Adelaide United have defeated Western Sydney Wanderers 4-3 on the opening day of the Westfield W-League following a dramatic late comeback after being behind 3-1 deep in the second half at Burton Park on Saturday.
Adelaide United have defeated Western Sydney Wanderers 4-3 on the opening day of the Westfield W-League following a dramatic late comeback after being behind 3-1 deep in the second half at Burton Park on Saturday.
An incredible 11-minute hat-trick from midfielder Sarah McLaughlin rescued the Lady Reds from the jaws of defeat.
The New Zealander fired in her first on 77 minutes before adding two more in the 80th and 88th minutes with identical, classy top-corner finishes.
McLaughlin’s heroics cancelled out an early first-half double to Wanderers captain and Matildas midfielder Servet Uzunlar including a spectacular free-kick from halfway.
The Lady Reds responded prior to half-time via striker Racheal Quigley who slotted a penalty won by the impressive Holly Patterson, before Jenna Kingsley added a third shortly after the restart for the visitors and McLaughlin stole the three points.
The win was just the second in three years for Adelaide.
The Lady Reds began the game on the front foot with back-to-back close chances to midfielder Laura Johns and Quigley until, against the run of play, Western Sydney opened the scoring courtesy of Uzunlar in the sixth minute.
The diminutive midfielder looked to have intended to cross the ball, however it found itself in the back of the net beyond a hapless Kristi Harvey.
Uzunlar then doubled her and the Wanderers’ tally on 21 minutes in magnificent style.
After winning a free-kick just over the halfway line, the 23-year-old turned the dead ball into a contender for goal of the year with an incredible strike that looped well over Harvey into the top right-hand corner of the net.
The former Sydney FC attacker almost turned provider two minutes later when a whipped free-kick found Kingsley at the back-post, however the 20-year-old nodded her header over the bar.
Adelaide finally responded on 33 minutes when Patterson – a constant menace to the Wanderers’ back four – won a penalty for the hosts.
The New Zealand International took on multiple Wanderers defenders as she weaved in and out and cut her way into the box from the right before being brought down.
Quigley stepped up and made no mistake dispatching the spot-kick to the left of Durack who was caught stranded to the spot.
Upon the restart, Western Sydney wasted no time in extending their lead when Kingsley beat Harvey in a one-on-one challenge in the 54th minute.
Kingsley found her way in behind the Lady Reds’ defence to beat the offside trap as Harvey saved her first-time shot, however the forward made no mistake with her follow-up effort, prodding the ball into an empty net.
The Lady Reds looked dead and buried until McLaughlin pounced on a defensive error to give her side a late sniff on 77 minutes.
Durack made a meal of a back-pass clearing straight to McLaughlin who finished truly from close range.
With wind in their sails, the Lady Reds found an equaliser three minutes later when McLaughlin snatched a second with a ripping finish into the top left-hand corner from 20 yards.
McLaughlin wasn’t done there either as she grabbed a hat-trick and rounded out an astonishing comeback for the hosts with another elegant top-corner goal after a dazzling run down the right channel from Patterson.
Adelaide United 4 (Quigley 33, McLaughlin 77, 80, 88)
Western Sydney Wanderers 3 (Uzunlar 6, 21, Kingsley 54)
