Canberra stage comeback to secure ALW draw

Alex Mitchell | December 23, 2021

Canberra United have risen from the dead to earn a point in an enthralling A-League Women’s encounter.

Down 3-1 to the Brisbane Roar after 85 minutes, United struck twice through Grace Maher and Holly Caspers to take a dramatic 3-3 draw at Viking Park.

The game looked well and truly over for Canberra until Maher blasted home a free kick from more than 25 yards out on 86 minutes.

And she almost repeated the trick from even further out minutes later which drew a desperate save.

But chaos ensued in injury time as a hopeful ball was placed home by Caspers, completing the comeback.

Earlier, United debutant Allira Toby showed why she’ll be a crucial cog in Canberra’s attacking machine this season in a 10-minute sequence of delightful attacking take-ons and delicate passes.

She created Michelle Heyman’s 10th-minute opener, cutting inside from her left wing and delivering an inch-perfect pass for the captain to sweep home.

But while the Roar trailed early, they took over as the first half progressed although a large slice of luck helped their 23rd-minute opener.

In what could only be described as a calamity, a back pass from United’s Karly Roestbakken bobbled as goalkeeper Keeley Richards went to kick the ball, resulting in an air swing and an own goal.

But the second took far more class as an intricate one-two between Anna Margraf and Larissa Crummer resulted in a shot that spilled from Richards to Shea Connors, who prodded it home from two yards.

Having helped create that goal, Margraf found her own in the second half, giving the ball a whack from outside the box before a deflection ensured it snuck in at the back post.

The chances kept flowing as Connors and Crummer each missed one-on-one opportunities to run up the score.

Both sides now have one point for the ALW season.