Tanika Lala scored a match-winning treble as Fremantle City defeated league leaders Perth RedStar 3-2 to move into the fourth place after Round 12 of the NPLWA - Women’s competition.
It was a third win in a row for Faye Chambers’ side as they leapfrogged Hyundai NTC to take their place in the top four by a point while having a game in hand.
RedStar’s second loss of the season means their lead was cut to two points after Perth SC’s win on Saturday afternoon.
Freo were full of confidence following an 8-0 win at Hilton Park last weekend and at the same venue, they took 10 minutes to hit the front. Abbey Green’s long free-kick into the box bounced up and was met by Lala, who looped a header up and over keeper Gabby Dal Busco.
RedStar were on terms midway through the first half when Momoko Sakairi lashed across the face of goal with Renee Leota on hand to turn home.
The hosts took a 2-1 lead into the break after a rare RedStar mistake which resulted in Sophie Meaden pushing through for Lala to run in, round the goalkeeper and slot into a vacant net.
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The defending champions were given a big chance to level for a second time when Janice Kiama was adjudged to have handled in the area and a penalty kick was awarded. Unfortunately for RedStar, Sarah Carroll’s spot-kick was saved by Dayle Schroeder, although they did not have to wait too long to tie it up again. Olivia Wood applied pressure on the Fremantle defence with the ball ricocheting nicely for Jayna Ridley to finish with aplomb.
The game was there for both teams to win, and it was Fremantle who inflicted RedStar’s first away defeat in the league since 2021 via a penalty awarded with 13 minutes to play. Mischa Anderson fouled her former NTC team-mate Lala, who got up and fired her spot-kick into the bottom corner past the reach of Dal Busco to continue Freo’s fine recent form.
Freo’s win was good news for Perth SC who had closed the gap on the leaders with a 4-0 win over Hyundai NTC on Saturday.
Sakura Leong was denied by a last-ditch Ruby Marshall challenge, while Baxter Thew headed against the bar in the best of the early exchanges.
Perth got a grip of the game though, and having been denied by Megan Phillips minutes prior, Sam Mathers made no mistake second time around by latching on to Sophia Papalia’s pass to score.
Samantha Brady beat Thew and Marshall prior to lashing wide of the post as NTC came close to levelling late in the half. Thew then hit the post from another corner, as the youngsters spent most of the second half on the back foot before their resistance eventually broken.
It was 2-0 on 76 minutes when Nelli Johnson was adjudged to have fouled Ella Lincoln in the box with the striker getting up to score with conviction from the spot.
Niamh Healy’s injury saw NTC reduced to 10 players for the final stages having used all of their substitutes, and Lincoln cashed in to complete a hat-trick and move top of the goalscoring charts.
The striker broke the offside trap and slotted home Perth’s third, and moments later she struck brilliantly from the edge of the box to make it 15 for the campaign which capped an important Azzurri win.
Balcatta missed an opportunity to also apply pressure on RedStar after letting slip a 3-1 lead to draw 3-3 with Subiaco at Rosalie Park.
Peter Rakic’s side led on 15 minutes when Abbey Meakins’ long-ranger was spilled by the goalkeeper with Jamie-Lee Gale netting on the rebound.
Etna had a second when Andrea Bulgaru stood up a cross which eventually fell for Rachel Jarvis to bundle in for her second goal of the season.
Subiaco responded soon after as Stella Zampogna caught out Rebecca Bennett from wide on the left with an inswinging ball curling over the goalkeeper and in.
But the visitors restored their two-goal buffer just before half-time with Meakins afforded the time to hit another effort from distance which flew in.
Subiaco had the perfect start to the second period when they stole the ball high up and Zampogna squared for Marianna Tabain to tap in.
It was game on with 51 minutes played thanks to Tabain’s screamer from 25 yards, but 3-3 was how it stayed despite Liana Cook’s strike from Gale’s pass and Tayna Campos’ blocked shot.
Greg Farrell’s side are now four points off fourth place, while Balcatta’s draw sees them end the weekend five points off RedStar with a game in hand.
Finally, UWA Nedlands moved off the bottom of the league with a 3-2 win over Murdoch University Melville.
A second victory of the season for Lawrence Lewis’ side means they are three points clear of Sunday’s opponents with nine rounds remaining.
Emily Dinsdale’s give-and-go with Michaela Thawley saw Uni’s leading scorer receive the return pass and finish low beyond the goalkeeper on 33 minutes.
The visitors doubled their lead early in the second half when Samara Riches’ lob was tipped onto the bar by Manon Gebauer with Andrea Preiato on hand to score from a metre out.
MUM FC pulled one back on 55 minutes as new signing Ella Mastrantonio lifted forward for Ellis Glanfield who beat Mackenzie Rastatter and goalkeeper Anna Watkins to score her first goal for the club.
But UWA returned serve with an immediate response as Thawley and Dinsdale combined again with the latter crossing for Riches to volley in her second goal of the campaign.
Sophie Patience’s curler from distance gave the midfielder her first goal of the campaign and MUM FC a fighting chance with 25 minutes left.
Taylor Reid’s late goal was ruled out the offside as the hosts chased an equaliser, but in the end saw UWA gain revenge on Murdoch for their defeat earlier in the season.