Brisbane Roar have bounced back from defeat last week with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Adelaide United in the Westfield W-League clash at Hindmarsh Stadium on Saturday.
Brisbane Roar have bounced back from defeat last week with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Adelaide United in the Westfield W-League clash at Hindmarsh Stadium on Saturday.
The Roar dominated possession and were never threatened from the outset as they cruised to their second win of the season courtesy of a clever first-half goal from forward Amy Chapman and a 63rd-minute penalty to midfield general Elise Kellond-Knight.
The Reds looked in for a long day when Chapman opened the scoring for the visitors on nine minutes after an intelligent run and close-range finish, but Brisbane could not capitalise on their numerous goal-scoring opportunities from then on.
Adelaide battled back in the second-half momentarily but the Roar regained the ascendency and eventually sealed the three points when Kellond-Knight won and converted a spot-kick with 27 minutes to play.
The win lifts Brisbane into the top four, consigning Adelaide to sixth position on the table following a third consecutive loss since their opening day triumph.
The visitors did all the attacking early and were rewarded in the ninth minute through Chapman, who split open the Adelaide defence.
With a neat first touch Chapman controlled and brought down a clever chipped ball over the top of Adelaide's back four before remaining composed in a one-on-one situation with Reds goalkeeper Kristi Harvey as she slid her shot into the net.
Sachiko Tatsuoka should have doubled the Roar's lead on 23 minutes, but her point-blank effort popped up and bobbled wide after a whipped delivery from Verdrana Popovic found her at the near post.
Against Brisbane's dominance the Reds finally threatened in the 36th minute when winger Holly Patterson broke on the counter.
Patterson worked her way into the box before holding up the ball and playing a crafty pass to Racheal Quigley, who had raced up and joined her in support, although the latter's cheeky clipped shot over Roar goalkeeper onrushing Kate Stewart was denied by the post.
Brisbane wasted little time in re-asserting their stranglehold on the match minutes after the restart when Chapman hounded the home side's defence and forced a strong block from Harvey.
Harvey made another save soon after as Roar attacker Lana Harch pounced and fired home, only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside and cancel out the goal.
United fired back against the run of play in the 57th minute when Quigley struck from distance but she was denied by an acrobatic save from substitute Brisbane custodian Hoshima Kishi - on for the injured Stewart - who tipped the ball over the bar.
Brisbane finally put the game beyond Adelaide's reach in the 63th minute when Kellond-Knight was awarded a penalty after she cut into the area and nutmegged Alex Natoli before being brought down by the Reds defender.
Kellond-Knight made no mistake from spot as she tucked away the ball into the bottom left-hand corner. Reds substitute Marijana Rajcic had a chance to peg a goal back late for the home side but she knocked the difficult chance over the bar.
Adelaide United 0 () Brisbane Roar 2 (Amy Chapman 9, Elise Kellond-Knight 63)
Adelaide United: 1. Kristi Harvey (gk), 2. Ruth Wallace (14. Lorena Maggio 61), 3. Alex Natoli, 5. Abby Erceg (c), 6. Cassandra Tsoumbris (9. Marijana Rajcic 66), 7. Racheal Quigley, 8. Sarah McLaughlin, 13. Ann Mayo, 15. Emma Checker, 18. Georgia Macri (12. Elise Whorlow 73), 19. Holly Patterson
Brisbane Roar: 2. Laura Alleway, 3. Amy Chapman, 4. Clare Polkinghorne (c), 5. Brooke Spence, 7. Erika Elze, 8.Elise Kellond-Knight (6. Ashley Spina 71), 10. Lana Harch, 11. Vedrana Popovic, 16. Sachiko Tatsuoka (13. Tameka Butt 64), 18. Kate Stewart (gk) (1. Hoshima Kishi 40), 19. Katrina-Lee Gorry