into the game.
Goal!! for Perth SC out of NPL Women Night Series Final at RedStar Arena in the 71:53 mark of the Second Half. Score Perth RedStar FC 2:1 Perth SC
Perth RedStar fashioned the next chance – a golden one to seal victory with 18 minutes remaining in a sequence that, after the match, could be looked back on as the moment this game turned.
Leota found Akida from the left-hand side who forced Bennett into a save, with the rebound coming for Coleman, placed centrally in the box who looked certain to have hit the third RedStar goal to finally kill off Perth dreams – but Bennett came from nowhere to produce an astounding save.
Buoyed by this, Perth SC came forward, and with just six minutes remaining on the clock, a ball through found Football West NTC product Connolly who turned Carroll twice and guided a shot into the far right-hand corner to level the scores. With no extra time in this final – the destination of the trophy was to be decided by a penalty shoot-out.
Goal!! for Perth SC out of NPL Women Night Series Final at RedStar Arena in the 83:44 mark of the Second Half. Score Perth RedStar FC 2:2 Perth SC
First up was Meakins for Perth, but her effort was saved by a flying Diederichsen to the left. With the next eight penalties all successful, up stepped Kagami who knew that if she scored, Perth RedStar would retain the trophy. However, Bennett dived to the right to push the ball away, and Perth SC were back from the dead once more.
The shoot-out now moved to sudden death, and with the pressure ramped up, five successful penalties were taken. RedStar captain Jay Coleman then stepped up and agonisingly put her spot kick wide of the left-hand post. It was a cruel way for such an enthralling encounter to be decided.
Above: Perth SC’s Judy Connolly celebrates with the NPLW WA Night Series trophy. Photo: Rob Lizzi.
Perth SC celebrated a hard-won trophy. They will take huge confidence not just from winning silverware, but the way they did it, and the huge character they showed. However, Perth RedStar will come back from this – they will go all out to repeat their successes of last season, starting next weekend when they host Hyundai NTC in a repeat of last season’s NPLW Top Four Cup Final to begin the 2023 NPLW WA campaign. It’s going to be a heck of a ride.
Above: Bethany Gordon celebrates with her teammates after scoring her first-ever A-League goal. Photo: Western Sydney Wanderers.
Western Sydney Wanderers defeated Brisbane Roar on Sunday in a match that was delayed by a few hours due to extreme weather during the day.
The first half hour of the match was relatively uneventful. There were a few half chances up both ends, but for the most part, both teams seemed content passing the ball around and playing it safe.
But about 10 minutes before half time the match kicked into gear. Malia Steinmetz played a good ball down to Sophie Harding on the left flank, who ran into the box and hit a cross to Bethany Gordon who had perfectly timed her run and tapped it in for her first-ever A-League goal.
A few minutes later, there was another A-League first. A great corner kick by Amy Harrison found the newly capped Matilda Clare Hunt, who scored a spectacular header off the inside of the crossbar.
Brisbane Roar started the second half with a bit more intensity, which paid off about five minutes in. Shea Connors capitalised on a Wanderers error in the middle of the pitch and used her lightning-quick pace to track down to the box and cut it across to Larissa Crummer who tapped it in. There was a muted celebration from Connors and Crummer, but the Roar were back in the match.
Just before the 80-minute mark, Amy Chessari hit a great cross into the box, which again found Gordon, who took a shot, but it bounced off a Brisbane defender up into the air, however, Gordon tried again on the volley and scored a sensational goal to seal the win for the Wanderers.
Beth Gordon, WHAT A HIT! 🚀
41 minutes after her first ever @LibFinancial A-League goal, the @wswanderersfc midfielder bags a classy second! 🎯
All in all, it was a big win for the Wanderers and well deserved. They defended very well when they needed to and they found a variety of ways to create goalscoring opportunities and when they had them, they seized them. Their conversion rate was excellent.
Gordon was phenomenal in the midfield, creating a seamless link between the defenders and the front line, and unbelievably scoring her first and second A-League goals in the same match. Hunt was rock solid in defence as usual, and she also showed her prowess in attack as well. The Wanderers goalkeeper Sham Khamis also did an excellent job filling in for Jordyn Bloomer who was recalled by her NWSL club, Racing Louisville, during the week.
For Brisbane Roar, it was a disappointing but entirely understandable loss. Brisbane Roar came into the match having had their finals dreams snuffed out by the APL, who handed them a disappointing three-point deduction during the week. The Roar also lost several key players, such as Katrina Gorry and Kajsa Lind, who were recalled to their Swedish club, Vittsjö.
Ayesha Norrie was also unavailable because she was serving suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards. Brisbane Roar were significantly weakened not having the experience, quality, and leadership of Gorry, Lind, and Norrie. Couple that with deflated spirits and you have an almost impossible mountain to climb.
Brisbane Roar play Melbourne Victory next Saturday and Western Sydney Wanderers will have a week off before facing Western United on 1st April in their last match of the season.
Above: Tottenham Hotspur come together after their huge win over Leicester City in midweek. Photo: Spurs Women.
Sometimes you have to lose a lot of games to properly relish a win.
And Tottenham Hotspur fans waited a long time: nine games or 136 days.
Spurs’ last win – that eight-goal false dawn at Brighton – was back on the 30th October. Rishi Sunak had that week taken office as Prime Minister. England had not yet exited the men’s World Cup on penalties. They hadn’t even touched down in Qatar.
After Brighton, Tottenham lost and lost and lost again. They lost at Brisbane Road, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in Manchester, Liverpool, Reading, and Birmingham. There were a lot of losses. A lot of slow dejected train journeys home.
I have elsewhere talked about the 9-game losing streak that resulted in Rehanne Skinner’s departure, and Vicky Jepson taking over as interim head coach. The edited version is that before Christmas, Spurs could not score, going five games without a goal. More recently the problem was defending: three times Spurs took the lead in games to then be pulled back. Along the way, there were mistakes, poor passing, and a raft of fitness problems.
And then on Wednesday, Leicester City at home. A glorious, wonderous 1-0 win.
In truth, it was a messy, ungainly game. Both teams needed the points. The first half was cagey. Not a lot of free-flowing football on display and neither team created clear-cut chances. Leicester perhaps looked more controlled.
Notwithstanding the change in management, the Spurs side that started against Leicester had just one change from the team that started the previous game. What had changed, however, was that against Leicester, every Spurs player on the pitch looked up for the fight.
It is not for nothing that Leicester have kept clean sheets in three of their five games since the Christmas break. Following their own nine-game losing streak at the start of the season, the club swapped managers and during the January window strengthened, bringing in, among others, the impressive 19-year-old Ruby Mace at defensive midfield and Bayern Munich loanee keeper, Janina Leitzig. Leitzig is in the 99th percentile of keepers for crosses stopped and the 95th percentile for save percentage, and goals conceded against expected goals conceded. In other words, it was going to take something special to beat her.
And Beth England’s second-half goal was special. So was Drew Spence’s trickery in the middle of the park to get clear of three players and find Rosella Ayane in space. Spence is a player who can drift in and out of games. But in this game she was there, her close ball control on display, the map of her touches showing her influence across the pitch.
So, Spence passed to Ayane. And then, in the most unlikely of redemption arcs, Ayane turned provider. Over four relatively fruitless seasons, Ayane has elicited more groans than cheers from watching supporters. Indeed, across her first 56 games for Spurs, she managed just three goal contributions. But now, in the last three games alone, Ayane has equalled that tally (with one goal and two assists, the second in this game).
Above: Beth England (left) celebrates her sensational match-winner against Leicester CIty. Photo: Guardian.
What came as no surprise to anyone is that Bethany England was the goal-scorer. Since arriving at Spurs, England has bagged four goals in five WSL starts. This, her last and, as she described it, “one of the most important” in her career is undoubtedly the most important since her arrival at Spurs.
It also stands alongside England’s solo effort against Manchester United as a thing of beauty. Against United, she picked up the ball on the halfway line. This time the Lionesses’ attacker received the ball from Ayane further up and on the left. She carried it goalwards, cutting across at the top of the box, and then launched the ball. When she did it was far enough out that there was time to admire the flight, and coo as the ball bent into the far corner of the net. Take it all in.
Then the realisation. England’s roar drowned out by the screams of the sparsely-spread 300 fans who had made it to Brisbane Road on a rail strike-hit Wednesday evening.
After that Spurs had more chances. Celin Bizet rounded the keeper but couldn’t find the target. Ayane’s shot went over. Kit Graham’s went wide. And England shot again, but this time a tame effort, straight at Leitzig. Spurs were on top now, but Leicester were not out of it.
The game went on. Eventually, the clock ticked down through five unbearable minutes of injury time. I reassured myself: “It’s okay. Even if they score now, it’s enough. Say it ends 1-1, at least we’ll get a point. A point would be okay. It would end the run. It would keep us above Leicester in the league table.” So goes the beleaguered fan’s pessimistic reasoning.
But Leicester did not score. Spurs did not concede. The first clean sheet in the WSL since Brighton. In her post-match interview Bethany England said “First and foremost today our goal was, bodies behind the ball and keep a clean sheet. Whatever comes from that afterwards is a bonus.” And that was what happened.
Players, including England, dropped deep to defend or collect the ball. They put their bodies on the line. Kerys Harrop made a ridiculous game-high 10 clearances – most of them finding a Tottenham player in space. Molly Bartrip’s goal-line clearance came just seconds before Spurs’ goal and was as important as England’s strike in determining the outcome. Tinni Korpela was a calming and commanding presence, making saves and claiming the ball without fanfare and, as the minutes ebbed away, slowing things down, being ‘clever’.
And then, finally the whistle.
Whereas the last league win at Brighton back in October had offered up a diverse palate of pleasures with four goals a half, in this game there were just two massive releases: the goal and full-time.
When it was over the emotion was palpable, as players, staff and fans realised the run had ended.
Spurs moved from two to five points above Leicester. And while a win does not guarantee WSL safety – another three points are probably needed for that – a win was necessary. For the mood. For confidence. And because without it there was a real possibility of quietly sliding into relegation.
So where next? There are lots of very good players in the Spurs team and a few excellent ones. But in the season so far, they have too often created ways to lose. Maybe now they will start finding ways to win. If they do, and if winning becomes a habit, it may start to mean less but I think I could live with that.
More immediately, Spurs’ next game is the North London Derby. Last season Spurs took their first point off Arsenal. Will this win act as the springboard for them to repeat or better that achievement? We can only hope so.
Above: Tottenham Hotspur captain Ashleigh Neville celebrates the win after the game. Photo: Spurs Women Blog,
Above: Cyera Hintzen (right) and Hana Lowry celebrate after the American striker scored Perth Glory’s winner. Photo: Perth Glory FC
Wellington Phoenix suffered their sixth 1-nil defeat of the Liberty A-League season at the hands of Perth Glory, with American striker Cyera Hintzen scoring an early goal to secure the win.
A strong first 20 minutes by the visitors was all they needed to secure a goal and hold a lead. The winning strike came from Cyera Hinzten, whose impressive finish after a build up of crisp passing completed a move of quality from the Western Australian side.
Despite dominating possession and creating several scoring opportunities, the Phoenix were unable to convert their plethora of chances into goals, and remain bottom of the ladder. The team’s head coach, Natalie Lawrence, expressed her frustration at their inability to score despite playing attacking football.
“So it’s something that we’ve got to keep working on improving is our composure. We had 11 shots inside the box. There were 24 shots in total. We had similar 28 crosses that’s 60% possession, when you look at those stats, you can’t lose those games. Especially with how tight it is at the bottom.”
Despite the loss, Lawrence was proud of her team’s performance and believes that they are making progress.
“We feel that we’ve shown massive progression from last year and from the beginning of the season. So we’ll keep working really, really hard. Right into the last game for the season.”
Although the Phoenix responded well to going behind, with Paige Satchell causing problems down the flank, they were unable to score despite having 24 shots to the Glory’s eight and delivering 28 crosses into the Perth box. Sarah Langman, the Glory goalkeeper, made several saves to keep a clean sheet, denying multiple Phoenix players. Despite making substitutions and pushing for an equalizer, the Phoenix were unable to find the back of the net and ultimately fell to another narrow defeat.
Perth Glory coach Alex Epakis was a proud man after the game, and recognised the efforts of Wellington Phoenix as well.
“Look, what I would say is that credit has to go to Wellington, I believe we came out and started off the blocks really quickly, in the first 15-20 minutes, we looked really crisp with the ball.
“We got rewarded with a nice goal for that. But then after that, they just sort of took control of the game a little bit. And, you know, they played really well. The way that the team’s evolving and progressing, credit to the staff. But ultimately, what we did show was that relentless desire to just find a way to win, even when you don’t play well, for 90 minutes. And I think that’s the trait of a healthy team.”
The win keeps Perth’s finals hopes mathematically alive, while the Phoenix must regroup before their next game against the Jets.
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