Morgan Andrews scored twice for the second game in a row as Glory secured a superb 2-1 win over reigning Westfield W-League champions Sydney FC in Wollongong.
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The US midfielder took her tally to five goals in her last three outings, curling home a stunning free-kick just before the break and then finding the net from close-range 13 minutes into the second half.
Glory’s resolute defence was finally breached in stoppage-time when Kim Carroll inadvertently deflected Amy Sayer’s cross into her own net, but Bobby Despotovski’s side were not to be denied a third successive victory which at least partially avenged their defeat at the hands of the Sky Blues in last year’s Grand Final.
Unsurprisingly, Despotovski was in buoyant mood after the final whistle.
“In the last four or five weeks, we’ve done extremely well,” he said.
“We saw today that the girls are working extremely hard and they got the reward for it.
“They enjoyed themselves today and in one way, it’s nice playing with no pressure.
“We can’t make the top four, so we have just been going out there and giving it a go.
“I said to the girls today that no-one has thrashed us this season, we’ve always been in games and there or thereabouts without quite getting over the line.
“And now with all the hard work they’ve been doing, we’re getting a few wins under our belts and getting goals from all over the park
“I’m very happy at this point.”
Retaining their defensive discipline and shape superbly, Glory restricted Sydney FC to a handful of half-chances during the opening half-hour of the game.
Veronica Latsko, Sofia Huerta and Remy Siemsen all threatened for the hosts, but Eliza Campbell was not forced to make a meaningful save and as the half wore on, the visitors managed to gain a foothold in the game.
That foothold duly turned into something tangible shortly before the break when, having been upended just outside the box by Ellie Brush, Andrews took responsibility for the free-kick herself and bent a stunning strike past compatriot Aubrey Bledsoe into the top corner of the net.
Glory began the second half as strongly as they had ended the first and just short of the hour-mark, doubled their advantage.
Caitlin Doeglas capped a surging run down the left flank by driving a low cross into the box and Andrews calmly delayed her shot before picking out the bottom corner.
The home side predictably threw everything they had at Glory in the final quarter and came close to halving the arrears twice in the space of a minute as Veronica Latsko saw her effort headed off the line by Ari Romero and Campbell then produced a fingertip save to deny substitute Mackenzie Hawkesby.
And although the visitors’ dogged resistance was finally broken in unfortunate circumstances when Carroll put the ball through her own net, the goal came too late to be anything more than a consolation for the Sky Blues.
Match Details
Sydney FC 1 (Carroll o.g. 90+2′) Perth Glory 2 (Andrews 41′, 58′)
Half-time: 0-1
WIN Stadium (Wollongong)
Referee: Kelly Jones
Assistant Referee 1: Nia Southwell
Assistant Referee 2: Lauren Hargrave
Fourth Official: Rebecca Mackie
Sydney FC: 1.Aubrey BLEDSOE (gk), 2.Teresa POLIAS (c) (12.Natalie TOBIN 74′) , 7.Ellie BRUSH, 8.Lindsay AGNEW, 10.Remy SIEMSEN ((20.Princess IBINI 55′) , 11.Sofia HUERTA, 13.Veronica LATSKO, 14.Alanna KENNEDY, 17.Angelique HRISTODOULOU, 18.Taylor RAY (15.MacKenzie HAWKESBY 64′), 19.Amy SAYER
Substitutes not used: 30.Trudy BURKE (gk)
Yellow Cards: Brush, Ibini
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: 1.Eliza CAMPBELL, 3.Kim CARROLL, 5.Shannon MAY (16.Isabella WALLHEAD 88′), 6.Arianna ROMERO, 7.CELIA, 8.Morgan ANDREWS, 9.Crystal THOMAS, 13.Jamie-Lee GALE, 14.Caitlin DOEGLAS (4.Ayesha NORRIE 66′), 19.Hana LOWRY (11.Leticia MCKENNA 21′), 24.Natasha RIGBY (c)
Substitutes not used: 21.Morgan AQUINO (gk),
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
#OneGlory
