Late goals from Lexi Moreno and Caitlin Doeglas secured a 2-0 victory for Glory’s Westfield W-League side in their Bankwest Women’s Challenge Cup clash with the WA State Team at Forrestfield.
A bumper crowd of over 800 braved chilly conditions at Hartfield Park and were rewarded with an entertaining, free-flowing contest which was ultimately decided by two well-taken goals in the final four minutes of the second half.
Substitute Moreno fired home a stunning strike from 30 yards out to give Bobby Despotovski’s side the lead, although a mix-up in shirt numbering meant that the goal was initially credited to Abbey Meakins.
And moments later, Doeglas cut in from the left before calmly applying a near-post finish.
Glory had begun the game brightly, dominating possession for long periods with Shawn Billam, Shannon May and Marianna Tabain very much to the fore.
It was Tabain who sent Doeglas in on goal after 14 minutes, only for ex-Glory ‘keeper Morgan Aquino to produce a fine save to keep her at bay and Billam then went close with a fizzing, angled effort that flew narrowly over the bar.
Despite being on the back foot for much of the opening period, however, the State Team managed to create several decent chances, with ex-Glory midfielder Elisa D’Ovidio just failing to hit the target from 15 yards and a header from the lively Ellie La Monte drawing a regulation save from Melissa Maizels.
Three minutes into the second half, Demi Vance rattled the Glory crossbar with a long-ranger, while at the other end, Aquino was forced into a spectacular save to keep out Billam’s shot from just outside the box.
Doeglas really should have put the visitors in front on the hour-mark after latching on to an under-hit backpass and rounding Aquino, but Cheyenne Wise-Jarvis somehow managed to head the Glory striker’s shot off the line with the goal gaping.
The W-League side were not to be denied for long, however, as Moreno broke the deadlock in spectacular style and Doeglas then made amends for her earlier miss by sealing the win with a composed finish.
Match Details
Bankwest Women’s Challenge Cup
WA State Team 0 Perth Glory 2 (Moreno 76’, Doeglas 77’)
Half time: 0-0
Referee: Kate Jacewicz
WA State Team: Morgan Aquino, Katarina Jukic, Stephanie Simmonds, Jamie-Lee Gale, Ellie La Monte, Demi Vance, Isabella Foletta, Elisa D’Ovidio, Rebecca Bennett, Kathryn Schubert, Emily Dunn
Substitutes: Larissa Walsh, Cheyenne Wise-Jarvis, Tia Stonehill, Sadie Lawrence, Nicole Campbell, Liana Cook, Jessi Valenti, Maya Diederichsen
Perth Glory: Melissa Maizels, Sarah Carroll, Kim Carroll, Danielle Brogan (Patricia Charalambous 38’), Natasha Rigby, Shannon May, Shawn Billam, Jaymee Gibbons (Lexi Moreno 62’), Nicola Bolger (Abby Meakins 70’), Marianna Tabain (Roisin O’Connelly 70’), Caitlin Doeglas
Substitute not used: Gabby Dal Busco
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