Perth Glory have sole control of top spot after Round 8 in the Westfield W-League following a Sam Kerr-inspired 3-2 win over Melbourne City.
Kerr scored a second-half brace in a high-quality TV broadcast match at AAMI Park as the champions slipped to a third defeat in a row.
Sydney FC opened the round on Friday with a tough 1-0 win over a Brisbane Roar side that were much improved after their hefty defeat against Canberra United the previous week.
Kate Stengel scored twice as Western Sydney Wanderers came from behind to earn a crucial 2-1 win over Newcastle Jets.
Having sat out the round, Canberra United will have the opportunity to return top when they open Round 9 on Wednesday at Melbourne Victory with the match broadcast on Fox Sports/ABC TV.
The three-match round will conclude on Friday, and Round 10 will be played 1-3 January.
Sydney FC 1 (Princess Ibini 55’)
Brisbane Roar 0
Friday 23 December 2016
Venue: Lambert Park
Kick-Off: 7:30PM
Referee: Katie Patterson
Sydney FC: Sham Khamis (gk), Teresa Polias (c), Liz Ralston, Servet Uzunlar, Nicola Bolger (Remy Siemsen 79’), Natalie Tobin (Francisca Ordega 59’), Georgia Yeoman-Dale, Alanna Kennedy, Kyah Simon, Leena Khamis, Princess Ibini (Caitlin Foord 71’)
Substitutes – Sarah Easthope (gk)
Cautions – Liz Ralston 50’, Leena Khamis 59’, Teresa Polias 66’
Brisbane Roar: Mackenzie Arnold (gk), Nina Frausing-Pedersen, Amy Chapman, Clare Polkinghorne (c), Kaitlyn Torpey, Katrina Gorry, Allira Toby (Brooke Spence 84’), Tameka Butt, Summer O’Brien (Angela Beard 30’), Emily Gielnik, Madlyn Evans
Substitutes – Georgina Worth (gk), Abbe Lloyd
Cautions – none
Newcastle Jets 1 (Jenna Kingsley 8’)
Western Sydney Wanderers 2 (Katie Stengel 11’, 30’)
Monday 26 December 2016
Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium
Kick-Off: 3:05PM
Referee: Lara Lee
Newcastle Jets: Katelyn Rowland (gk), Sophie Nenadovic, Megan Oyster, Cassidy Davis, Gema Simon (c), Emma Stanbury (Liana Danaskos 69’), Jen Hoy, Grace McIntyre (Brooke Miller 79’), Jenna Kingsley, Clare Wheeler, Ashlee Brodigan (Rhali Dobson 37’)
Substitutes – Claire Coelho (gk)
Cautions – Sophie Nenadovic 87’
Western Sydney Wanderers: Jada Whyman (gk), Caitlin Cooper (c), Chloe O’Brien (Eliza Ammendolia 75’), Helen Petinos, Kendall Fletcher, Sarah Yatim (Rachel Lowe 60’), Erica Halloway, Katie Stengel, Paige Nielsen, Ellie Carpenter, Angelique Hristodoulou
Substitutes – Casey Dumont (gk), Alix Roberts
Cautions – Caitlin Cooper 22’, Ellie Carpenter 48’, Jada Whyman 52’, Erica Halloway 55’
Melbourne City 2 (Jess Fishlock 60’, Aivi Luik 72’)
Perth Glory 3 (Rosie Sutton 47’, Sam Kerr 77’, 85’)
Tuesday 27 December 2016
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Kick-Off: 5:05PM (Local)
Referee: Casey Reibelt
Melbourne City: Lydia Williams (gk), Teigen Allen, Lauren Barnes, Laura Alleway, Aivi Luik, Steph Catley (c), Jess Fishlock, Erika Tymrak (Jacinta Galabadaarachchi 62’), Rebekah Stott, Melina Ayres (Melina Ayres 84’), Beverly Yanez
Substitutes – Erin Hudson (gk), Tyla Jay Vlajnic
Cautions – Jess Fishlock 65’, Lauren Barnes 73’, 79’, Teigen Allen 88’
Red Card: Lauren Barnes 79’
Perth Glory: Gabrielle Dal Busco (gk), Sarah Carroll, Kim Carroll, Alyssa Mautz, Nicole Stanton, Shawn Billam (Jaymee Gibbons 53’), Rosie Sutton, Vanessa DiBernardo (Caitlin Doeglas 70’), Natasha Rigby, Sam Kerr (c), Arianna Romero
Substitutes – Melissa Maizels (gk), Patricia Charalambous
Cautions – Nicole Stanton 18’, Natasha Rigby 43’, Jaymee Gibbons 92’
Adelaide United, Canberra United, Melbourne Victory – BYE
