Sam Kerr kept her phenomenal year going on Saturday night when she scored three goals between the 77th and 84th minute in Perth Glory's game against the Newcastle Jets, but a late own-goal let the game end in a draw. The 2-0 victory by the Brisbane Roar allowed them to reach the first position in the league after stalking just behind the Glory all year.
The Westfield W-League will take a short Christmas break and will resume on December 29th.
De Vanna scores a brace to lift Sydney FC to victory
After accepting an AIS Award earlier this week for the Westfield Matildas, Sydney FC striker Lisa De Vanna notched two goals in the 3-0 Sydney FC win over Canberra United. The two teams had been tied for fifth place in the league going into the game, but the victory allowed Sydney to leapfrog both Canberra and Melbourne City FC into the fourth position.
De Vanna got the scoring started in the 30th minute when she scored from the center of the box off an assist from Princess Ibini. De Vanna hit the back of the net again in the 42nd minute with a floater to the top-right corner off an assist from Amy Harrison. The two goals were De Vanna's third and fourth on the season.
The second half got off to a disaster of a start for Canberra, when defender Toni Pressley, an American who plays for the Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League, scored an own goal in the 48th minute off an errant header that was presumably meant to be caught by goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer (Seattle Reign). The 3-0 loss was the third consecutive defeat for Canberra, and the three goals allowed were the most on the season by Kopmeyer.
Sydney FC (4-0-3) will travel to Adelaide United (1-1-5) next weekend, while Canberra United (3-0-4) will be on a much-needed bye next weekend.
Adelaide United falls to ninth place with a loss against Western Sydney
The Western Sydney Wanderers avoided falling back to the bottom of the league with a 2-1 win over Adelaide United on Friday night. The two teams were tied for last place coming into the weekend.
Western Sydney midfielder Marlous Pieete got the scoring started in the 23rd minute, squeezing the ball past Adelaide keeper Sarah Willacy. Adelaide forward Makenzy Doniak, who plays for the North Carolina Courage in the NWSL, got her fifth goal on the season in the 31st minute to tie the game up. Laura Jones earned the assist on the goal.
The game remained tied until the 72nd minute when Western Sydney's Lee Falkon scored from the center of the box. Adelaide will face off at home against Sydney FC next weekend, and Western Sydney (2-1-4) will host Melbourne City FC (2-1-3) in Round Nine.
A late own goal denies the Glory of Kerr's hat-trick
Sam Kerr, despite not being named the FIFA Women's Player of the Year, has probably had the most successful 2017 of any soccer player on Earth. Between club (Sky Blue FC and Perth Glory) and country (Westfield Matildas), the superstar striker has scored 38 goals. She scored three during the 2017 portion of the 2016/17 W-League season, 10 while playing for Australia Women's National Team, 17 for Sky Blue FC, and has scored eight in the first portion of the 2017/18 W-League season. Her 17 goals were the most in the NWSL, and she won the Golden Boot and MVP awards.
Newcastle Jets midfielder Arin Gilliland (Chicago Red Stars) scored the only goal of the first half when she took a touch past Perth Glory goalkeeper Melissa Maizels and calmly finished the ball from the six-yard box. The goal was Gilliland's fourth of the season.
The first goal of the second half came in the 77th minute when Sam Kerr took a pass from midfielder Raquel Rodriguez (Sky Blue FC) and easily placed it past Newcastle goalkeeper Britt Eckerstrom (Portland Thorns). Kerr scored her second of the match in the 82nd minute when Rachel Hill (Orlando Pride) pushed the ball back to her in the center of the box and she powered it home.
Newcastle midfielder Katie Stengel (Boston Breakers) would score in the 83rd minute after three different players passed the ball forward off a corner kick. The goal tied the game at two apiece and was Stengel's fifth of the season. Just one minute later, Kerr collected the ball at the top of the box and scored her third of the game to give Perth the lead.
The lead would last until the fourth minute of added time when a Newcastle Jets cross ricocheted off of Perth defender Sarah Carroll's knee and into the net. If Carroll hadn't scored then Newcastle player likely would have.
The draw leaves Perth and Newcastle tied in second place with 13 points each. The Newcastle Jets (4-1-2) travel to face the Melbourne Victory (2-1-3) next weekend, while Perth (4-1-2) hosts league-leading Brisbane (5-0-2).
Brisbane tops Melbourne City to take sole control of first place
A 2-0 victory allowed the Brisbane Roar to knock Perth Glory out of first place for the first time in the 2017/18 W-League season. Brisbane bounced back after losing last weekend to the Newcastle Jets.
Melbourne City FC had absolute control of the game throughout the first half with multiple shots just missing the goal. Brisbane goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold didn't make any amazing saves, but the posts and crossbar certainly did.
The first goal of the game came in the 62nd minute when the ball was taken away from Melbourne City striker Jess Fishlock in her attacking half, but it was booted downfield to Brisbane midfielder Allira Toby who caught Melbourne keeper Lydia Williams (Seattle Reign) off her line and popped the ball over her head and into the goal. The second Brisbane goal came in the 72nd minute when midfielder Katrina Lee-Gorry looped in a free kick that found nobody but surprisingly bounced into the side netting. Lee-Gorry was not attempting a shot, but Williams lost the ball in the sea of bodies in the six-yard box.
First-place Brisbane will travel to second-place Perth Glory in their next game, and Melbourne City FC will travel to the Western Sydney Wanderers.