Canberra United 2 (Heyman 75′, Thorsnes 76′) def. Western Sydney Wanderers 0
A strike from Michelle Heyman in her 100th Westfield W-League match has helped Canberra United to a second win of 2018 and kept their finals hopes alive.
After the match was scoreless at the break, Heyman struck to break the game open before in-form Norwegian forward Elise Thorsnes scored just a minute later to round out the scoreline.
United had the better of the chances early as Ashleigh Sykes and Thorsnes caused trouble down the wings with Jada Mathyssen-Whyman having a moment as she dropped a cross in the area before reclaiming the ball.
Wanderers had their chances too though, and former United skipper Ellie Brush had a header saved on the line by Haley Kopmeyer as she threatened to spoil the hosts party.
The best chance of the half though came just before half way, as a bouncing ball found its way to Thorsnes on the edge of the area and the Norwegian lashed an effort that flew off the crossbar and away from danger.
Goalless at the break, the second half got off to a cagey start, with both sides struggling to break down the opposition. Kopmeyer and Mathyssen-Whyman were both called upon, but rarely tested in their goalmouth.
The breakthrough came with just under 20 minutes remaining though as the hosts applied pressure down the right flank. An exchange of passing between Ellie Carpenter and Sykes saw the ball fizzed into the feet of Heyman in the area, and the forward hit a fierce shot that squirmed past the touch of Mathyssen-Whyman and across the line.
Celebrations had hardly finished when Sykes played Thorsnes down the left wing and into the area, and she made no mistake with a delightful curling finish to secure her fourth goal in two games and double the advantage.
The visitors would not lie down though, and Kopmeyer was forced into close range saves twice in the final few minutes as Wanderers pushed to grab a goal back.
But United held on to grab a second victory in a row and remain undefeated in 2018, ahead of a long trip to Bunbury to face the Glory next weekend.
