Our Wander Women have earned a fully deserved 2-1 win at home over high flying Brisbane Roar on Sunday.
A returning star proved to be the matchwinner, as Holly Caspers scored two minutes from time in just her second game of the season and first match back from another long injury layoff.
It was an emotional moment for the winger, who was one of the best players for the club last season but has not had the chance to prove it in the current campaign.
The Wanderers came into the game under a tough run of form and without Julie Dolan medal winner Sophie Harding due to injury, but they didn’t let it show in the early stages.
Sienna Saveska got in behind the Roar back line straight away, but an effort from the centre of the box looped over the bar.
It was Bronte Trew’s turn next as she broke free in her first start for the club. She arguably had a bit too much time to think about the shot, as she could only side foot an effort straight at goalkeeper Olivia Sekany.
Western Sydney had their tails up and took a deserved lead in the seventh minute, and it was a familiar face who did the scoring.
Fresh off scoring an olimpico last week, Sienna Saveska seized on a loose ball from the Roar and went straight towards goal, and she made no mistake as she curled a shot past Sekany and into the goal to put the Wanderers in front.
It was her seventh of the season, and she is equal top of the goalscoring charts.
Olivia Price almost added a second as she skillfully dribbled her way past multiple defenders and got a shot away, forcing Sekany to scramble and make a save.
Brisbane seemed to finally wake up at this point and they began to respond with chances of their own.
They forced our defenders into consecutive blocks on the line, before Sham Khamis pulled off a great stop in the 12th minute, like she has done so many times this season.
After a mad opening period, the game settled down as both sides looked to take control of the game and few big chances for either side.
Half-time came and went, and the game continued in this manner, though Brisbane started to have more of the ball as the Wanderers looked to preserve their lead.
This continued until the 67th minute, when Brisbane scored a fantastic equaliser through Zara Krueger, whose effort from well outside the area was well struck and gave Khamis little chance of saving.
The Wanderers sparked into life, and substitute Talia Younis was denied a first ever goal by a desperate goal line clearance, before captain Amy Harrison had a goal disallowed for offside.
She had a goal bound shot blocked by a defender, and it began to seem as if the Wanderers’ efforts would mostly be in vain once again.
No one told Caspers.
As the game approached stoppage time, Danika Matos found space down the left to put in a through ball towards the attacker, who had gotten away from her marker with a good diagonal run.
She didn’t have much time to think as Sekany rushed to deny the space, but she managed to toe poke the ball beyond the outstretched leg of Sekany whilst also keeping it on target, and it rolled wonderfully into the back of the net.
It sparked wild celebrations in the crowd and on the pitch as Caspers was mobbed by her teammates, who know all too well the struggle she has been through this season.
The Wanderers were then brave in defence and managed to hold on through six minutes of stoppage time for a second win of the campaign.
