American forward Erin Healy bagged her first Ninja A-League goal to lead Adelaide United to a 1-0 win over Western Sydney Wanderers in the first game of Round 8.
Adelaide came into the weekend on a two-game losing streak but returned to the winners’ list thanks to their United States import, who came off the bench to score a second-half winner at Coopers Stadium on Friday afternoon.
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Healy missed Adelaide’s last game with a toe injury but was back in action in Round 8; her 68th-minute strike capped off a dominant performance from Adelaide in which Healy’s fellow forwards Fiona Worts and Chelsie Dawber missed gilt-edged chances to put the home side on top.
The 1-0 win sent Adelaide into fourth spot on the Ninja A-League table. For the Wanderers, meanwhile, defeat on the road has left Robbie Hooker’s side at risk of finishing Round 8 as the league’s bottom-placed side, as they hold just a one-point advantage over Sydney FC who currently occupy 12th spot.
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Adelaide dominated the first half but had nothing to show for it by half-time.
Worts had two opportunities to put the hosts in front before the break. The in-form striker’s first chance came just after the half-hour mark when she was played behind Western Sydney’s defensive line but in a one-on-one with Sham Khamis, failed to angle her shot past the outrushing keeper.
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Dawber was next to threaten Western Sydney’s goal. Played into space in the box by Emily Condon, Dawber sized up the target but skied her shot high over the crossbar.
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With the last touch of the first half, Worts received her second big chance to score after being picked out in the box with a low cross from LucÃa León. Worts angled a first-time attempt toward the bottom-left corner but, like Dawber, couldn’t hit the target as the Wanderers somehow got to half-time on level terms.
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The Wanderers were much improved after half-time and began to pose a greater threat to Adelaide’s goal. Talia Younis put Reds keeper Claudia Jenkins to the test with a venomous strike on the hour-mark, but it was a test Jenkins passed as the teenage Wanderer was denied an opening goal.
The Younis shot sparked an Adelaide response inspired by substitute Healy who came off the bench on her return from injury and quickly thrust herself into the action.
The American striker had two shots on goal within minutes of her arrival off the bench before finding the breakthrough in the 68th minute.
Healy’s first Ninja A-League goal proved decisive in the Friday-afternoon clash, as Adelaide saw out the remainder of the game with their 1-0 lead intact.
