Canberra outclass the Lady Reds in Season Opener

Canberra United has gotten off to the perfect start to the 2011 W-League season with a dominant 4-1 victory over Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium.

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Caitlin Munoz and Michelle Heyman each scored a double for United while Racheal Quigley scored Adelaide’s only goal.

Canberra made the best possible start to the game with Michelle Heyman slicing her way through Adelaide’s defence inside the second minute of the match.

Heyman was played through into a one-on-one with Reds’ goalkeeper Kristi Harvey and calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net.

Canberra began to assert their dominance on the game with slick passing moves but couldn’t capitalise on their possession, with Adelaide having to make do creating chances on the counter.

The Lady Reds were forced to make a goal-line clearance in the 11th minute, Kiwi international Abby Erceg rushing to save the ball and boot it off the line to keep the game at 1-0.

Taryn Hemmings came close to doubling Canberra’s lead in the 19th minute after cutting a swathe through Adelaide’s defence before the ball was crucially cleared for a corner.

Canberra were making the most of their possession, passing the ball around and forcing Adelaide into desperate defence to keep the score-line respectable.

The Lady Reds were clearly missing their talismanic striker Ashleigh Gunning and the Lady Reds often looked undermanned in attack.

Adelaide managed to pull a goal back against the run of play in the 36th minute when Canberra’s throw-in dribbled under Grace Gill’s foot, straight to Marijana Rajcic.

Racjic held off Gill before cutting it back to Quigley whose looped shot found its way into the back of the net.

Adelaide were lucky to keep it at 1-1 in the first half as Heyman used her pace down the wing to speed past United’s defence before squaring it to Munoz who blasted it over the crossbar.

In the second half Canberra soon re-established control of the game with their slick passing game opening the Reds’ defence on a number of occasions.

Harvey made a key save in the 52nd minute after Canberra’s chip through-ball was controlled expertly by Heyman, however her shot failed to beat the Adelaide stopper.

Adelaide were facing immense pressure but almost managed to sneak a goal when Rajcic nodded a throw-in down into the path of Grace Henry.

Canberra’s pressure eventually paid off in the 61st minute when Munoz capitalised on Sally Shipard’s defence-splitting ball.

The ball fell perfectly to Munoz who looped it over the helpless Harvey.

Adelaide’s best chance of the second half came in the 66th minute when substitute Greta French-Kennedy skilfully worked her way past two defenders before playing a one-two and hammering into the crossbar.

United made it 3-1 in the 70th minute, Munoz scoring again after being fed a ball into the box by Nicole Sykes.

Munoz’s strike deflected off both the goalkeeper and the post before spinning into the net.

Michelle Heyman produced the highlight of the match in the 82nd minute, working the ball onto her left boot and with plenty of space and carefully curling it into the corner of the goal from 25 yards.