United continue stella ALW start

WESTERN United have scored two goals in injury time to snatch all three points against Adelaide United in a thrilling 2-1 A-League Women’s victory.

The Reds took the lead just after halftime before the visitors stole the win with goals in the 91st and 97th minute.

Western coach Mark Torcaso, who was full of praise for his troops, admitted he was stunned after “pinching” the win.

“These girls just have an unbelievable belief to want to beat anyone who comes in front of them,” he said.

“We literally shifted a couple things, brought one or two other players on who could affect the game in certain areas and then literally threw it all there and see what happens and pinched it.”

The conditions were tough for both teams with the temperature hovering above 30 degrees at kick-off.

Before the contest could reach any great heights, play was halted for over five minutes after a serious injury to Western United’s Stacey Papadopoulos.

After a clearance from Red’s keeper Annalee Grove, Papdopoulos jumped and challenged Paige Hayward for the ball with the pair colliding in mid-air, leaving Papdopoulos knocked unconscious.

The injury appeared serious and the full-back was treated on field by paramedics before being taken away by ambulance.

When play resumed neither side was able to carve out any clear chances, but Western United did force Grove into action twice before the interval with routine saves.

Adelaide wasted a glorious chance almost immediately after the restart when Chelsie Dawber put through Yuyi Xiao who sprung the offside trap.

The attacker was clear through on goal and squared a pass for Emelia Murray who completely mis-kicked from five metres out with just the keeper to beat.

The Reds did break the deadlock on 55 minutes thanks to Dawber, who capitalised on a mix-up at the back from Western United.

On 78 minutes the visitors almost equalised when Sydney Cummings threaded a perfect through-ball for substitute Aimee Medwin, who latched onto the pass and took a touch before firing an effort off the cross with Grove beaten.

Cummings was involved again when the visitors did eventually equalise on the stroke of full time.

Adelaide failed to clear and Francesca Iermano teed up the defender whose shot from outside the area took a wicked deflection leaving Grove wrong-footed.

With stoppage time winding down, the visitors earned a corner and when the Reds failed to clear again, Western snatched all three points with a stunner from Emma Robers.

As the ball was partially cleared and bobbled out of the area, Robbers unleashed a thunderous left-footed half volley which beat Grove and nestled into the side of the net.

Reds’ coach Adrian Stenta was disappointed in the manner in which his side coughed up the points.

“It’s disappointing to drop points at home, any points, but to lose in the way that we did was very disappointing,” he said.

– BY LEE GAGLIARDI/ AAP