Two stunning first-half goals – including a Goal of the Season contender – and a goal-scoring return by Larissa Crummer has helped propel Brisbane Roar to an emphatic 4-0 win over Perth Glory at Lions Stadium on Sunday.
New Zealand international Olivia Chance scored a memorable opener – his first Westfield W-League goal – which was bettered just a few minutes later by a jaw-dropping effort from Emily Gielnik.
Gielnik lobbed keeper Lily Alfeld from just a couple of metres inside Glory’s half to notch her seventh goal of the campaign to take the outright lead in the race for the Golden Boot.
It took just five minutes after the break for Gielnik to score her eighth of the season, as she completed her brace and ensured there would be no Glory fightback.
Crummer - playing her first Westfield W-League match in 758 days after a horrific injury and long lay-off – then completed the scoring late on as Roar cruised to a fifth straight win.
Jake Goodship’s side remain the only unbeaten side in the competition and sit in second spot, two points behind leaders Sydney FC.
Glory are still winless after a tough outing in Brisbane and remain rooted to the foot of the ladder with just one point from five matches in 2020/21.
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Key moments
Chance’s screamer gives Roar the lead
Brisbane enjoyed the better of the early exchanges as Gielnik was twice denied by Glory keeper Alfeld inside the first 12 minutes.
But it was just as the visitors began to get a foothold into the contest that Roar took the lead thanks to a stunning strike by Chance.
Isobel Dalton did well to play the ball to Chance just outside the box and the midfielder hit a venomous shot which nestled perfectly into the corner of the net.
Gielnik’s goal of the season contender
If Chance’s goal was brilliant, Roar’s next goal just four minutes later was simply spectacular.
There appeared little danger when Gielnik picked up possession inside her own half and strode forward.
But the Westfield Matildas attacker showed all her class, spotting the keeper off her line and taking a long-range shot just inside Glory territory.
While Alfeld scurried back and managed to get a glove on the ball, Gielnik’s effort had too much power and rolled in to double the home side’s lead.
Crossbar denies Roar a first-half treble
It was all the home side at this point and they were inches away from adding a third 10 minutes before the break.
Winonah Heatley picked up the ball on the right and floated in a teasing cross which again had Alfeld back-peddling.
This time the ball struck the bar and rebounded away to safety for Glory.
Gielnik at the double
If Glory were hoping to mount a fightback after the break, their hopes were dashed less than five minutes after the interval.
Gielnik again proved to hard to handle, darting down the left and then scorching a low strike across the face of goal into the bottom corner.
Crummer marks return with a goal
There was still time for the home side to add some icing on the cake late on, and there was no more popular scorer than Crummer.
In her first game back after a spending a couple of seasons out of the Westfield W-League due to a serious leg injury, the young attacker was on hand to tap in the final goal.
An inviting low cross from the left was perfectly weighted for Crummer to get in front of her defender and score, much to the delight of all her teammates.
Next match
Canberra United v Brisbane Roar
When: Sunday, March 7
Where: Viking Park
Kick-off: 4.05pm
Perth Glory v Sydney FC
When: Thursday, February 25
Where: Dorrien Gardens
Kick-off: 9.35pm (AEDT)
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