A-League Women: Perth Glory draw 1-1 with Canberra United despite best showing of the season

Perth Glory have drawn for the first time this A-League Women’s season, despite a bright showing in their 1-1 draw with Canberra United at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium. Isobel Dalton gave Perth a deserved lead just before half-time, but Mary Stanic-Floody’s fantastic strike from well outside the box leveled the scores after the break. It was Perth’s best performance of the season both with and without the ball, but they left the game frustrated with an inability to capitalise, while Stanic-Floody’s goal was Canberra’s only shot on target. Casey Dumont made her Glory debut in goal, while Welsh off-season signing Megan Wynne started her first game, but Perth coach Stephen Peters will be concerned for defender Onyinyechi Zogg, who was forced off through injury. Canberra almost took the lead inside six minutes when Michelle Heyman latched onto Stanic-Floody’s curled pass, beating Glory goalkeeper Casey Dumont to the ball, but the recovering Grace Johnston prevented the goal. From there, it was Perth who had the majority of first-half chances as they won the ball high up the pitch on numerous occasions. Tijan McKenna and Sarah O’Donoghue were both unable to convert chances in quick succession following a turnover, before Naomi Chinnama and Gabby Hollar had shots blocked from the resultant corner. O’Donoghue loomed as the dangerwoman for Glory, and she almost scored a superb goal when she turned one defender and nut-megged another, only to see her shot deflected onto the post. With four minutes to go before the break, Perth took the lead when Hollar read Sofia Christopherson’s back pass and teed up Dalton, whose shot was deflected past Sally James in goal and into the net. The Glory’s hopes of victory and a first clean sheet of the season took a blow after the break when Zogg was forced off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury after a sliding intervention to prevent a Heyman chance. Up the other end, substitute Morgan Roberts forced former Glory ‘keeper James into action at her near post following a terrific pass by Johnston. McKenna should have made it 2-0 in the 66th minute when she found space in the box, but her first attempt hit teammate Miku Sunaga before she stabbed the follow-up wide. And Canberra made them pay three minutes later when Stanic-Floody unleashed a superb first-time strike from outside the area, although Perth were left seething after McKenna appeared to have been fouled in the lead-up. United were enthused by the goal and Glory were unable to replicate their first-half superiority to the same extent, while Canberra substitute Aideen Keane headed over the best chance to win the game late.