Brisbane Roar suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Newcastle Jets in Liberty A-League Unite Round action at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday night.
A stunning Mia Corbin strike wasn’t enough as the Jets took the points via Sarina Bolden and Melina Barbieri goals against a Roar side who finished with ten players following Holly McQueen’s second half dismissal.
Neither side could break the deadlock in the first half with some strong Isobel Nino saves denying Kijah Stephenson and Tameka Yallop, while Barbieri came closest to opening the scoring when she rattled the crossbar with an effort from distance.
The match was turned on it’s head in the 60th minute when Holly McQueen was controversially shown a straight red card for a foul on Lorena Baumann.
The Jets took advantage three minutes later when Bolden latched onto Cassidy Davis’ backheeled pass and poked home the opening goal of the net.
Roar responded immediately through Corbin, who slammed an effort into the top corner from the top of the box after being played in by Yallop for what was her sixth goal of the 2023/24 Liberty A-League season.
Yallop’s assist was the highlight of her 150th A-League match, the Matildas midfielder is the club’s second highest ALW appearance holder behind Clare Polkinghorne and the club’s highest ALW goal scorer with 56 strikes to her name.
Jets then found what proved to be the matchwinner in the 77th minute when a deflected Barbieri corner looped into the back of the net.
Saturday’s 2-1 defeat leaves Roar in tenth position 12 rounds in the 2023/24 Liberty A-League season.
Next up for Alex Smith’s side is a trip West to face Perth Glory at Macedonia Park next Saturday night (9:30pm AEST KO).
MATCH DETAILS
Liberty A-League Women 2023/24 – Unite Round: Brisbane Roar v Newcastle Jets
Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
Saturday, 13 January
Brisbane Roar – 1 (Mia CORBIN 65’)
Newcastle Jets – 2 (Sarina BOLDEN 63’, Melinda BARBIERI 77’)
