Perth Glory have shrugged off a disruptive off-field week to secure a 1-0 Liberty A-League win over the Western Sydney Wanderers.
Though her side produced enough chances for several more, Deborah-Anne De la Harpe’s maiden ALW goal proved enough to secure the win for Glory, who moved to fifth on the ALW table and within a point of the finals places.
It was a strong performance that belied the uncertainty facing coach Alex Epakis’ squad, who played their nominal home fixture at Central Coast Stadium and are facing an extended time on the road due to Western Australia’s mid-week extension to its hard border.
“I’m devastated,” Glory attacker Lisa De Vanna told Paramount on the border closures.
“The resilience and the determination of the girls came out (tonight).
“It’s great that (we are) showing that we can overcome adversity.”
Mie Leth Jans thought she’d opened the scoring for Glory on the half-hour mark, only for Wanderer custodian Sarah Langman to produce a save-of-the-season contender to deny her header.
Chances to Glory’s De Vanna, Sofia Sakalis and Hannah Lowry followed as the half progressed but the scores remained tied.
But hammering on the door against a Wanderers outfit proving defensively resolute but toothless in attack, Glory eventually made their well-deserved breakthrough in the 49th minute through a moment of magic from De la Harpe.
Stepping up to take a free-kick won by De Vanna on the left flank, the Young Matilda bent a perfectly weighted free-kick beyond Langman and into the far top corner of the net to give her side the lead and secure a maiden ALW goal.
Signed mid-week as injury cover, veteran Leena Khamis had a chance to make it 2-0 in the 78th minute but sent her one-on-one shot straight at Langman.
Despite still possessing the second-strongest defence in ALW, the Wanderers inability to create any sort of consistent attacking threat has continued to haunt them.
Catherine Cannuli’s side has only netted twice in their seven games this season as they sit in eighth place on the table.
“We need to do better in the final third,” Langman told Paramount.
“Defensively, we’re generally doing quite well. I think we just need to do better in the final third.
“I think we just need to just have more shots in general. We get the ball there, doing all the hard work. We’re just not putting it in the back of the net.”
