Brisbane Roar have leapt to fourth on the table after a come from behind 3-1 win over Canberra at Spencer Park.
A brilliant solo effort from substitute Sharn Freier put the Roar ahead in 66th minute after Daisy Brown’s tap in on the stroke of half time had cancelled out Sofia Christopherson’s 13th minute opener.
Brisbane’s star Dutch import Bente Jansen made the points safe in the 89th minute with a goal that her performance richly deserved.
Brisbane had dominated the early exchanges to the point that Christopherson’s opener was a surprise against the run of play, and came from the only source that looked likely – a Roar error.
Brisbane keeper Chloe Lincoln’s attempt to play the ball out from goal was poorly directed and rolled straight to Christopherson who chipped Lincoln first time.
It was Canberra’s first shot of the game.
Brisbane poured the pressure on from there, with Jansen regularly looking dangerous until the Roar’s wave of attacks told just before half time.
Jansen was the architect Brown’s equaliser, putting a ball in front of Ashlyn Miller for her to force her way past Elizabeth Anton and plate up Brown to tap in.
Brisbane always looked the more likely team to win from there, and Freier put the Roar ahead with a brilliant solo effort in the 66th minute.
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The Matilda ran on to Lincoln’s long ball, held off Canberra speedster Hayley Taylor-Young, tore into the box and forced the ball across goal and underneath Canberra custodian Sally James.
The only thing left after that was for Jansen to put the icing on the cake with her seventh goal of the season, underlining her claim to be this season’s best new import.
Brisbane next take on reigning champions Central Coast Mariners next week at Spencer Park, while Canberra host Melbourne Victory.
