Western United are up into second on the Liberty A-League ladder after coming from behind to beat Brisbane Roar 3-2 at City Vista Recreation Reserve.
An early header from Chloe Logarzo put Western United in front but Kat Smith’s side went into the break 2-1 down after goals from Kijah Stephenson and Mia Corbin.
However Adriana Taranto put her side back on level terms with a second half header before Taranto was then fouled inside the box giving Logarzo the chance to slot home the penalty to seal the win which she duly did.
A fourth win in a row for Western moves them into second spot on the ladder and just a point behind Melbourne City while Brisbane Roar remain tenth.
Fresh from her recall to the Matildas squad, Chloe Logarzo continued her excellent form for Western, nodding home the opener from a corner in the 8th minute to score her sixth goal of the campaign.
Brisbane were controlling possession of the ball but the home side were certainly the more dangerous of the two and Captain Jaclyn Sawicki then stung the palms of Roar goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz in the 20th minute.
Brisbane though soon began to fashion a few chances of their own and pulled themselves level in the 29th minute through winger Kijah Stephenson, who cooly slotted the ball home after good work by Sharn Freier down the left.
The Western coaching staff and players were unhappy with the first goal, believing the ball had gone out of play in the build-up, but before they knew it they were 2-1 down.
Two minutes after grabbing her first assist of the game Freier was at it again, this time escaping down the left before delivering a pinpoint cross into the path of striker Mia Corbin, who side-footed the ball beyond Hillary Beall.
Western began the second half much stronger than their opponents and had the ball in the back of the net but it was ruled out for offside before Stacey Papadopoulos played a dangerous ball across the face of goal which neither Hannah Keane nor Chloe Logarzo could convert.
Keiwa Hieda then wasted a guilt-edged chance to level the scores in the 67th minute, firing over the bar from three metres out after Logarzo’s initial shot had cannoned back off the post.
Adriana Taranto’s fierce effort from a tight angle was well saved by Silkowitz but the pressure was mounting on the Brisbane defence and their resilience was eventually broken for a second time in the 79th minute.
Tyla Vlajnic’s in-swinging corner was glanced towards goal by Taranto and this time it did beat the keeper as it nestled into the bottom right corner, much to the dismay of the Roar backline.
Substitute Kahli Johnson then sent a stunning effort towards goal which crashed back off the crossbar however the Roar defence failed to clear their lines and Matilda Tameka Yallop subsequently brought down Taranto inside the box and the referee pointed to the spot
Up stepped Chloe Logarzo in the 92nd minute to smash home the spot kick to seal all three points for Kat Smith’s side moving Western United into second spot on the ladder after their fourth-straight victory.
