Western Sydney Wanderers have maintained their charge for a Westfield W-League finals berth with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Adelaide United.
Western Sydney Wanderers have maintained their charge for a Westfield W-League finals berth with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Adelaide United at Campbelltown Stadium.
It was a record winning margin for the league’s newest club and a far cry from the opening round when Adelaide United claimed a last-gasp 4-3 over the Wanderers, for what was their only victory of the season.
The Wanderers dominated from the outset as Louise Fors and Sarah Walsh scored inside the opening 10 minutes, with Servet Uzunlar adding to the tally just before half-time, while Fors rounded out the scoring midway through the second period.
With the Wanderers seeking to bounce back from their heavy 3-0 defeat in Perth last week, Fors ensured the home side got off to the best possible start slotting home a quickly taken free-kick as United were setting up their defensive wall on six minutes.
Wanderers skipper Walsh doubled the advantage within two minutes, heading home at the far post from a well-flighted Samantha Spackman cross.
Impressive Swede Fors and midfield colleague Vanessa Hart dominated the centre of the park and it was little surprise that Wanderers extended their lead further before the break. Matildas star Uzunlar letting fly from close to 30 metres with United goalkeeper Kristi Harvey left with little chance.
Adelaide, to their credit, commenced the second half with renewed vigour and powerfully built striker Marijana Rajcic, having only entered the fray at half-time, headed wide of the near post as the visitors narrowly failed to get back into the contest.
Fors then bagged a deserved second, and the Wanderers’ fourth, latching onto a loose ball in the penalty area ahead of a ponderous United defence, following superb work down the flank from Catherine Canulli.
With the match over as a contest, the tempo dropped and Adelaide’s Rajcic enjoyed two sights of goal in quick succession but there was to be no consolation for the visitors. A smart save from Thora Helgadottir snuffed out the first chance, with Rajcic clipping the far post with her second effort from an acute angle.
Canulli came within inches of concluding the match in perfect fashion with her sweet strike rocking the crossbar for what proved the last kick of the match.
Western Sydney Wanderers 4 (Louise Fors 6’/67′, Sarah Walsh 8′, Servet Uzunlar 40′)
Adelaide United 0
Western Sydney Wanderers: 20. Thora HELGADOTTIR (gk), 2. Samantha SPACKMAN, 3. Alexandra HUYNH, 4. Alesha CLIFFORD (12. Jessica SEAMAN 74′), 5. Olivia KENNEDY, 8. Vanessa HART, 9. Sarah WALSH (c) (16. Linda O’NEILL 82′), 10. Servet UZUNLAR, 11. Louise FORS (14. Trudy CAMILLERI 68′), 13. Catherine CANNULI, 15. Teigen ALLEN
Adelaide United: 1. Kristi HARVEY (gk), 3. Alex NATOLI, 5. Abby ERCEG (c), 8. Sarah McLAUGHLIN, 10. Jenna McCORMICK (9. Marijana RAJCIC h/t), 11. Grace HENRY (12. Elise WHORLOW 80′), 13. Ann MAYO, 15. Emma CHECKER, 16. Jess WATERHOUSE, 17. Laura JOHNS (7. Racheal QUIGLEY h/t), 19. Holly PATTERSON
