Emily Gielnik and Olivia Chance both scored spectacular first-half goals as Glory were downed 4-0 by high-flying Brisbane Roar at Lions Stadium on Sunday.
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Chance’s stunning strike and Gielnik’s long-range lob had Roar two up at the break and the latter added her second and the hosts’ third early in the second-half with an emphatic finish.
Substitute Larissa Crummer then iced the cake for Roar late on with a close-range finish as they extended their winning streak to five games.
Backing up from Thursday’s narrow defeat against Western Sydney, the women in purple enjoyed plenty of possession and created a number of decent chances of their own throughout a lively contest.
And although unbeaten Roar’s clinical edge in front of goal ultimately proved the difference between the two sides, Glory Head Coach Alex Epakis was still quick to praise the character shown by his young squad.
“Full credit to Brisbane, ” he said.
“They were a class above today and I think you could see what experienced players can bring to a squad.
“But in terms of my girls, I’m so proud.
“Up until the 93rd minute they were still going for it.
“It’s been a quick turnaround; two games in four days after only playing three in three months has been a bit of a shock to the system, but we’re building some resilience.
“I’m excited to see what we can do and what we can learn from this and hopefully we can continue to grow as a squad.”
On a sticky evening in Queensland, Lily Alfeld was the first of the ‘keepers to be called into action as she kept out two angled strikes from Gielnik in the space of a minute.
Glory’s response was a teasing cross-shot from Taneesha Baker which flashed just wide of the far post and with Lexie Moreno and Hana Lowry combining to good effect in the final third, the signs for the visitors looked promising at that stage.
And yet it was Roar who drew first blood in the 23rd minute with what will surely be a contender for W-League Goal of the Season.
The Glory defence looked to have diffused a Roar attack, but when the ball was cleared to the edge of the box, Chance unleashed an unstoppable strike which arrowed its way into the top corner.
1-0 then became 2-0 in short order courtesy of Gielnik whose audacious effort from just inside the Glory half sailed over the stranded Alfeld and into the net.
Roar came close to extending their lead late in the second half, Winonah Heatley’s deep cross striking the bar and Alfeld then producing a reflex save to deny Gielnik at point-blank range.
The experienced Matildas forward was not to be denied five minutes after the restart, however, capping a surging down the left channel by rifling a fierce shot into the far corner.
Malia Steinmetz did her best to force the visitors back into the contest on the hour-mark, her header from a Deborah-Anne De La Harpe corner flashing centimetres over the bar and Caitlin Doeglas followed suit, twice going close as the game moved into its final quarter.
Head Coach Alex Epakis emptied his bench in the latter stages, but his charges were unable to claim the consolation goal that their endeavours arguably deserved and instead it was Roar who had the final word as Crummer came off the bench to sidefoot home a fine cross from fellow-substitute Kaitlyn Torpey.
Brisbane Roar 4 (Chance23′, Gielnik 27′, 50′, Crummer 87′) Perth Glory 0
Half-time: 2-0
Lions Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Kelly Jones
Brisbane Roar: 21.Morgan AQUINO (gk), 4.Clare POLKINGHORNE (c), 6.Winonah HEATLEY, 7.Kim CARROLL, 8.Mariel HECHER, 13.Tameka YALLOP, 14.Leticia MCKENNA (12.Larissa CRUMMER 71′), 15.Emily GIELNIK (2.Kaitlyn TORPEY 80′), 16.Jamilla RANKIN (11.Sharn FREIER 77′), 23.Isobel DALTON, 25.Olivia CHANCE (19.Rebekah HORSEY 71′)
Substitutes not used: 1.Georgina WORTH (gk
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: 1.Lily ALFELD (gk), 2.Sarah CARROLL, 4.Natasha RIGBY (c), 5.Deborah-Anne DE LA HARPE (16.Isabella WALLHEAD 66′), 7.Elizabeth ANTON, 8.Hana LOWRY (12.Sarah MORGAN 73′), 9.Malia STEINMETZ, 10.Alexia MORENO (11.Patricia CHARALAMBOUS 73′), 14.Caitlin DOEGLAS, 17.Marianna TABAIN (6.Tijan MCKENNA 66′), 18.Taneesha BAKER
Substitutes not used: 20.Rebecca BENNETT (gk)
Yellow Cards: Tabain
Red Cards: None
#OneGlory
