Glory made the perfect start to their 2025/26 Ninja A-League campaign on Friday evening as goals from American strike duo Gabby Hollar (2) and Rola Badawiya (1) eased Stephen Peters’ side to a well-deserved 3-1 away win over Western Sydney Wanderers.
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Severe lightning strikes delayed kick-off at Wanderers Football Park by more than an hour, but did nothing to distract the visitors who started brightly and were the better side throughout the contest.
They earned their first reward just shy of the half-hour mark when Grace Johnston’s corner was spilled by home ‘keeper Brianna Edwards and Hollar lashed home the loose ball from point-blank range.
Johnston then claimed her second assist of the game two minutes after the restart, this time her cross from the left being cleverly diverted into the net first-time by Badawiya.
And Badawiya, on debut, had a hand in Glory’s third, standing up a fine cross for Hollar who headed powerfully past Edwards after Ella Buchanan’s effort had briefly brought Wanderers back into it.
It had seemed that the Round One fixture might have to be called off as a fierce electrical storm raged around Sydney’s western suburbs, but eventually the weather abated and the game got off to a cagey start.
Indeed neither side had mustered a serious effort on target before Hollar struck, reacting quickest in a crowded box and gleefully lashing into the roof of the net to claim her fourth goal for the club.
The remainder of the first half was largely uneventful, but the game exploded into life early in the second.
Johnston, who was one of Glory’s most dangerous attacking outlets on the night, scampered away down the left, whipped in a low cross and Badawiya’s deft touch eased the ball into the far corner.
The response from the home side was instantaneous, Buchanan halving the arrears after the Glory defence had been unable to clear a corner.
But the women in purple immediately hit back to make it 3-1, this time Badawiya exploiting some space in the left channel and picking out Hollar who nodded in.
Although debutant ”keeper Alyssa Dall’Oste was subsequently forced to tip over a strike from Alana Cerne, Glory never looked like relinquishing their advantage in the latter stages and duly locked in a very welcome first win on the road since December 2023.
Match Details
Ninja A-League 2025/26 Season Round 1
Western Sydney Wanderers 1 (Buchanan 51′) Perth Glory 3 (Hollar 29′, 52′, Badawiya 47′)
Half-time: 0-1
Wanderers Football Park
Friday 31 October 2025
Referee: Isabella Mossin
Western Sydney Wanderers: 12. Brianna EDWARDS (gk), 4. Poppie HOOKS, 6. Amy CHESSARI (16. Anika STAJCIC 85′), 7. Amy HARRISON, 11. Danika MATOS, 14. Ella BUCHANAN (13.Alvina KOSHABA 75′), 17. Allyssa NG-SAAD, 19. Talia YOUNIS (8. Olivia PRICE 62′), 22. Alana CERNE, 25. Holly CASPERS (24. Nikkita FAZZARI 62′), 37. Ena HARADA
Substitutes not used: 5. Milly BENNETT, 18. Aimee HALL (gk),
Yellow Cards: Fazzari
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: 33.Alyssa DALL’OSTE (gk), 3.Emma TOVAR (27.Charli WAINWRIGHT 75′), 5.Grace JOHNSTON, 6.Tijan MCKENNA, 9.Gabby HOLLAR (19.Sarah O’DONOGHUE 57′), 10.Susan PHONSONGKHAM (12.Bronte TREW 57′), 13.Naomi CHINNAMA, 17.Rola BADAWIYA (25.Ella LINCOLN 90+4′), 23.Isobel DALTON (c), 24.Julia SARDO (2.Mischa ANDERSON 90+2′), 29.Onyinyechi ZOGG
Substitutes not used: 21.Meg PHILLIPS (gk)
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
ALW Match Wrap: Glory make perfect start with superb away win over Wanderers
