
Canberra United, Perth Glory and Sydney FC all sit atop Australia’s Westfield W-League after two rounds of the 2014/15 season with two wins each.
The Houston Dash’s Stephanie Ochs, playing forward in Australia, scored the winner for Canberra as they defeated Adelaide United 1-0 away. Seattle Reign’s Keelin Winters contributed two goals for Western Sydney Wanderers, but they were not enough to overcome defending champions Melbourne Victory in their 5-3 win at home, with Christine Nairn assisting on every goal for the Victory. The two other games both saw the road team prevail: Sydney FC defeated Brisbane Roar 2-1 and Perth Glory tipped Newcastle Jets 1-0.
Och’s goal came after patient buildup play and a pass from all-time W-League leading scorer Michelle Heyman to give Canberra the three points. Canberra had missed a first-half penalty kick. Washington Spirit goalkeeper Chantel Jones recorded the shutout and fellow American Lori Lindsey played 50 minutes for the capital city club. Seattle Reign’s Kendall Fletcher has not arrived in Australia yet. Former Buffalo Flash and English national Katie Holtham played 69 minutes for the Adelaide ‘Reds’.
Winters scored once in each half for Western Sydney but three second-half goals from Melbourne Victory were enough to tip matters in Melbourne’s favor, 5-3. Nairn played 90 minutes for Melbourne and was outstanding running the midfield and recorded five assists. Australian international Lisa DeVanna scored in the 52nd minute for the Victory while Turkish international Gulcan Koca tallied in the 74th minutes, five minutes after substituting into the match. Portland Thorn’s Australian international defender Steph Catley also played the entire match for the 2013/14 champions.
Sydney FC overcame the Roar with a goal in each half from Australian international midfielder Renee Rollason, who now has 16 career goals in 73 W-League games. Americans Jasmyne Spencer played 85 minutes and Samantha Johnson played 90 minutes for the Sky Blues, while former Western New York Flash defender Tiegan Allen was ejected after an hour, when she received her second yellow card. FC Kansas City’s Katrina Gorry played 90 minutes for Brisbane. The Roar are uncharacteristically at the bottom of the table with no points, tied with the Wanderers and the Reds.
For Perth Glory, Caitlin Foord (Sky Blue FC in 2013 and 2014), Sam Kerr (Western New York Flash in 2013 and 2014), Collette McCallum (Sky Blue FC in WPS) and Canadian Shelina Zadorsky all played 90 minutes (though Foord was substituted out in injury time). Americans Angela Salem, Katherine Reynolds and Tori Huster played 90 minutes for the Jets, as did former Chicago Red Star Emily Van Egmond.
