Western United’s six-game winning streak in the Liberty A-League Women came to an end on Saturday night with a 3-1 defeat to Sydney FC.
The home side got on top early and took the lead after 15 minutes before doubling it with 20 minutes to play.
United improved in the second half and when Catherine Zimmerman pulled a goal back with her first for the Club in the 77th minute, it seemed as if the comeback was on.
But the coveted equaliser eluded the Green and Black and Sydney clinched the win with a third in stoppage time, consigning United to a rare defeat.
Western United Team News
The headline team news for Western United saw Chloe Logarzo miss out with a hip injury, though Jaclyn Sawicki made her return from international duty to captain the side on the night.
Aimee Medwin and Emma Robers kept their positions in the starting line-up for consecutive weeks, while Zimmerman was once again on the bench.
First Half
Inspired by a quite raucous home crowd, Sydney FC brought the early intensity and wrestled the edge on the game’s early goings.
The opening 10 minutes were cagey but he hosts gradually gained more control in the game and the first goal of the game was not too long in coming.
Sydney were stretching United’s defence by utilising their pace with balls in behind, and that was how the goal came about.
Cortnee Vine slipped in Princess Ibini and although Kathrine Larsen came off her line to save that initial attempt, the Dane could do nothing about Abbey Lemon’s follow-up that rippled the net.
The Green and Black couldn’t get a foot on the ball and generate any sort of calm as Sydney pressed and harried and ran right at the teeth of United’s backline at any opportunity.
Grace Maher found herself in position to stop a number of through balls as, to United’s credit, Sydney didn’t really create a significant amount despite the territorial dominance.
The only other big chance of the first half came when Vine was played in down the right-hand side and hit a bouncing ball first time. To Larsen’s relief, the ball rebounded off the post and perfectly into her midriff.
Around that point, United began to work its way into the game as Sawicki and the Taranto twins found more of the ball and Kat Smith altered the shape into a back four.
That helped United cover the spaces on what is a large Leichhardt Oval pitch much more effectively and attacks began to spawn from that.
Keiwa Hieda was lively and Hannah Keane sought greater involvement, while Adriana Taranto very nearly pinched an equaliser out of nothing when she came inches away from stealing the ball of Jada Whyman’s toes in front of the goal.
The end of the first half gave Smith and her staff cause for optimism heading into half-time, though there remained plenty of work to do.
Second Half
Western United continued to build on that momentum and started the second half well but surrendered another big chance to Vine soon after the restart.
In a move eerily similar to her winner in the reverse fixture, Vine made a darting run inwards from the right wing to meet a cross-field pass but lifted her attempt over the crossbar.
Keane fired United’s first shot on target straight at Whyman and got on the end of a ball from Stacey Papadopoulos but couldn’t steer her effort goal-bound.
Smith continued to tinker and made a double change that inspired another upturn in United’s play as Avaani Prakash brought energy into midfield and Tyla Jay Vlajnic helped stabilise the defence.
In what was her second-longest cameo of the season, Prakash was everywhere for the Green and Black – getting on the ball between the lines, driving possession forward while also doing her fair share of defensive work.
For the remaining 30-and-a-bit minutes, Western United increased the pressure and there was a sense than an equaliser might not be too far away.
That then made it all the more painful when Vine doubled Sydney’s advantage with 20 minutes to play. The Sky Blues pounced on a turnover on the halfway line and exploited Vine’s pace as the winger cut inside and wrong-footed Larsen with a finish into the bottom corner.
The goal didn’t deter United’s industry, though, and the Green and Black quickly regathered and got on the board.
It was a crafty set-piece that made it as Maher made a dummy run before coming back to the ball to whip a wide free-kick into the box.
The centre-back placed the perfect amount of weight and bend on her inswinging delivery, and Zimmerman rose highest among the pack to lift the ball over Whyman and into the net.
Just a few minutes later it was another brilliantly designed set-piece that could’ve produced the leveller. Adriana Taranto picked out Alana Cerne running onto the ball at the back post, but the defender just didn’t time her jump and powered her header over the crossbar.
United kept working in the final 10 minutes and Keane forced a good save from Whyman when she hit a crisp half-volley from long-range, forcing a safe pair of hands from the Syndey goalkeeper.
That would ultimately be the Green and Black’s final chance at taking a point form the game as Vine scored her second on the break in added time, clinching the three points for the home team.
