Sydney FC have notched their third win on the trot to start the Westfield W-League season, following a 4-1 triumph over Adelaide United at WIN Stadium in Wollongong on Saturday afternoon.
Sydney constantly threatened to score in the first 40 minutes, but Adelaide survived the flurry to hang on and lock the scores at 1-1 at half-time.
The defending champions lifted in the final 45, squeezing the life from United’s attack, while powered by goals from Kylie Ledbrook, Catherine Cannuli and Illawarra product Caitlin Foord.
With the win, Sydney extended their incredible winning streak to 14 dating back to last season, while Adelaide remains winless (0-3) this season.
Donna Cockayne looked to get Adelaide on the board first at six minutes.
The striker made a long dash from halfway on a cleared ball and blasted an attempt from just inside the box although Sydney ‘keeper Dimi Poulos was patiently waiting to make a quality stop.
Having struck the upright with her first attempt, Leena Khamis gave the Sky Blues the early lead, cleanly converting a cross in the box at 10 minutes.
Sydney continued to press, but couldn’t find the net again with Lydia Vanderbergh and Renee Rollason both driving attempts over the crossbar.
Sydney then had two more looks, Kyah Simon stopped from close range, before Khamis aimed wide from the right side of the box.
United leveled the scores at 40 minutes, when American striker Ashleigh Gunning was taken down inside the box by Alesha Clifford.
Gunning comfortably slotted home the penalty, opting for the left side of the net to register Adelaide’s much awaited first goal of the season.
Things got heated after the break with yellow cards dealt to Sydney’s Danielle Brogan and United’s Katrina Gorry as both teams scrapped for an edge.
Ledbrook was unlucky not to score on a laser beam from a corner at 58 minutes, however she broke through the next minute heading in a perfectly weighted cross from Vanderbergh.
Ledbrook was in the action again at 72 minutes, called offside after a hustling play in which she converted a spilled cleanup by Sian McLaren.
Cannuli sealed the win at 80 minutes with a spectacular running header from captain Heather Garriock’s perfectly weighted cross.
In Sydney’s first ever home game in Wollongong, 16-year-old local Foord impressed the crowd in injury time with a crafty breakaway play to slip one past the keeper.
Sydney FC: 4 (Khamis 10, Ledbrook 59, Cannuli 80, Foord 91)
Adelaide United: 1 (Gunning 41)
Crowd: 640
