Glory’s unbeaten start to the Liberty A-League season came to end on Saturday afternoon as they went down 2-1 to fellow-high-fliers Wellington Phoenix at Auckland’s GoMedia Stadium.
View full match highlights HERE.
Watch Head Coach Alex Epakis’ post-match media conference HERE.
Millie Farrow gave the visitors the lead midway through the first half with her first goal for the club, but Hope Breslin and Chloe Knott both found the net after the break and Glory were unable to find a way back into the game in the latter stages.
The result sees Alex Epakis’ side drop to second place, although they remain level on points with new leaders, Melbourne City.
It was the home side who were the fastest out of the blocks, with Morgan Aquino forced to make a smart save at hear near post to keep out a well-struck effort from Mariana Speckmaier and the movement of Chloe Knott providing a constant threat in the final third.
And yet it was Glory who hit the front with their first meaningful chance of the game, Sofia Sakalis driving forcefully into the box before slipping the ball to Farrow who despite losing her footing, was still able to steer a shot past Rylee Foster.
Phoenix responded strongly to that setback and came close to restoring parity in the shadows of half-time when Aquino was forced to palm away Michaela Foster’s cross-shot and Annalie Longo’s follow-up effort was blocked in the six-yard box by Hana Lowry.
Three minutes into the second-half, however, some hesitant defending from Glory allowed Breslin a shooting opportunity just inside the box and she picked out the bottom corner to make it 1-1.
And just after the hour-mark, Phoenix completed the turnaround as Knott nodded in from close-range after Speckmaier’s initial header had rebounded back out off the bar.
Finding themselves trailing 2-1 heading into the final 20 minutes for the second time in as many weeks, Glory battled gamely to force their way back into the contest and only a fine save from Foster prevented substitute Isobel Dalton’s stinging long-range effort from arrowing its way into the top corner.
But ultimately Wellington’s defence proved more resolute than Melbourne Victory’s had at Macedonia Park in Round 5 and they held on to maintain their own impressive start to the campaign and consign the women in white to their first defeat.
Match Details
Liberty A-League Season 2023/24 Round 6
Wellington Phoenix 2 (Breslin 58′, Knott 62′) Perth Glory 1 (Farrow 21′)
Half-time:
GoMedia Stadium, Auckland
Saturday 25 November 2023
Referee: Bec Mackie
Wellington Phoenix: 1. Rylee FOSTER (gk), 3. Kate TAYLOR, 4. Mackenzie BARRY, 5. Marisa VAN DER MEER, 7. Chloe KNOTT, 10. Alyssa WHINHAM, 11. Hope BRESLIN (20. Emma MAIN 78′), 13. Michaela FOSTER (2. Zoe MCMEEKEN 70′), 16. Annalie LONGO (c) (23. Rebecca LAKE 70′), 17. Mariana SPECKMAIER, 18. Hailey DAVIDSON, 21. Manaia ELLIOTT (9. Kelli BROWN 78′)
Substitutes not used: 12. Brianna EDWARDS (gk)
Yellow Cards: Taylor, Elliott
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: 1.Morgan AQUINO (GK), 3.Jessika COWART, 4.Natasha RIGBY (c), 7.Liz ANTON, 8.Hana LOWRY, 9.Millie FARROW, 10.Susan PHONSONGKHAM, 11.Grace JALE, 12.Sofia SAKALIS (20.Quinley QUEZADA 64′), 22.Claudia MIHOCIC (25.Grace JOHNSTON 51′), 27.Georgia CASSIDY (23.Isobel DALTON 64′)
Substitutes not used: 14.Tia STONEHILL, 29.Lilly BAILEY (GK)
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
