The Western Sydney Wanderers were defeated 5-2 by Adelaide United in a high-paced Ninja A-League clash on Saturday afternoon at Coopers Stadium.
Despite a spirited showing and bright attacking moments, the Red & Black were unable to contain a clinical Adelaide side.
The opening stages saw both teams probing for openings.Â
Sham Khamis was called into action early, producing a strong save from a long-range effort by Holly McNamara in the 10th minute. Adelaide took the lead in the 21st minute through Isabel Hodgson, before Paige Zois doubled their advantage at the 34th minute.
Just before the break, Erin Healey struck to make it 3-0.
Western Sydney made an immediate change at halftime, with Allyssa Ng-Saad replacing Yuan Cong, and the substitution paid off instantly.
Ng-Saad fired from distance in the 47th minute to catch the keeper off her line and pull a goal back for the Wanderers.
The second half saw the Red & Black continue to push forward.
Adelaide extended their lead through Chelsea Dawber in the 67th minute, but the Wanderers hit back again seven minutes later.Â
Berryhill bundled home a goal following excellent build-up play from Danika Matos, bringing the score to 4-2 and giving the team a boost of momentum.
Despite creating further chances through Berryhill and Matos, Adelaide sealed the result late in the 85th minute when Healey found the back of the net once more, making it 5-2.
While the final scoreline was disappointing, there were positives to take from the performance.
The Wanderers showed attacking intent, created several chances, and demonstrated resilience in the second half, highlighting the potential to build on as the season continues.
