Canberra United put in an almost flawless performance to down Brisbane Roar 3-0 at AJ Kelly Field on Saturday afternoon, in what was the home side’s heaviest ever Westfield W-League defeat.
Canberra United put in an almost flawless performance to down Brisbane Roar 3-0 at AJ Kelly Field on Saturday afternoon, in what was the home side’s heaviest ever Westfield W-League defeat.
Lori Lindsey scored after seven minutes before a brace from powerful forward Michelle Heyman put the result beyond doubt.
Canberra’s defence was particularly impressive throughout the match, with the usually fluid Brisbane struggling to find the time and space to implement their passing game.
The first real chance of the game resulted in a goal for Canberra, as Ashleigh Sykes burst down the right before centering to Heyman, who hit the post from right in front.
Fortunately for the visitors, Lindsey was racing into the box and buried the rebound to give her side the early lead.
A minute later, the Roar’s Katrina Gorry almost hit back, forcing a save from Lydia Williams with a long-range drive.
Tameka Butt had a pair of opportunities to even up the scores, but was unable to hit the target on either occasion after good lead up work by Gorry.
Canberra’s American import Stephanie Ochs galloped down the left after 25 minutes, then stepped inside her marker and fired at goal, but her shot flew just wide.
Heyman’s goal came after 37 minutes when the Roar’s star German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer raced out of the box to intercept a through pass, only to have the Canberra player beat her to the ball before angling right and chipping the ball into a vacant net from a tight angle.
A Butt cross/shot eluded Williams and clattered against the far post, and Brisbane were not able to convert the rebound.
In the dying stages of the first half, a Claire Polkinghorne long ball found Butt lurking at the far post, but the speedster once again failed to find the net.
Shortly after the break, Heyman again left the Roar defence in her wake to charge through the centre and finish under Angerer, giving Canberra a formidable 3-0 lead.
The German shot-stopper made a superb save moments later when Heyman drilled a powerful shot at goal after controlling the ball with her shoulder.
Chances were few and far between for the remainder of the second half as Canberra’s rigid defence shut up shop against a frustrated Roar outfit.
Brisbane Roar 0
Canberra United 3 (Lindsey 8, Heyman 38, 49)
Brisbane 1. Nadine Angerer (GK), 2. Laura Alleway, 3. Amy Chapman, 4. Clare Polkinghorne, 7. Kim Carroll, 8. Elise Kellond-Knight, 10. Katrina-Lee Gorry (19. Ayesha Kirby 60), 11. Vedrana Popovic, 12. Erika Elze (5. Brooke Spence 66), 13. Tameka Butt, 16. Hayley Raso (9. Larissa Crummer 55)
Canberra 1. Lydia Williams (GK), 2. Catherine Brown, 4. Kendall Fletcher, 7. Ellie Brush, 9. Grace Gill (6. Caitlin Munoz 70), 11. Michelle Heyman, 12. Sally Rojahn, 13. Nicole Sykes, 14. Ashleigh Sykes (8. Meg McLaughlin 57), 16. Lori Lindsey (19. Jennifer Bisset 88), 22. Stephanie Ochs
