Adelaide United have jumped Brisbane Roar into third spot on the Ninja A-League table after a 3-2 win over the Queenslanders at Perry Park on Sunday night.
Last season’s wooden spooners are enjoying a remarkable revival in 2024-25 and took another big stride toward a top-four finish with a hard-fought road win over the Roar.
Adelaide striker Chelsie Dawber and Roar midfielder Alicia Woods both scored brilliant goals in the first half but just minutes after half-time, Erin Healy restored Adelaide’s lead. Dawber then secured her brace to put the Reds two goals clear and the visitors needed that buffer as a late Tameka Yallop strike set up a dramatic end to the action at Perry Park.
But under late pressure from the hosts, Adelaide held on to clinch a 3-2 win.
The Reds have now notched four wins and one draw from their last five games as Adrian Stenta’s side continue to surge up the Ninja A-League table; Sunday’s win over Brisbane helped Adelaide leapfrog the Roar into third on the table, just four points behind league leaders Melbourne City after 12 rounds.
The first half ended all square at 1-1, with Adelaide striker Dawber and Roar midfielder Woods scoring respectively superb goals at Perry Park.
Dawber put the Reds on top in the 42nd minute, controlling Emily Condon’s low cross with one touch and firing a clinical half-volley into the top-right corner with her second.
But the Reds kept their lead for just three minutes before Woods equalised in first-half stoppage time.
The opportunity presented to Woods after Chelsea Blissett’s floated free-kick into the box was cleared by Adelaide. The 21-year-old arrived on the scene to control the clearance and whip a left-footed attempt from the edge of the box past Adelaide keeper Claudia Jenkins and into the back of the net to ensure the Roar got to half-time back on level terms.
Although Brisbane found a rapid response to Adelaide’s opener, the visitors answered back just as quickly after half-time when Healy restored her side’s lead just two minutes after the restart.
The American found the back of the net after tying Roar defender Holly McQueen in knots in the box, cutting left then right to shift the ball through McQueen’s legs before burying her shot past Olivia Sekany at her near post.
It looked as though the Reds would sail to a comfortable win when Dawber secured her brace with Adelaide’s third goal of the afternoon in the 71st minute – but there was to be late drama at Perry Park as Brisbane set up a grandstand finish.
In the third minute of added time, Yallop brought Brisbane back into the contest at 3-2 and, inspired by the swing in momentum, the hosts continued to push for an equaliser – but the hosts couldn’t find the all-important third goal as Adelaide held on to register an impressive win on the road.
