Western United fell to a 3-0 defeat against Perth Glory in the Ninja A-League Women at the Sam Kerr Football Centre on Friday night.
The Glory got off to the better start on home soil and capitalised with the opener in the 14th minute, but United remained in the game and created opportunities to equalise.
As the Green and Black continued to push, the final 20 minutes ultimately took the game away with Julia Sardo receiving a red card before Perth added two more to their tally.
Western United will look to swiftly bounce back with a return home to Ironbark Fields next week to take on Canberra United.
Western United team news
The big piece of team news came up front for Western United with Catherine Zimmerman making her return from a fractured collarbone to start on the left wing.
That filled the Kahli Johnson-shaped void in United’s frontline with this being the first game following her departure for Canada, while Chloe Lincoln also returned in goal with Alyssa Dall’Oste dropping out altogether due to illness.
Alana Cortellino returned to the bench, while Adriana Taranto started in her 50th appearance for Western United.
First Half
Perth were the quicker of the sides to settle into the conditions with the wind at their backs and the familiarity of home turf.
The first opportunity came after a scramble on the goal line and what must have been a foul on Isabel Dehakiz, though there was no whistle and Sardo had to intervene with a crucial block.
Lincoln was then drawn into a good save soon after but could do nothing when the goal eventually came via Kelli Brown with a one-on-one finish into the bottom corner.
Western United sought an immediate response and very nearly got it when the ball fell to Chloe Logarzo at the top of the box, but the captain’s strike cannoned off the post and out for a goal kick.
The Green and Black continued to have the greater joy from that point in the game with Logarzo, Zimmerman and Taranto looking to link up and Sardo and Sasha Grove finding themselves involved from full-back as well.
Kat Smith’s side remained positive and could have been level on a couple of occasions before half-time but Casey Dumont stood tall in the Perth goal, coming off her line to force United off target in one instance before pulling off a superb save to deny Dehakiz on the volley.
Second Half
Western United continued to huff and puff and show all the endeavour in search of an equaliser and a route back into the game.
There were continued spells of possession for the visitors, balls in behind the Perth defence and into the box but the home defence was on hand to deny any opportunity.
It was just the final pass that was found wanting in the attacking third, leaving United frustrated as Perth continued to apply a physical approach to their defensive duties.
The task became a whole lot more difficult when Sardo was sent off for the denial of a goal-scoring opportunity with 20 minutes to play, though Western still kept on the front foot in the immediate aftermath of that situation.
Eventually it proved too much for United to resist as Perth scored two more – a second for Brown and a penalty by Susan Phonsongkham – to ice the result, leaving Western to reflect and look towards next week’s meeting with Canberra.
