Adelaide United secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers at Coopers Stadium on Friday afternoon, thanks to American forward Erin Healy's first goal in the Ninja A-League.
After facing two consecutive losses, the Reds were eager to reclaim their footing in the league. Healy, who had recently recovered from a toe injury, came off the bench and made her mark by scoring the winning goal just ten minutes after her arrival.
Adelaide dominated play throughout the match, particularly during the first half, but initially struggled to convert their chances. Fiona Worts, one of the team’s leading strikers, missed two significant opportunities before the break. Her first attempt came shortly after the half-hour mark, where she found herself one-on-one with Western Sydney goalkeeper Sham Khamis but was unable to angle her shot correctly. Chelsie Dawber also squandered a clear chance, shooting high over the crossbar after being set up nicely by Emily Condon.
With the last touch of the first half, Worts had another opportunity, receiving a low cross from Lucía León. She angled her shot toward the bottom-left corner but could not find the target, allowing the Wanderers to escape to halftime unscathed.
The Wanderers were more aggressive after the break, testing Adelaide's defenses and keeper Claudia Jenkins. One particularly venomous strike from Talia Younis on the hour mark forced Jenkins to make a strong save, keeping the game scoreless. This momentum sparked Adelaide's response, with Healy’s quick impact proving decisive.
Her breakthrough moment arrived in the 68th minute, marking the first goal of her A-League career and enabling her team to secure all three points. The Reds maintained their lead until the final whistle.
This victory lifted Adelaide United to fourth place on the Ninja A-League table, providing them with renewed momentum as they head toward the next matches of the season. Meanwhile, the Wanderers faced challenges, remaining just one point above last place, with their hopes of reaching the finals now reliant on improved performance.
Head coach Robbie Hooker and his squad will need to regroup after yet another disappointing outing. Having put up strong individual performances, including from Khamis and captain Amy Harrison, they now turn their focus to future matches to regain former glory.
