Western Sydney Wanderers midfielder Olivia Price was the hero on Sunday afternoon, slotting home the decisive goal in the 87th minute to secure a 1-0 victory over Brisbane Roar at Spencer Park.
After the match, Price reflected on the win, the team’s growing confidence, and the standout performances of her teammates.
“Yeah, I mean, kind of just happened, really,” Price laughed when asked about her match-winning strike.
“I was just getting my breath and doing top-ups! It started with a play at the beginning – we went through, it went out to Danika (Matos), who’s been delivering great crosses all game, and Ella (Buchanan) did what she needed to do in the middle. I was just in the right spot at the right time.”
The Wanderers came into the game eager to break their run of games without a win, facing a Brisbane side who had claimed victories in their first two matches of the season.
Price said belief in the squad was key.
“Yeah, definitely. We’ve always been a team that needs to believe in ourselves to play well,” she said.
“Despite the scorelines in the first two games, I don’t think we were far off. Brisbane are a good side, so we wanted to challenge them and match up. It’s great to come away with a win today.”
Price also praised the impact of her Korean teammate Sonny, highlighting the attacking threat she brings to the squad.
“She’s an experienced player and really easy to play with. The language barrier is a bit tricky at times, but we’ve got football language! She’s taking a lot of chances and shots, which we’ve been working on, and she’s been a great addition.”
The Wanderers’ right flank also shone, with Matos impressing throughout the contest.
“Oh, I love Dee,” said price.
“She’s always pushing me on fitness, in the gym, and she’s just a machine, she can go all day. It’s incredible to have her as a teammate.”
Looking ahead to next week’s road trip to Newcastle, Price said the squad will carry the confidence from Sunday’s result into the next match.
“We haven’t had that first win in the first couple of games, so this belief will help us in the next game and continue building our confidence. We’re looking forward to it.”
With her match-winning goal and the team’s dominant performance, Olivia Price and the Wanderers can head into next week with renewed momentum and belief as the Ninja A-League season continues.
