For the first time in club history Adelaide United have won a Finals Series match after defeating Western United 1-0 in a thrilling Elimination Final at Coopers Stadium.
Adelaide United took the lead in the 24th minute in South Australia as defender Matilda McNamara leapt highest inside the box to head home Emily Condon’s in-swinging corner to make it 1-0.
Taking 21 shots in the 90 minutes, Western United huffed and puffed at Coopers Stadium but constantly came up against an inspired Claudia Jenkins who thwarted them time and time again.
There were jubilant scenes inside the stadium at full time as the Red Army serenaded Adrian Stenta’s side after making club history.
The groundbreaking result for Adelaide means they now progress through to the semi-final stage of the Ninja A-League Finals Series where they’ll face Melbourne Victory in a two-legged Original Rivalry showdown.
As for Western United, Kat Smith’s side crash out at the Elimination Finals stage for the second season running.
Looking to get off to a flying start, Condon was denied by Western’s Alyssa Dall’Oste in just the third minute as the keeper got down low to deny the Adelaide attacker from close range.
In a blow for Western, head coach Smith was forced into an early change in just the ninth minute with Claudia Mihocic unable to continue after rolling her ankle in a coming together with Adelaide’s Dylan Holmes.
Holmes was then down on the ground receiving lengthy treatment in the 16th minute after she copped a free-kick square to the face which left her with blood pouring from her nose.
Once play resumed though it was the home side who broke the deadlock in the 24th minute.
Charging towards the near post, defender McNamara jumped high above the Western defence before powering home her header beyond the keeper to make it 1-0 to Adelaide.
The home side were then inches away from making in 2-0 in the 33rd minute as winger Lucia Leon saw her ferocious effort bounce back off the woodwork before Holmes then couldn’t steer in the loose ball.
Western fans then held their breath in the 35th minute as inspirational captain Chloe Berryhill was left in a heap on the ground inside the box after she was caught in a collision with Reds keeper Claudia Jenkins.
However the Western midfielder recovered from the knock and almost levelled for her side in the 42nd minute but saw her deflected effort spin off the post before the game entered seven minutes of first-half stoppage time.
Shaping as the player to make the difference for Western, Berryhill then saw another effort saved by Jenkins in the 60th minuter as the away side began to up the ante in a bid to find the equaliser.
Berryhill then found Adriana Taranto on the right and the midfielder cut inside on her left foot and curled an effort bound for the far post which was brilliantly tipped wide of the target to ensure the scoreline remained at 1-0.
Now desperately searching for the goal that would keep their season alive, Western threw everything forward in an attempt to bag the equaliser but were routinely thwarted by Jenkins in the Adelaide net.
Once again called into action, Jenkins then swatted away a Berryhill header in stoppage time to ensure her side maintained their one-goal lead until the final whistle to spark scenes of joy at Coopers Stadium.
