Current Westfield W-League champions Brisbane Roar and runaway league leaders Canberra United have played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Cleveland Showgrounds this afternoon.
The result sees United drop points for the first time this season, following the five victories in their opening five fixtures this campaign.
It was an action-packed, but evenly-matched, start to the game as both sides looked to assert their dominance on the field.
Four minutes in Canberra almost snuck an early goal as a dazzling run through the midfield from Grace Gill allowed Michelle Heyman to set up Sally Shipard just outside the box.
With the goal in clear sight, the attacking midfielder sent her powerful shot just high of the crossbar.
The run of play turned the home side’s way soon after and following a pinpoint cross from the right wing, Brisbane’s Joanne Burgess buried the ball into the bottom left-hand corner to hand her side the early advantage.
But the lead was short-lived as referee Kate Jacewicz awarded a penalty within 90 seconds following a strong challenge by Roar defender Kim Carroll on United’s Ashleigh Sykes.
Shipard made amends for her earlier miss by calmly placing the ball past Brisbane custodian Casey Dumont to level the scores.
Tameka Butt forced a reactive save from Canberra’s Lydia Williams late in the opening period but for the most part, chances were few and far between for either side as half-time approached.
United put the pressure on Brisbane early in the second half with a curling free-kick from Gill before Heyman called Dumont into action with a follow-up shot soon after.
A storming run from Aivi Luik opened the door for Emily Gielnik to slot home her fourth goal of the season but the assistant referee’s flag denied the Brisbane striker a chance to add to her goal tally.
With 30 minutes remaining Canberra skipper Ellie Brush fouled Butt on the edge of the area, handing Brisbane an opportunity to capitalise from a set-piece in dangerous territory.
Vedrana Popovic curled the ball goalwards towards Clare Polkinghorne but the sturdy hands of Williams denied the Roar captain a clean touch on the ball and the score line remained level.
Butt came close to scoring the elusive go-ahead goal, rattling the cross-bar with a 75th minute free-kick but it was the Westfield W-League’s leading goal scorer Heyman who broke the hearts of the home side fans three minutes later.
Heyman pounced on a misjudgement from Dumont, chipping the young ‘keeper from inside the penalty area.
However, Brisbane weren’t done for the day and in the 88th minute, their immense pressure in front of goal forced Brush into a quick header that bounced unluckily past Williams into the back of her own net.
Despite the four minutes of added time, that proved to be the last significant event of the match and it ended in a deserved 2-2 draw.
Brisbane Roar 2 (Burgess 7, Brush 88og)
Canberra United 2 (Shipard 9, Heyman 78)
