Two stoppage-time goals from Isabel Hodgson and Veronica Latsko has inspired Adelaide United to a dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Newcastle Jets in Round 9 of the Westfield W-League 2018/19 season.
Fanndís Friðriksdóttir sensationally dragged the Reds level after half-time following Teigan Collister’s opener at McDonald Jones Stadium.
However, an own goal from Laura Johns on 85 minutes threatened to consign the Reds to a second loss of the campaign until Hodgson and Latsko scored at the death.
The result lifts Adelaide into second spot on the table and closer to a maiden finals appearance.
Ivan Karlović named an unchanged line-up for the match after their impressive 3-2 win over Melbourne Victory last time out.
It was a rather slow start by both teams with the hot conditions already having an influence, albeit the early morning kick-off time.
Adelaide bossed the corner count 7-0 by half-time but had little to show for their dominance.
The Reds fell behind in the 21st minute when Sarah Willacy raced off her line to intercept a pass down the right, but it was rash, as Collister was quicker to the ball and clinically finished her effort on an acute angle.
Adelaide immediately looked to get back on the front foot but failed to muster any clear opportunities.
Karlović turned to his bench at the break, bringing on Friðriksdóttir for Charlotte Grant.
The move paid dividends with Friðriksdóttir opening her account in emphatic fashion.
The Icelandic international isolated her opponent one-on-one before cutting inside on the left and unleashing a ferocious strike into the near-post top corner.
Heyman nearly scored to put Adelaide ahead had it not been for Libby Copus-Brown’s goal-line clearance.
But as Adelaide continued to control possession, the Jets again took the lead, this time against the run of play.
Laura Johns inadvertently headed a cross into her own net five minutes from time.
Though in keeping with this season’s theme, Adelaide fought until the end and scored two goals in stoppage time – a display of immense resilience.
Amber Brooks won the ball and drove forward before playing a long ball over the top which Latsko nodded on for Isabel Hodgson to restore parity. Indeed, the substitute had only been on the park for a matter of minutes.
She then turned provider as her cross enabled a simple back-post tap-in for Latsko, who found the back-of-the-net for the fourth consecutive match to bag the winner with her eighth goal of the year.
Key moments:
21’ | GOAL: Willacy charges out of her goal but Collister beats her to the ball and slides her finish past the ‘keeper on a tight angle.
27’ | Latsko and Heyman combine which ends in the American squaring her pass to the Matilda international but Simon makes a crucial intervention to stop a certain goal.
57’ | GOAL! Friðriksdóttir makes it 1-1 in style showing exquisite wing play to evade her opponent and rifle her shot past Britt Eckerstrom.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=5984654056001
85’ | GOAL: Johns heads into her own goal and past a helpless Willacy.
90’+2’ | GOAL! Latsko helps on Brooks’ long ball for Hodgson to run onto and finish.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=5984656455001
90’+4’ | GOAL! Hodgson then sets up Latsko for the winner when her cross from the right is calmly met by the American.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=5984656854001
Match details:
Monday, 31 December 2018
Westfield W-League 2018/19 – Round 9
Newcastle Jets 2 (Collister 21’ Johns 85’ OG)
Adelaide United 3 (Friðriksdóttir 57’ I. Hodgson 90’+2’ Latsko 90’+4’)
Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium
