Brisbane Roar opened their 2024/25 Ninja A-League campaign with a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Canberra United at McKellar Park on Saturday afternoon.
Six new recruits made their Brisbane Roar A-League debut with Olivia Sekany, Leia Varley, Momo Hayashi, and Evdokia Popadinova in the starting eleven while Emily Pringle and Isabela Hoyos were substituted into the match.
The hosts opened the scoring in the 15th minute with Maja Markovski pouncing on a deflection off Roar goalkeeper Olivia Sekany.
Canberra United extended their lead when Mary Stanic-Floody launched a rocket into goal to make it 2-0.
Brisbane responded in the second half at the 50th minute mark with Evdokia Popadinova scoring her first goal in Roar colours.
Maja Markovski scored her second of the afternoon just moments later, to cement the 3-1 lead.
In the 89th minute, Deborah-Anne de la Harpe slots a free kick past the wall of Canberra defence into goal.
Roar play their first home match of the season next Saturday afternoon at Perry Park against Sydney FC and will be looking for three points back in front of the home crowd.
MATCH DETAILS
Ninja A-League Women Round 1
Canberra United FC v Brisbane Roar FC
McKellar Park, Canberra
Saturday 2 November 2024, 3:00pm AEST KO
Canberra United FC – 3 (MARKOVSKI 15’, STANIC-FLOODY 30’, MARKOVSKI 56’)
Brisbane Roar – 2 (POPADINOVA 50’, DE LA HARPE 89’)
Brisbane Roar Round 1 Ninja A-League Squad:
1. Keeley RICHARDS, 2. Leia VARLEY, 3. Deborah-Anne DE LA HARPE 6. Holly MCQUEEN, 7. Momo HAYASHI, 8. Mariel HECHER, 9. Danelle TAN, 10. Grace KUILAMU, 11. Sharn FREIER, 12. Tamar LEVIN, 13. Tameka YALLOP, 14. Zara KRUGER, 16. Chelsea BLISSETT, 17. Evdokia POPADINOVA, 18. Emily PRINGLE, 23. Isabela HOYOS, 32. Alicia WOODS, 33. Olivia SEKANY
Unused substitutes: 99. Emma GIBBON (GK)
