Lady Reds fall to fifth straight defeat

Lady Reds fail to stop a rampaging Sydney FC at Burton Park

A depleted Sydney FC side has taken all three points at Burton Park after inflicting a demoralising 4-0 win over Adelaide United.

The Sky Blues were without four starters, with Kyah Simon, Alanna Kennedy, Caitlin Foord and Samantha Kerr all away with the Matilldas. However the visitors still managed to open up the Lady Reds on four occasions with goals to Rollason, Kete and a double to Logarzo.

Adelaide were missing a key cog in their defence with 16-year-old Emma Checker making her international bow for the Matildas in Thursday’s 4-0 win over Hong Kong. Checker’s absence looked the most obvious change to the Reds as their error-prone defence was continuously hounded by a high-pressure Sydney forward-line.

The Sky Blues were gifted a golden chance to take the lead in the fourth minute after an Ann Mayo foul on the edge of the box allowed Ellyse Perry to step up as Sydney’s dead-ball specialist. With a host of players away on international duty the responsibility fell on Perry who made no mistake, assisting the Blues’ opener. Perry’s lofted delivery from the right side split the Lady Reds’ centre-backs leaving Renee Rollason with the easy task of leaping and firing her header down into the back of the net.

Sydney extended their lead in the 10th minute after their forward pressure caused the Adelaide defence to cough up possession. The ball was fired out wide to #7 Nicola Bolger who angled a low strike at the far post. Lady Reds’ ‘keeper Kristi Harvey did admirably to palm away the strike however it fell perfectly for Emma Kete to tap-in and double their tally for the day.

The Reds were guilty of coughing up possession too easily as their opponents’ high-press and possession-style gameplan caused all sorts of headaches for the home team. Sydney should have extended their lead even further in the 29th minute as Natoli was caught in possession by Kete who charged in-on goal but the woodwork would deny her a brace in the sweltering Adelaide heat.

The Sky Blues inflicted more pain on the home crowd in the second half with a 58th minute goal from Chloe Logarzo ending any hopes of a Reds revival. Logarzo finished with aplomb as her long-range strike flew into the ‘keeper’s top-right corner after Sydney capitalised on another loose ball from the Reds.

Adelaide’s day went from bad to worse as they conceded their fourth goal of the match in incredulous circumstances. With Sydney’s attack breaking with pace, Logarzo managed to mis-time her strike and wrong-foot Harvey to score her second of the afternoon in the 77th minute.

The visitors forced wave after wave of attacks as the game headed into the final 10 minutes but couldn’t extend their lead any further. Head coach Alen Stajcic will be pleased with his side’s performance and result as his sparse squad picked up all three points on the road.

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Goals: Rollason 4’ (1-0), Kete 10’ (2-0), Logarzo 58‘ (3-0), Logarzo 77’ (4-0)

Adelaide Starting XI: Harvey (gk), Natoli, Erceg (c), Quigley, McLaughlin, Rajcic, Henry, Mayo, Waterhouse, Macri, Patterson

Subs: Wharepouri, Whorlow, Maggio, Johns


Sydney Starting XI: McLaren (gk), Polias (c), Ralston, Bolger, Rollason, Longo, Logarzo, Crummer, Perry, Kete, Billson

Subs: Harrison, Bromley, Khamis (gk), Ledbrook