W-League: Canberra too good for Adelaide United

Adelaide United has fallen to their second consecutive Westfield W-League defeat this afternoon at Adelaide Shores Football Complex, losing to Canberra United’s solitary goal.

Despite having most of the early possession and dominating the opening twenty minutes, the Lady Reds were eventually overrun by the reigning Premiers after striker Stephanie Ochs slotted the only goal from Michelle Heyman’s spectacular run and cross on 61 minutes.

Image Courtesy: FFA/Bryan Crawford

Heyman had gained possession after Ochs turned her way around two Adelaide midfielders to begin the run.

Earlier, the home side dominated proceedings with the strikers making a number of runs to meet long balls from their midfield.

British international Katie Holtham and Danish captain Katrine Pedersen fed the ball through to Adelaide’s three-pronged attack but were wasteful in the final third and rarely challenged Chantel Jones in Canberra’s goal.

Lisa-Marie Woods had Adelaide’s best chance when an audacious crack from 25 yards out was denied by the crossbar.

From there though, Canberra were able to dictate terms as Heyman starting making her mark with a number of shots forcing saves from the Lady Reds’ custodian Melissa Barbieri.

Heyman’s most promising run should have resulted in Canberra opening the scoring as she earned a penalty when downed in the box by defender Jenna McCormick.

Caitlin Munoz lined up to take the spot kick for Canberra but, after beating Barbieri, was denied by the woodwork leaving the two sides in a goalless deadlock at half-time.

The second half brought a much livelier Canberra and once Ochs opened the scoring they continued to pepper the Adelaide goal. Unfortunately for Leisbeth Migchelsen and her team, inaccuracy meant they weren’t able to extend the lead.

Adelaide defender Jenna McCormick rued her team’s missed chances, conceding that there is still work to do if the Lady Reds want to become a threat at the top of the table.

“In patches we looked to play aggressively and I we really played to our full potential. Step-by-step we are working together to put in the hard yards,” said McCormick.

“When we do perform well against half a team of Matildas, it’s a big confidence boost; we can take a lot of confidence out of the game.

“We are confident in our midfield stars [Holtham, Pedersen and captain Kristy Moore] so we have the ability to play through the centre,and not just hit long balls out of defence.”

Canberra coach Lisbeth Migchelsen said she was happy with her team’s performance but noted that their first-half performance wasn’t up to her usual high standards.

“We showed in the second half that we wanted to win the game but we should have had two goals in the first half,” Migchelsen said.

Canberra now sits on top of the Westfield W-League ladder on goal difference and will host Melbourne Victory next week.

Adelaide sit in seventh and will travel to Perth on Saturday.

Adelaide United 0
Canberra United 1 (Stephanie Ochs 61’)
Sunday 21 September 2014
Adelaide Shores Football Centre
Kick-off: 2.30pm

Referee: Katie Patterson

Adelaide United: Melissa Barbieri (gk), Lauren Steer, Jessie Wharepouri (Rachel Alonso 63’), Katrine Pedersen, Emily Condon (Alexandra Chidiac 75’), Lisa-Marie Woods, Isabel Hodgson, Jenna McCormick, Katie Holtham (Dylan Homes 69’), Tiarn Powell, Kristy Moore

Unused Substitutes: Sarah Willacy (gk)

Canberra United: Chantel Jones, Catherine Brown, Grace Field, Caitlin Munoz, Ellie Brush, Michelle Heyman, Nicole Begg (Grace Gill 80’), Ashleigh Sykes, Lori Lindsey (Grace Gill 50’), Rebecca Kiting, Stephanie Ochs (Holly Houston 92’)

Unused Substitutes: Melissa Maizels (gk), Julia De Angelis

Cautions: Michelle Heyman 66’, Lori Lindsey 93’