Salvestrin strikes early as the Reds earn a hard-fought point at Lakeside Stadium

Adelaide United made a fast start in Melbourne, with Tessa Salvestrin putting the visitors in front inside three minutes from the spot.

Victory pulled level through Ella O’Grady in the 35th minute after a feisty opening half, but United held firm from there, organised and disciplined through the second half, to bring a point back from Lakeside Stadium.

First half

Adelaide United made the ideal start at Lakeside Stadium, winning a penalty inside two minutes when Angela Beard fouled in the Victory area. Tessa Salvestrin converted it in the third minute with a right-footed shot into the centre of the goal to make it 1-0 to the Reds.

United kept the pressure on. Claudia Cicco’s right-footed shot from the right side of the box was saved by Ayana Aoyagi in the seventh minute, and in the same minute Kiera Meyers sent a left-footed effort from the centre of the box too high after a Salvestrin cross. Salvestrin then tried her luck from outside the box on 10 minutes, but her right-footed shot missed to the left.

The contest turned feisty between the 18th and 30th minutes. Kayla Morrison was booked for a foul on 18 minutes, and on 21 Melissa Taranto and Ella O’Grady were both cautioned after an argument, with Paige Zois following a minute later. Alana Jančevski was booked for a foul on 28 and Tianna Harris on 30.

Melbourne Victory went close through Sienna Saveska on 24 minutes, but Ilona Melegh saved her left-footed shot in the bottom left corner. Harris sent a right-footed effort high and wide on 26 and Meyers had a left-footed shot blocked on 32, before Lara Gooch’s right-footed shot from outside the box on 34 minutes was close, but missed to the left after a pass from Adriana Taranto.

The hosts levelled in the 35th minute, O’Grady shooting left-footed from the centre of the box into the bottom right corner to make it 1-1. Holly Murray replaced the injured Isabella Yakel on 41 minutes, Skye Leach put a right-footed shot from very close range high and wide in first-half stoppage time, and the sides went in level at the break after five added minutes.

Second half

Adelaide United made a change at the restart, with Chelsie Dawber replacing Lara Gooch, and the Reds were soon defending Melbourne Victory’s early pressure. Alana Jančevski put a left-footed shot from the centre of the box just past the top right corner in the 52nd minute, after a Holly Furphy cross.

Ilona Melegh was called into action on 57 minutes, saving Skye Leach’s left-footed effort from outside the box in the top centre of the goal. Two minutes later Emilia Makris replaced Tessa Salvestrin, who went off injured, and Victory brought on Sophie Harding for Ella O’Grady on 63 minutes. Jančevski then sent another left-footed shot, this time from the left side of the box, just wide of the left post in the 67th minute.

Holly Murray was shown a yellow card for a foul on 70 minutes, but the Reds stayed organised, and Nickoletta Flannery replaced Jančevski for the hosts two minutes later. United went close to a second goal in the 73rd minute, when Kiera Meyers hit the right post with a right-footed shot from the right side of the box, and a minute later Carina Rossi and India Breier came on for Melissa Taranto and Paige Zois to bring fresh legs for the closing stages.

The Reds pushed forward from there. Makris headed wide from the centre of the box on 75 minutes after a Breier cross following a corner, Dawber’s right-footed shot from the centre of the box was blocked on 78 after a Tianna Harris pass, and after Grace Maher had come on for Sienna Saveska, Rossi’s effort from outside the box was also blocked on 86 minutes after a Claudia Cicco pass.

A United player was cautioned for dissent on 88 minutes, and Victory had their moments as four minutes of added time were announced, Kayla Morrison’s header blocked by Murray before Melegh saved Alicia Woods’ shot from outside the box. Makris came close at the other end in the second added minute, her right-footed shot from very close range missing to the left after another Breier cross, and the final whistle confirmed a 1-1 draw and a hard-fought point on the road.

Full time

A point on the road at Lakeside Stadium is a credible result for the Reds, even if the early lead could not be carried through to full time. United outshot Victory 12 to nine and Melegh made three saves to keep the contest level, but the Club will also be honest that only two of those efforts hit the target to Victory’s four, and that the hosts held 53.7 per cent of the possession. It was a scrappy, hard-fought afternoon in which the Reds stayed organised and gave Victory very little to build on after the break, extending United’s run to 21 A-League Women matches without defeat when scoring first.

The head-to-head record puts the draw in context. In previous meetings Victory have 24 wins to United’s six, with three draws, so leaving Melbourne with a share of the points is a result the Club can take real credit for. The challenge now is to turn more of those shots into efforts on target, while keeping the resilience and discipline that earned this point, and to build on the performance in the matches ahead.

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