The Brisbane Roar has again proved they’re serious title contenders with a 3-0 victory Canberra United to kick off the 2009 Westfield W-League season at Ballymore Stadium yesterday.
The Brisbane Roar has again proved they-re serious title contenders with a 3-0 victory Canberra United to kick off the 2009 Westfield W-League season at Ballymore Stadium yesterday.
A brace from Brisbane-s Courtney Beutel and a further goal from Tameka Butt resigned Canberra United to their second opening round defeat away from home in two years despite showing some promising signs.
Looking to avenge last year-s Grand Final loss, Canberra United suffered a blow before the first ball was even kicked with the experienced Sally Shipard ruled out after her international clearance failed to arrive before the start of the match, replaced by Kahlia Hogg who started on the bench.
Starting the match with three strikers, the visitors looked to put the Queensland backline under pressure with the aim of coming away with a result.
While both sides struggled with the Brisbane heat as the match wore on, the two sides couldn-t gain the upper hand early on with honours even after the first half an hour of the match with neither keeper tested.
Both sides had their chances in the opening minutes and Canberra United came close to opening the scoring after 23 minutes when Brisbane custodian Casey Dumont failed to clear the danger area with her punch.
Emily van Egmond volleyed the ball back across the face of goal which eluded both the goal and striker Ashleigh Sykes waiting at the back post.
Canberra United had a second chance to take a first half lead only minut es later when Sykes volleyed her chance wide after Shu O Tseng did well to win the set piece in the 26th minute.
The visitor-s missed chances came back to haunt them when Brisbane took the lead through Courtney Beutel after 32 minutes.
Butt-s cross from the right hand side caught goal keeper Lydia Will iams off her line as she came out to punch the ball away but indecision caught Williams in no man-s land as Beutel headed over an out stretched custodian.
Brisbane should have doubled their lead in the shadows of half time but goal scorer Beutel headed just wide of the far post after a dangerous cross in behind the backline from Lauren Colthorpe from the right hand side.
Up 1-0 at half time, the Roar flexed their might with a brilliant ten minute passage of play early in the second half to race out to the 3-0 lead with Butt turning from provider to goal scorer before Beutel notch ed her second of the match.
Substitute Ellen Beaumont had an immediate impact on the match with a cut back from the end line finding Butt free on the edge of the six yar d box to double Brisbane-s lead with a well placed first time shot finding the inside of the far post in the 63rd minute.
Seven minutes later, Beutel put the game beyond doubt with a well placed header beating a diving Williams at her far post after a pin point cross from new recruit Joanne Burgess.
Canberra United struggled with both the excessive heat and tough opposit ion as they couldn-t create shots on goal with Brisbane-s inte rnational backline making life difficult for the visitors who slump to their second opening round loss in two years.
Regardless of the result, head coach Ray Junna can take away plenty of positives as Canberra United return to the national capital for their first home game of the season.
“There were certainly a few positives out there today and plenty to work on before next week,” Junna said.
“The first half an hour we were in [the match] and we had a couple chances early on and if we had taken those then it would have been a completely different game.
“We become a little despondent after we conceded the first goal and lost a little confidence and being the young side that we are we went into our shell a little bit and [Brisbane] got a little bit of a roll on.”
“We hung in there in the last couple of minutes, went we got the ball we kept on moving it.”
“If we can start the way we finished, we-ll have a good chance this year.”
“We could have sat back at the half way but we thought we would try to take the game to them which backfired a bit but we weren-t goin g to die wondering.”
“We-ll look to try and get our campaign back on track next wee kend at home.”
Brisbane Roar squad: 1. Casey DUMONT (gk), 2.Kate MCSHEA (7. Pam BIGNOLD 74-), 3, Karla REUTER, 4. Clare POLKINGHORNE, 5. Brooke SPENCE, 6. Joanne BURGESS, 8.Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT (19. Ellen BEAUMONT 62-) , 11. Aivi LUIK, 13. Tameka BUTT (10. Lana HARCH 67-), 15.Leah COLT HORPE, 18. Courtney BEUTEL
SUBS NOT USED: 12. Stephanie LATHAM
GOAL: Beutel 32-/70-, Butt 63-
YELLOW CARD: Nil
RED CARD: Nil
Canberra United Squad: 1. Lydia WILLIAMS, 4. Chiung Ying LIN, 7. Ellie BRUSH, 8. Emily van EGMOND (5. Kahlia HOGG 81-), 9. Grace GILL, 10. Shu O TSENG, 11. Cian MACIEJEWSKI (6. Ellie RAYMOND 66-), 14. Ashleigh SYKES, 15. Nicole SYKES, 16. Ellyse PERRY, 19. Jennifer BISSET (12. Snez VELJANOVSKA 46-)
SUBS NOT USED: 20. Jocelyn MARA
GOALS: Nil
YELLOW CARDS: A. Sykes 90-
RED CARDS: Nil
