The Perth Glory have broken their three-game losing streak and won their first game of the Westfield W-League in emphatic fashion, beating Adelaide United 3-2 at Members Equity Stadium in Perth on Saturday.
Glory dominated the match and held a 3-0 lead up until the 89th minute when Sharon Black scored a consolation for the visitors, lobbing ‘keeper Maya Diederichsen with her free kick. Victoria Balomenos then scrambled a goal over the goal line just seconds before the final whistle.
It was a stunning return to form for Perth, who welcomed star striker Lisa De Vanna in style and enjoyed the return of a pair of Young Matildas in Marianna Tabain and Ella Mastrantonio.
Coach Nicola Williams praised the efforts of her two junior internationals after the match.
“Ella and Marianna were sensational,” she said. “They-re very skillful and talented players and they allow us to play a lot more attacking football and hold the ball.”
“We say they-re our young players, but they-re the most vital ones to us.”
Williams was also impressed with De Vanna, her dynamic striker who scored and had a big impact after just one week training with the squad.
“She was wanting to win the ball (and) had plenty of aggression,” Williams said. “Before the game she was focused and rested up from last week. She-s had a lot of travel in the last few weeks (but) she had a big impact today.”
Captain Collette McCallum got the home side on its winning way with a stunning strike from well outside the box after 25 minutes.
De Vanna then established herself as a worthy crowd favourite – blitzing the Adelaide defence with a stunning run half the length of the pitch and finishing with a neat goal 40 minutes in.
An Adelaide own goal completed Perth-s scoresheet.
After a slow start Perth had the first clear chance through De Vanna six minutes in. The returning striker weaved her way through Adelaide-s defence but couldn-t find a teammate when playing a dangerous ball in.
The reds were equally wasteful moments later when going forward through Renee Harrison, and Sandra Scalzi-s long-range effort wasn-t threatening.
De Vanna continued to trouble the visitors but it was Perth captain McCallum who struck first, guiding her 22 yard strike in off the cross bar.
It didn-t take De Vanna long to become Perth-s third goal-scorer for the season, however. She took the ball from just inside the half, sped away and slotted her shot coolly along the ground past an isolated Emma Wirkus.
The second half started with a flurry of Adelaide advances as they chased the 2-0 defecit, but once more the visitors couldn-t penetrate Perth-s defence.
Limited chances became too much for Black who tried her luck from outside the box, but was off target.
The Reds seemed to have a change of luck seven minutes into the second half when the ball fell perfectly for April Mann inside the box. Her shot, however, slammed into the cross bar and was cleared swiftly by Emily Dunn.
It was nothing but bad luck thereafter as Adelaide went 3-0 down, captain Alagich heading in an own goal off Elisa D-Ovidio-s dangerous cross.
And when Renee Harrison left the field on a stretcher after a crunching De Vanna tackle, Adelaide had a mountain to climb.
They never got fully going, despite the flattering scoreline, and will travel to face Canberra United next week. Perth will face the Newcastle Jets at Wanderers Oval.
Match Details
Perth Glory 3 (Collette McCallum 25-, Lisa de Vanna 41-, Di Alagich (og) 56-)
Adelaide United 2 (Sharon Black 90-, Donna Cockayne 93-)
Members Equity Stadium, Perth
Saturday 15 November 2008
Referee: Prue Donohoe
Perth Glory line-up: 20.Maya DIEDERICHSEN (gk), 2.Stacey LEARMONT, 3.Carys HAWKINS, 8.Tanya OXTOBY (c), 10.Ella MASTRANTONIO, 11.Lisa DE VANNA 12.Dani CALAUTTI, 13.Elisa D-OVIDIO (5.Shannon MAY 67-), 14.Collette McCALLUM, 17.Marianna TABAIN, 19.Emily DUNN
Substitutes not used: 30.Katarina JUKIC (gk), 7.Ciara CONWAY, 15.Elle SEMMENS
Yellow cards: Lisa de Vanna 58-
Red Cards: Nil
Adelaide United line-up: 1.Emma WIRKUS (gk), 2.Renee HARRISON (15.Lauren CHILVERS 62-), 3.Sarah AMORIM, 4.Dianne ALAGICH (c), 6.Kristyn SWAFFER, 8.Sandra SCALZI (14.Donna COCKAYNE 72-), 9.Stephanie TOKICH (12.Tanya HARRISON 67-), 10.Victoria BALOMENOS, 11.Sharon BLACK, 13.Leah ROBINSON, 17.April MANN
Substitutes not used: 20.Sian McLAREN (gk)
Yellow cards: Victoria Balomenos 77-
Red Cards: Nil
