Brisbane Roar's aspirations for the A-League Women title were dealt a significant blow on Saturday evening when they suffered a dramatic 2-1 defeat to Canberra United at Perry Park. The match ended with two late goals from Emma Robers and Michelle Heyman, which turned the tide for Canberra and dashed Roar's hopes of climbing to the top of the table.
With their eyes firmly set on overtaking league leaders Melbourne City, the Roar entered the match with considerable momentum, having scored 14 goals across their last two victories. The breakthrough for Brisbane came through Laini Freier, who netted her seventh goal over the past three games, establishing herself at the forefront of the Golden Boot race. Freier's goal arrived in the 72nd minute, set up neatly by Tameka Yallop, sparking hope among the home supporters.
Yet, Canberra had other plans. Just nine minutes after Freier's opener, Robers leveled for the visitors. She unleashed a stunning long-range strike, catching Roar's keeper off-guard and sending shockwaves through the home crowd. The late drama reached its peak when goalkeeper Sally James sent a long clearance downfield, which slipped through the defensive line, allowing Heyman to pounce and slot home the winner.
Earlier on Saturday, Adelaide United capitalized on Brisbane's loss by vaulting themselves to fourth place on the table with a decisive 1-0 victory over Central Coast Mariners. The only goal of the match was scored by Emily Hodgson, who netted just nine minutes after kickoff. Making an unsighted run, Hodgson got on the end of a Chelsie Dawber cross to find the back of the net, marking her return to form and securing all three points for Adelaide.
The Mariners struggled to find the equalizer, squandering two prime opportunities to score, including one where Annabel Martin headed over the bar from close range. The defeat left Central Coast struggling, dropping them below not only Adelaide but also Wellington, who moved to sixth place after their own triumph.
Wellington Phoenix's match at Porirua Park resulted in a solid 2-0 win over Perth Glory. Grace Jale, with her talent shining through, laid the foundation for the win by netting the opener just after halftime. The English striker, Olivia Fergusson, added to Perth’s woes by scoring the second goal, marking her second goal in consecutive appearances.
Meanwhile, the intense competition did not end there. Yarn across the A-League Men's transfer narrative echoed with Sydney FC's impressive late-game heroics. On the same weekend, they salvaged another draw, this time 2-2 against Newcastle Jets, completing their comeback with goals from Joe Lolley and Anthony Caceres just before the final whistle.
Newcastle, still winless at home this season, initially went ahead courtesy of an Aaron Gurd own goal just before the break, followed by Clayton Taylor's strike late in the second half. Yet, as has been the case this season, they couldn’t hold onto the lead. The Jets' failure to preserve their advantage left them languishing at the bottom of the table, with only one win across their last seven matches.
Clayton Taylor, reflecting on the team’s performance, expressed dissatisfaction over losing pivotal points, lamenting how their efforts weren't translating to victories. "I think we've been playing...better...but we drop easy points," he remarked, shedding light on the growing frustration within the squad.
Over to Melbourne, Ryan Teague scored the equalizer via the penalty spot as Melbourne Victory also faced Western Sydney Wanderers, ending their match at AAMI Park with a 2-2 draw. The Wanderers temporarily took the lead when Nicolas Milanovic capitalized on poor defensive play. A VAR review led to Victory receiving their golden chance to equalize, which Teague secured, much to the chagrin of the Wanderers who believed the decision was harsh.
Wanderers’ coach Alen Stajcic called the decision perplexing, insisting he wasn't clear on the current interpretation of the handball rule, which has stirred debates across many matches this season. Yet Victory's interim coach, Arthur Diles, saw the positive side of the draw, noting, "A point tonight puts us in second position, that's something to be pretty proud of and pretty happy with. We’re building our game model and want to get...better."
With the league heating up and each match impacting standings heavily, teams are vying not just for wins but for consistency, which so far has proven to be elusive for many. Every point counts as the A-League Women and Men continue to demonstrate thrilling rivalry and passion.