A first-half strike from Kara Mowbray has been enough to secure Canberra United a 1-0 victory over Queensland Roar in their Westfield W-League encounter at Perry Park in Brisbane.
In a game that ebbed and flowed and featured plenty of opportunities for both sides, it was a little surprising that Mowbray’s 16th-minute strike was the only goal for the game, but Canberra will care less after obtaining its first win for the season.
The result was all the more souring for the Roar with striker Jenna Tristram forced from the field with a leg complaint.
The extent of her ailment is unknown, but Queensland will no doubt be sweating over Tristram, who was twice helped from the field in the first half after heavy knocks, before sitting out the second stanza.
The match opened in frenetic fashion, with both sides looking dangerous up front and it was not long before Roar midfielder Lauren Colthorpe had the first genuine opportunity of the game.
Canberra United keeper Lydia Williams, who was steadfast all day in goals, had to produce her best to get behind a powerful shot from Colthorpe after she was freed up by Tristram.
The Roar controlled most of the possession early on but Canberra forward duo Sasha McDonnell and Mowbray always loomed large up front, with Mowbray giving Roar custodian Lara Boon a nervous moment at the 10th minute mark.
Boon, in goals in place of Casey Dumont who was unavailable due to international commitments, was forced to clean up a ball well outside the penalty box and just managed to clear the danger before Mowbray could pounce.
She would not be so lucky six minutes later when in a similar scenario, Mowbray this time took possession and dribbled around a diving Boon, and proceeded to slam home the easiest of goals.
The match fizzled somewhat afterwards, as Canberra continued to absorb the pressure and work the counter-attack against a Roar side that looked flat in front of goals.
The home side was further hampered when Tristram, one of the few players who had threatened to score for Queensland, was sidelined after coming off worse for wear following some physical contents.
But the Roar had an excellent chance to level the scores in the dying stages of the first half when Lana Harch set up Kim Carroll perfectly in the box.
Carroll steadied and fired strongly, but her shot was just over the cross bar.
Neither side was able to string together a cohesive forward surge early in the second half, but as Canberra began to sit back and try and hold their lead, Queensland started to look the goods and the game opened up.
The Roar had two excellent chances to square the match up late in the second half, with the first coming in the 77th minute when Colthorpe was on the end of a great cross from Carroll.
With Canberra’s defenders taken out of the equation, Colthorpe only had keeper Williams to beat, but fired her shot well wide.
Queensland continued to press and minutes later almost had the equaliser with a scramble in the box, but it was not to be, as Canberra claimed a vital away win.
Match Details
Queensland Roar 0
Canberra United 1 (Kara Mowbray 16′)
Perry Park, Brisbane
Crowd: 610
Referee: Pru Donohoe
Queensland Roar line-up: 20.Lara BOON (gk), 2.Kate McSHEA (c), 3.Karla REUTER (15.Stephanie LATHAM 82-), 4.Clare POLKINGHORNE, 5.Brooke SPENCE, 6.Jenna TRISTRAM (18.Courtney BEUTEL 45-), 7.Kim CARROLL, 9.Alicia FERGUSON, 10.Lana HARCH, 12.Veronica WILLIAMS, 16.Lauren COLTHORPE, 19.Ellen BEAUMONT (14.Vedrana POPOVIC 69-)
Substitutes not used: 17.Tashina ROMA, 30.Alycia CATCHPOLE (gk)
Yellow cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Canberra United line-up: 1.Lydia WILLIAMS (gk), 3.Amy CHAPMAN, 5.Sasha MCDONNELL (23.Ellie RAYMOND 77-), 7.Ellie BRUSH, 8.Rebecca KITING (16.Snez VELJANOVSKA 55-), 9.Grace GILL, 11.Cian MACIEJEWSKI, 12.Kara MOWBRAY, 13.Thea SLATYER (c), 15.Nicole SYKES, 18.Lucy ALLAN
Substitutes not used: 19.Jennifer BISSET, 20.Maja BLASCH (gk)
Yellow cards: Sasha McDonnell 52-
Red Cards: Nil
