Western Sydney Wanderers and Newcastle Jets have drawn 1-1 at CommBank Stadium, a result that sees both sides take a hit to their finals hopes.
The Wanderers were leading for much of the match after Talia Younis’s first minute goal, however Melina Ayers’s second half equaliser saw the points shared.
Younis needed just 46 seconds to get the ball in the back of the net, her low shot from around 30 metres out catching goalkeeper Georgia Ritchie of guard and creeping inside her right post.
Western Sydney had a clear plan to continue peppering Ritchie’s goal, registering 14 shots up to half time, though only two of them were on target.
Goalscorer Younis continued to be lively on the left wing, however a leg injury just before half time cut short her afternoon.
Wanderers keeper Sham Khamis and her defence had much more work to do in the second half, facing five shots with three on target between half time and the 75th minute.
Eventually Newcastle got their equaliser in the 78th minute, Ayres finding herself some space in the box to get on the end of Sophie Hoban’s cutback from the right and duly sliding it past the diving Khamis.
The draw really doesn’t help either of these teams in their chase for finals football – the Wanderers and Newcastle are still four and three points respectively away from sixth place Melbourne Victory.
Next up for the Wanderers is a trip to Canberra and Newcastle get to host Perth Glory.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Western Sydney Wanderers goal: Talia Younis 1′
Newcastle Jets goal: Melina Ayres 78′
