A resurgent Sydney FC side has staged a second-half comeback to beat Brisbane Roar 3-1 in Saturday’s Westfield W-League clash at Cleveland Showgrounds.
A resurgent Sydney FC side has staged a second-half comeback to beat Brisbane Roar 3-1 in Saturday’s Westfield W-League clash at Cleveland Showgrounds.
After Brisbane took the lead against the run of play just before the interval, Sydney scored three goals in 17 minutes in the second half to take all three points.
With attacking duo Tameka Butt and Hannah Beard missing through injury, Roar’s Emily Gielnik and Sachiko Tatsuoka regained their starting spots from the season opener against Canberra United.
The only change for the Sky Blues was in the inclusion of Ellyse Perry, who missed last week’s Sydney derby due to cricket commitments, with Larissa Crummer the player forced to a bench spot.
The away side dominated the early proceedings and Perry’s third minute free-kick caused a nervous moment for Roar custodian Hoshimi Kishi as the ball swerved high of the woodwork in the windy conditions.
The Japanese shot-stopper denied Sydney another chance to open the scoring on the 20-minute mark, tipping a long-range effort from Nicola Bolger onto the crossbar and away to safety.
For all their opportunities, including several off-target chances from playmaker Kyah Simon and their overwhelming midfield possession, the Sky Blues lacked the killer instinct in front of goal.
The misses proved costly in the 42nd minute when Lana Harch opened the scoring for Brisbane with her side’s first shot on target all half.
A deft flick from Tatsuoka allowed Clare Polkinghorne to drive the ball towards goal and it was the Roar captain’s pass, deflected by an opposing defender, that set up Harch for her clinical right-footed strike from inside the area.
Within sixty seconds of the second half, Sydney had their equaliser when Sam Kerr capitalised on some unsteady Roar defending and 12 minutes later they took the lead through New Zealand international Emma Kete.
Perry made it 3-1 to the visitors just after the hour mark with a pinpoint free-kick from 25 yards out.
Without their usual creative outlet Butt on the park, chances were few and far between for the home side in the second half and Sydney held on for their second win of the season.
Brisbane Roar 1 (Lana Harch 42′)
Sydney FC 3 (Sam Kerr 46′, Emma Kete 57′, Ellyse Perry 62′)
Brisbane Roar: 1. Hoshimi KISHI (gk), 2. Laura ALLEWAY (14. Georgia CHAPMAN 75′), 3. Amy CHAPMAN, 4. Clare POLKINGHORNE (c), 5. Brooke SPENCE, 7. Erika ELZE, 10. Lana HARCH (9. Emma PITTMAN 75′), 11. Vedrana POPOVIC, 16. Sachiko TATSUOKA (6. Ashley SPINA 86′), 17. Emily GIELNIK, 19. Katrina GORRY
Sydney FC: 1. Sian McLAREN, 2. Teresa POLIAS, 3. Elizabeth RALSTON, 4. Samantha KERR, 7. Nicola BOLGER, 9. Caitlin FOORD, 10. Renee ROLLASON, 14. Alanna KENNEDY (11. Annalie LONGO 64′), 16. Elyse PERRY, 17. Kyah SIMON (c) (Chloe LOGARZO 89′), 19. Emma KETE (13. Larissa CRUMMER 77′)
