The Queensland Roar snatched a 1-1 draw with Canberra United in their round 10 Westfield W-League match on Saturday evening at McKellar Stadium.
With three minutes of regular time remaining, Roar midfielder Alicia Ferguson put in a long cross from the right which was headed past Canberra keeper Lydia Williams by substitute Vedrana Popovic, who had been on the pitch less than five minutes.
After a hotly-contested but scoreless first half, the game came alive when United midfielder Caitlin Munoz broke the deadlock in the 65th minute, passing and receiving from Kara Mowbray, drawing in Roar keeper Casey Dumont, and calmly slotting home.
United missed a chance to go two goals up when they were awarded a penalty with 15 minutes remaining. A brilliant Hayley Crawford shot bounced off the cross bar and fell to striker Ashley Sykes, who was felled by Dumont as she tried to get around her.
Dumont was spared a red card by referee Jacqui Melksham, and made amends when she dived to her right to save Canberra captain Ellie Brush’s shot.
The first half was hard-going for both teams, as rain began to fall heavily. Bronwyn Studman had Canberra’s best chance only two minutes into the match, forcing Dumont into a great diving save to her right.
Tameka Butt nearly put Queensland up after 26 minutes, her shot took a lucky deflection off a Canberra boot, going over Williams but not enough, hitting the top of the cross bar and out for a penalty.
Roar coach Jeff Hopkins was full of praise for his team’s ability to fight back and get the late goal.
“What we’ve proved this year is when we’ve been challenged we’ve found another gear,” Hopkins said,
“These girls keep going on to the final whistle.”
“Vee (Vedrana Popokic) did really well when she came on.”
“We told her just to take a chance and sit up in the box and she did that,” Hopkins said.
Canberra coach Robbie Hooker, while happy with United’s performance, was left ruing his side’s missed penalty.
“I thought it was a game again where we were the better side, created the better of the chances and should have won,” Hooker said.
“You get a penalty and it goes to two nil and it’s a different game.”
“We probably would’ve gone on to win that game.”
Queensland finish the inaugural Westfield W-League as clear minor premiers, and faces Sydney in the semi finals, while Canberra will finish second or third – depending on results – and play Newcastle.
Match Details
Canberra United 1 (Caitlin MUNOZ 66-)
Queensland Roar 1 (Vedrana POPOVIC 87-)
Saturday 27 December
McKellar Park, Cnr William Slim & Owen Dixon Drives, McKellar ACT
Crowd: 712
Local kick off 6.00pm AEDT
Referee: Jacqui Melksham
Assistant Referees: Brett Woodford, Brett Hookham
Fourth Official: Allyson Flynn
Canberra United line up: 1.Lydia WILLIAMS (gk), 3.Amy CHAPMAN, 4.Bronwyn STUDMAN (19.Jennifer BISSET 61-), 5.Sasha MCDONNELL (12.Kara MOWBRAY 46-), 6.Caitlin MUNOZ, 7.Ellie BRUSH, 8.Rebecca KITING, 10.Hayley CRAWFORD, 13.Thea SLATYER (17.Christine WALTERS 69-), 14.Ashleigh SYKES, 15.Nicole SYKES.
Substitutes not used: 20.Maja BLASCH (gk).
Yellow cards: Hayley CRAWFORD 19-.
Red Cards: Nil.
Queensland Roar line up: 1.Casey DUMONT (gk), 2.Kate McSHEA, 3.Karla REUTER, 4.Clare POLKINGHORNE, 5.Brooke SPENCE (11.Ruth BLACKBURN 77-), 8.Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT, 9.Alicia FERGUSON, 10.Lana HARCH (15.Stephanie LATHAM 93+-)13.Tameka BUTT (14.Vedrana POPOVIC 85-) 18.Courtney BEUTEL, 19.Ellen BEAUMONT
Substitutes not used: 20.Lara BOON (gk).
Yellow cards: Karla REUTER 14-, Alicia FERGUSON 21-.
Red Cards: Nil.
