United Media spoke to Theo Tsiounis after Adelaide United recorded a thrilling 5–2 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday night in a Christmas cracker.
Goals from Emily Hodgson, Chelsie Dawber, a debut strike from Paige Zois, and a superb brace from Erin Healy sealed the points in a match that had everything, as the Reds delivered a statement performance to close out the year in style.
Tsiounis on a night to remember
“Yeah, it had a bit of everything. It was nice to capitalise on some key moments early on, and going into halftime 3–0 gives you a little bit of security. Still a dangerous scoreline, but also rewarding. The first half was pretty good – we created opportunities, limited their threats, and managed the game well. In the second half, Wanderers scored early which changed things a bit, but we were able to take our chances and put the game to bed.”
Tsiounis on the process paying off
“If you can continue to get the ball into the right areas and get players into the right spaces at the right time, goals will come. Today was a good example of that. The girls were excellent with their runs in behind, finding pockets, and getting good numbers in the box – things we’ve really focused on in recent weeks. It was pleasing to see that come to life.”
Tsiounis on standout goals and performances
“To score five goals in any game is outstanding. Paige’s debut goal was fantastic – she’s worked incredibly hard for a long period of time and was excellent, especially in the first half. She was calm on the ball, found passes, and she’s got a great connection with it. Erin Healy is just so consistent for us – she’s hard to nullify, creates space, and finishes well. She’s the full package.”
Tsiounis on Chelsie Dawber getting her reward
“She’s a true believer in hard work. The last couple of weeks at training she’s been exceptional, really pushing herself, and naturally that carries into games. She was rewarded tonight, and it was great to see her get on the scoresheet. She probably could’ve had a couple more as well.”
Tsiounis on squad changes and youth opportunities
“Opportunities are important, especially for young players. The club has a strong philosophy around that, and Illy is a great example. She’s got tremendous talent and I’m willing to give her those opportunities. She made some great saves and showed real quality – overall, I was really pleased.”
Tsiounis on confidence heading into the new year
“This win came at the right time. We’ve had some positive moments across recent games but lacked the final product. Tonight, things fell our way. If you keep working hard and trusting what you’re doing, it’s only a matter of time before things come together. It’s a great way to finish the year and build confidence moving forward.”
