ALW Match Wrap: Glory Finals challenge still very much alive after home draw with Mariners

The tale of Glory’s bid for Ninja A-League Finals football took another twist on Saturday afternoon as they fought out a tense 0-0 home draw with fellow-top-six hopefuls Central Coast Mariners.

Click HERE for full match video highlights.

Click HERE for Izzy Dalton’s post-match interview.

Stephen Peters’ side were nudged out of the top six by Brisbane Roar on Friday evening and knew that a victory was required at Sam Kerr Football Centre to climb their way back in.

But they were forced to settle for a point in a what proved to be a cagey contest played out in challengingly hot conditions.

There was little goalmouth incident to note in the opening 20 minutes before former Glory forward Mille Farrow was unable to nudge home from close-range and at the other end, Rola Badawiya fired narrowly wide moments later.

Both goalkeepers were finally called into action during the final ten minutes of the opening period, Glory’s Teresa Morrissey blocking a long-range strike from Tamar Levin and Annalee Grove responding in kind to keep out an Izzy Dalton free-kick.

The game did open up somewhat after the break, with the Mariners looking particularly threatening from set-pieces.

Defender Elizabeth Barwick-Grey nodded wastefully over the bar from a Levin corner and Levin herself then stuck the crossbar after another of her corners had prompted a wild and prolonged goalmouth scramble.

Glory’s best chance, meanwhile, arrived five minutes from time when Dalton delivered a low ball into the box for Sarah O’Donoghue, but the substitute’s shot was deflected wide by a cluster of Central Coast defenders as they lunged in.

The result leaves the women in purple sitting in seventh place ahead of the weekend’s remaining games, but a first ALW Finals appearance since 2019 remains very much on the cards should they manage to down Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory in their remaining two games of the regular season.

Match Details

Ninja A-League 2025/26 Season Round 21

Perth Glory 0 Central Coast Mariners 0

Half-time: 0-0

Sam Kerr Football Centre

Saturday 21 March 2026

Referee: Sophie Allum

Attendance: 793

Perth Glory: 1.Teresa MORRISSEY (gk), 2.Mischa ANDERSON, 3.Emma TOVAR, 5.Grace JOHNSTON, 6.Tijan MCKENNA, 8.Georgia CASSIDY (19.Sarah O’DONOGHUE 64′), 9.Gabby HOLLAR (27.Charli WAINWRIGHT 64′), 16.Olivia WOOD (20.Ella ABDUL MASSIH 76′), 17.Rola BADAWIYA (7.Megan WYNNE 76′), 23.Isobel DALTON (c), 25.Ella LINCOLN (28.Clancy WESTAWAY 88′)

Substitutes not used: 30.Jessica SKINNER (gk)

Yellow Cards: Anderson

Red Cards: None

Central Coast Mariners: 15. Annalee GROVE (gk), 3.Elizabeth BARWICK-GREY, 4. Baxter THEW, 6. Isabel GOMEZ, 7. Avaani PRAKASH, 9. Millie FARROW (21.Eliza FAMILTON 69′), 10. Tamar LEVIN (17. Jynaya DOS SANTOS 89′), 13. Kaiya BUCHANAN, 14. Greta KRASZULA, 22. Peta TRIMIS (12.Tiana FULLER 69′), 23. Lorena BAUMANN

Substitutes not used: 16. Tess QUILLIGAN, 19.Jaya BOWMAN, 30. Sophia VARLEY (gk)

Yellow Cards: Kraszula, Baumann

Red Cards: None

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