Adelaide United have it all to do in the second leg of their Ninja A-League Semi-Final after they were beaten 3-1 by Melbourne Victory on Sunday afternoon thanks to a double from Claudia Bunge.
With both teams showing their attacking intent from the off, Victory broke the deadlock in stunning fashion in the 38th minute; Matildas forward Emily Gielnik rifling a half-volley beyond goalkeeper Claudia Jenkins and into the far corner of the net.
Responding in ideal fashion, Adelaide levelled things up just 90 seconds after falling behind as Erin Healy stabbed home a loose ball inside the box to make it 1-1 before half-time.
CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE NINJA A-LEAGUE FINALS HUB
With Jenkins certainly the busier of the two keepers, the Adelaide shot-stopper was then picking the ball out of her net once again, this time in the 77th minute, as Victory defender Bunge powered home a header to make it 2-1.
The away side then put one foot in the Grand Final as they made it 3-1 in the 88th minute; Bunge proving to be the hero once again, heading another powerful effort over the line to hand her side a huge advantage going in to the second leg.
Adelaide will now head to Melbourne and do something they haven’t been able to do in nine years and defeat Melbourne Victory on their own turf by at least two goals to have any chance of going through to the Ninja A-League Grand Final.
Both sides had their chances to open the scoring in what was a frantic opening 20 minutes at a raucous Coopers Stadium.
Bursting through on numerous occasions, Adelaide hot-shot Fiona Worts was causing plenty of problems inside the Victory box while Jeff Hopkins’ side themselves had an effort headed off the line from a dangerous in-swinging corner.
Breaking forward in scintillating fashion, Worts was denied what would have been a brilliantly worked opener as Alana Jancevski produced an excellent last-ditch block to thwart Adelaide’s top goalscorer from making it 1-0.
GOALS GALORE: Four goals, a golazo and star’s brace: Ninja A-League Semi-Final evenly poised following thriller
While the home side were causing problems at one end though it was the visitors who broke the deadlock in ruthless fashion at the other end in the 38th minute.
Spotting the ever-dangerous Gielnik in space in the Reds’ half, Newbon launched a pinpoint ball down field and into the path of the Matildas striker and Gielnik expertly did the rest, thumping a left-footed drive beyond Jenkins and into the far corner of the net to make it 1-0.
But having finally broken the deadlock Victory then conceded less than 90 seconds later as the home side restored parity at Coopers Stadium.
Connecting with a ball back into the box, Adelaide midfielder Emily Condon saw her close-range effort brilliantly saved by Newbon, however Healy was in the right place at the right time to stab home the equaliser.
Victory were then inches away from taking the lead before the first half was out as Alana Jancevski’s brilliant curling free-kick was destined for the back of the net before Jenkins produced an excellent diving save to tip the ball over the bar.
Adelaide were dealt a big blow on the hour mark as defender Tiarna Karambasis was forced from the field after taking a ball to the face and she was replaced by Chelsie Dawber in an attacking chance from head coach Adrian Stenta.
In an attacking change of his own, Victory boss Hopkins removed goalscorer Gielnik in the 67th minute in favour of super sub Holly Furphy as the away side looked to establish a first leg lead heading into the second leg in Melbourne.
Victory thought they’d taken the lead in the 76th minute only for Jenkins to thwart them again, this time producing an excellent save to deny Sara D’Appolonia inside the box however they would have more joy from the resulting corner.
Peeling off her marker inside the box, Bunge powered her header through the crowd and into the back of the net to hand Victory a vital advantage in their quest to secure a spot in the Ninja A-League Grand Final.
Looking to respond to going behind once again, Naomi Sasaki then wasted a good chance for the home side as she blazed her effort high over the bar in the 80th minute and that missed chance may well come back to haunt her side.
Jostling for space inside the Adelaide box, Bunge once again escaped her marker and duly headed home her second of the afternoon, crashing a header off the underside of the bar and over the line to make it 3-1 to the away side.
Adelaide had a good chance to make it 3-2 deep into stoppage time however Dawber was denied by the impressive Newbon as Victory head back to Victoria with a healthy two-goal lead for the second leg of their semi-final.
