A first goal of the season from the returning Holly Caspers helped Western Sydney Wanderers beat Brisbane Roar 2-1 at Wanderers Football Park.
The Wanderers took the lead in just the seventh minute and it was the in-form Sienna Saveska who did the damage, capitalising on a mistake on the edge of the Brisbane box to curl the ball beyond Olivia Sekany and into the net.
The Roar struggled to create many clear-cut chances but they found the equaliser in the 67th minute with an outrageous effort from Zara Kruger as she bent the ball into the top corner from distance.
However the home side would end up leaving with all three points thanks to 88th minute goal from substitute Caspers, who slotted the ball beyond Sekany to secure the win in her first game back in 71 days.
Whilst remaining bottom of the ladder, the win for the Wanderers is just their second of the season and moves them to within a point of defending Champions Sydney FC in 11th place.
As for Brisbane, Alex Smith’s side now find themselves in 5th spot on the ladder having lost four of their last five matches.
The home side started brightly and took the lead in just the seventh minute as Saveska profited from a mistake on the edge of the Roar box to dispatch the ball beyond the keeper and register her seventh goal of the season.
Now behind, Brisbane looked to respond quickly and had several good chances to bag the equaliser, the best of which saw the Wanderers scramble the ball off the goal line in the 12th minute.
Alex Smith’s side lacked any real cutting edge in the first-half and the closest they came to troubling goalkeeper Sham Khamis was low effort from Emily Pringle which was once again cleared off the line.
Looking for some inspiration in the second-half Brisbane finally found it in the 67th minute and it was a moment of magic from teenager Kruger.
Receiving the ball inside the Wanderers half, Kruger opened up her body and bent a stunning effort into the back of the net from close to 30-metres out, leaving goalkeeper Khamis with absolutely no chance.
Turning to his bench in search of inspiration, head coach Geoff Abrahams brought on forward Caspers for her first game in 71 days.
Now fully recovered from a toe injury which kept her on the sidelines, the 25-year-old capped off a memorable return to the side as she bagged what would prove to be the winner 12 minutes after coming on.
Winning the ball back just inside the Brisbane half, Danika Matos then spotted the run of Caspers up ahead duly slotted her teammate in on goal and the substitute did the rest; clipping the ball beyond the on-rushing keeper to make it 2-1.
Brisbane threw numbers forward in search of a late leveller but were denied by some stoic Wanderers defending.
Holding on for the win, the Wanderers players let out screams of joy at full-time as they secured a morale-boosting victory which takes them closer to the sides above them on the ladder.
