Western United put on a show in Newcastle on Sunday, defeating the Jets 6-0 in an outstanding display in the Liberty A-League Women on Sunday afternoon.
Kahli Johnson and Tyla Jay Vlajnic both scored twice in the first half, the forming finding scoring her first ever goals in the Liberty A-League.
Danielle Steer applied the fifth after coming on at half-time and Hannah Keane rounded out the scoring to secure a memorable result for the Green and Black.
Team News
Western United made three changes from the team that defeated Melbourne City two weeks ago with Julia Sardo, Melissa Taranto and Johnson all coming back into the starting XI.
Head Coach Mark Torcaso did not travel with the team due to a calf injury, so Helen Winterburn led the side on the touchline.
First Half
Newcastle brought early impetus early on in the game and United needed a mixture of Hillary Beall and Sydney Cummings to clear the danger.
United was then able to capitalise when given the chance moments later and it began with a smart bit of play from Angie Beard.
The left-back played a quick free-kick which opened up Newcastle’s defence as Vlajnic found Keane who put the ball on a plate for Johnson to tap home her first ever Liberty A-League goal.
United settled into the game after opening the scoring and began searching for a second with a number of direct balls in behind looking to stretch the opposition’s backline.
Once such ball put Newcastle under pressure in transition and forced a late challenge from Emily Garnier. The Jets defender had already been booked minutes earlier but was shown a straight red card for denial of a goalscoring opportunity.
Johnson was terrorising Newcastle in the wide areas and scored a sumptuous second just after the half hour mark, capping off a brilliant solo run with a unerring finish into the roof of the net.
United’s No.10 went on another mazy run minutes later and although her shot was tipped over the crossbar, she played a big part in another goal for the team as Vlajnic whipped her corner all the way into the net via the fists of the goalkeeper.
A blitz from the visitors saw three goals go in over a 10-minute spell as Vlajnic struck again, this time with a thunderbolt on her left-foot from just outside the penalty area to put United in a commanding position at the break.
Second Half
The Jets sought a route back into the match early in the second half and had a big chance when Beall was beaten outside of her box but Angie Beard arrived on the goal line to clear away the goal-bound effort.
Johnson continued to cause the hosts nightmares and came close to a hat-trick on a couple of occasions, but it was a half-time substitute on the opposite wing that found the next goal as Steer prodded home at the back post from Beard’s outstanding delivery.
On a hot afternoon in Newcastle, United remained on the front foot but began to manage the remainder of the contest with the heavy margin in hand.
Keane was unlucky on a couple of occasions to not find one get her name on the scoresheet but wasn’t to be denied an 11th goal of the campaign, finding the top corner in the 78th minute after Adriana Taranto found her with a short free-kick.
The sixth rounded out the scoring and meant United would secure its biggest win in the Liberty A-League to date, keeping momentum at the top of the table ahead of a huge meeting with Sydney FC next weekend.
