Perth Glory Women made the best possible start to the new A-League season on Saturday afternoon as Rola Badawiya’s first-half penalty secured a hard-fought 1-0 away victory over Newcastle Jets.
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The American striker coolly fired home from the spot 13 minutes in after Josie Allan had been penalised for handball and Glory subsequently showed great resolve and discipline to protect their lead.
Goalkeeper Alyssa Dall’Oste made an important one-on-one save late on and Tamar Levin struck the bar from a free-kick, but Stephen Peters’ side ultimately held firm to secure a third successive victory against the Jets having done the double over them last term.
With both teams taking a physical approach and pressing high and hard, clearcut chances were at something of a premium during a bruising first half.
Glory, however, showed a clinical edge to take their opportunity when it came.
Natasha Prior very nearly gifted the visitors a goal when she diverted a low Badawiya cross just wide of the post, with a superb long ball from Georgia Cassidy having sent the striker racing away down the right.
From the resulting corner, Allan was adjudged to have handled the ball in a packed box and Badawiya nervelessly picked out the bottom corner from the spot to claim her sixth goal for the club.
Stung by that setback, the Jets forced their way into the contest as the half wore on and created a couple of decent chances, Baxter Thew somehow managing to block a goalbound Libby Copus-Brown effort while lying on the ground, before Alexandra Klos sent a free-kick flashing just over the bar.
The Jets continued to throw bodies forward in search of an equaliser after the break, but it was actually Glory who went closest to scoring the game’s next goal, Badawiya sending an angled strike over the top and Maggie Jenkins just unable to get a meaningful touch on a teasing cross from fellow-substitute Maggie Jenkins.
And when Newcastle did eventually find a way through a Glory defence in which Thew and Sardo were standouts, Dall’Oste came to her side’s rescue, racing out to thwart the lively Levin as she bore down on goal.
Levin went close again in the final minute of normal time, striking the bar from a free-kick, but Dall’Oste looked to have it covered in any case and the women in white proceeded to navigate the final moments of the contest with relative ease.
Glory are on their travels again next weekend, this time taking on Adelaide United at Service FM Stadium on Saturday 24 October (kick-off at 2pm WST).
Match Details
Ninja A-League 2026/27 Season Round 1
Newcastle Jets 0 Perth Glory 1 (Badawiya (pen) 13′
Half-time: 0-1
Hunter City Motor Group Stadium
Saturday 17 October 2026
Referee: Caitlin Williams
Newcastle Jets: 1. Claire HENNINGER (GK), 4. Natasha PRIOR, 6. Cassidy DAVIS, 7. Akeisha SANDHU (27. Chloe WALANDOUW 61′), 8. Emma DUNDAS, 10. Libby COPUS-BROWN (32. Claire ADAMS 78′), 11. Allie THORNTON, 17. Alex KLOS, 19. Tamar LEVIN, 23. Zoe KARIPIDIS, 26. Josie ALLAN (20. Cameron VALLADARES 61′), 50. Ally BOERTJE
Substitutes not used: 12. Georgia RITCHIE (GK), 16.Mackenzie PRESTON-POOLE, 21.AAliyah KILROY, 22. Poppie HOOKS
Yellow Cards: Karipidis
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: 33.Alyssa DALL’OSTE (GK), 3.Ella BUCHANAN, 5.Baxter THEW, 6.Emma TOVAR, 8.Georgia CASSIDY (2.Mischa ANDERSON 88′), 10.Susan PHONSONGKHAM (C) (9.Maggie JENKINS 46′), 11.Ella ABDUL MASSIH (19.Clancy WESTAWAY 55′), 17.Rola BADAWIYA (7.Megan WYNNE 68′), 24.Julia SARDO, 25.Ella LINCOLN (12.Bronte TREW 68′), 29.Onyinyechi ZOGG
Substitutes not used: 18.Theodora MOUITHYS, 30.Daisy MCGREADIE-COLE (GK)
Yellow Cards: Cassidy, Phonsongkham
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
ALW Match Report: Glory off to a flier with Round One away win over Jets
