Goals from Natasha Rigby, Grace Jale and Sofia Sakalis helped Glory make history on Saturday as Alex Epakis’ side downed Canberra United 3-2 to secure the club’s first ever win in the nation’s capital.
View full match highlights HERE.
View Alex Epakis’ post-match media conference HERE.
13 previous visits over the course of 15 years had failed to yield maximum points, but the early-season table-toppers oozed confidence throughout a thrilling contest and were good value for their victory.
Rigby headed just her second ever Glory goal to give the visitors an early lead, only for Cannon Clough to reply in similar style to level things up almost immediately.
Jale duly restored Glory’s lead with her second goal of the campaign, but United again hit back swiftly, this time via a penalty from Vesna Milivojevic.
Once Sakalis restored her side’s lead from the penalty spot early in the second half, however, the result was rarely in doubt.
On an overcast and cloudy afternoon at McKellar Park, Glory began brightly and deservedly hit the front when Georgia Cassidy’s corner reached Rigby at the far post and her header found the net despite the best efforts of United ‘keeper Chloe Lincoln.
Within four minutes, however, the hosts responded in kind as Cannon’s header found the net to make it 1-1.
As the chances continued to flow at either end, Glory found themselves back in front shortly before the break when the tireless Millie Farrow slipped the ball into Jale’s path and she calmly slid home against her former club.
Claudia Mihocic’s trip on Rojas then gave Milivojevic the opportunity to level for United from the spot in first-half stoppage-time, which she duly took, but it was the next penalty which was to prove decisive.
Six minutes into the second half, Sakalis stepped up to beat Lincoln having been brought down in the box by Alex McKenzie and from there, Glory never looked back.
Canberra substitute Deven Jackson did clip the top of the crossbar with a looping effort late on, but by and large, the women in green were kept at arm’s length as Glory powered to a third win in as many games to cement their position at the top of the early-season table.
Match Details
Liberty A-League 2023/24 Season Round 3
Canberra United 2 (Clough 16′, Milivojevic (pen) 45′) Perth Glory 3 (Rigby 12′. Jale 39′, Sakalis (pen) 51′)
Half-time: 2-2
McKellar Park
Saturday 4 November 2023
Referee: Isabella Libri
Canberra United: 1. Chloe LINCOLN (GK), 2. Alex MCKENZIE, 5. Emma ILIJOSKI, 7. Maria ROJAS (9. Ruby NATHAN 83′), 8. Sasha GROVE, 10. Mary STANIC-FLOODY (4. Holly MURRAY 83′), 17. Vesna MILIVOJEVIC, 19. Nickoletta FLANNERY (11. Deven JACKSON 87′), 22. Cannon CLOUGH, 23. Michelle HEYMAN, 28. Tegan BERTOLISSIO (13. Sofia CHRISTOPHERSON 77′)
Substitutes not used: 18. Coco MAJSTOROVIC (GK)
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: 1.Morgan AQUINO (GK), 3.Jessika COWART, 4.Natasha RIGBY (c), 8.Hana LOWRY, 9.Millie FARROW (14.Tia STONEHILL 73′) 10.Susan PHONSONGKHAM (13.Sarah CAIN 83′), 11.Grace JALE, 12.Sofia SAKALIS (23.Isobel DALTON 73′), 22.Claudia MIHOCIC (7.Liz ANTON 46′), 25.Grace JOHNSTON, 27.Georgia CASSIDY
Substitutes not used: 24.Sally JAMES (GK)
Yellow Cards: Rigby, Farrow
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
