Condon goal fires Reds to ALW upset over Mariners
Joanna Guelas |
Adelaide United have started the new year in style with an upset 1-0 win to snap Central Coast’s five-game undefeated A-League Women streak.
Emily Condon’s 47th-minute goal proved the difference at Coopers Stadium to condemn the reigning champions to defeat.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Melbourne City piled the misery on a Mackenzie Hawkesby-less Sydney FC with a 1-0 win thanks to Chinaza Uchendu’s 52nd-minute goal at City Football Academy.
After a 5-2 triumph over perennial strugglers Western Sydney on December 27, Adelaide sealed their first back-to-back wins of the season to rise to eighth (3-1-4) on the table.
Central Coast sit fourth (4-2-4) after suffering their first defeat following three wins and two draws.
The Reds broke the deadlock when Erin Healy – who scored two goals against the Wanderers – sent a laser kick from outside the box.
Irish international Healy was denied by Mariners goalkeeper Annalee Grove, but the deflected ball landed at the feet of Chelsea Dawber on the left wing.
Reds striker Dawber pounced on the crumbs to set up Condon in the box.
At the other end, Adelaide’s 17-year-old goalkeeper Ilona Melegh – in her second game – proved her mettle against the attacking power of Izzy Gomez and Peta Trimis to keep a clean sheet.
Meanwhile, Sydney FC languish second-last in 10th (2-3-3) after falling short of redemption as last year’s premiers City move to second (5-1-1).
The Sky Blues returned to action for the first time in a fortnight following their 7-0 drubbing at the hands of Wellington Phoenix in round eight – the club’s worst ALW defeat.
Sydney had missed out on playing last week as their match against Brisbane was postponed due to the pitch at Leichhardt Oval being deemed unsatisfactory.
A calf injury to star midfielder Hawkesby only added to coach Ante Juric’s woes.
But the Sky Blues had rallied desperately to deny the home side in the first half, despite trailing six shots to City’s 16 in the first 45 minutes.
The visitors almost drew first blood just before halftime, with Hana Lowry forcing a brilliant save from an airborne City goalkeeper Malena Mieres four minutes into added time.
City finally found reward for effort when Uchendu flaunted her strength against Sydney FC centre-back Willa Pearson to score, set up by a headed pass from rising Matildas star Holly McNamara.
It was former Nigerian international Uchendu’s first league goal after joining City this season from top-flight French club FC Nantes.
AAP
