A single goal from Stephanie Ochs kept Canberra top of the Westfield W-League.
OCHS STRIKE SINKS LADY REDS
Sunday 21st September 2014
Adelaide United 0 Canberra United 1 (Stephanie Ochs 61’)
(Adelaide Shores Football Centre, Adelaide)
It may not have been the prettiest of victories but Canberra United’s 1-0 win over Adelaide United at the Adelaide Shores Football Centre was enough to keep the green team at the top of the Westfield W-League ladder after two rounds. A single goal, netted by US import Stephanie Ochs just past the hour mark, proved sufficient to claim the points in a game that was dominated by the respective midfields.
Ochs’ moment of class was her seventh goal in fourteen outings for Canberra and it was little surprise that it was her strike-partner Michelle Heyman who provided the assist. Heyman had started the season well with a double against the Western Sydney Wanderers in Round 1 and her pace and direct running caused the Lady Reds a number of problems and it was from one of these penetrating bursts that the match was won.
Heyman’s power and poise saw her burst past her marker into the area and cut the ball back to the waiting Ochs who made no mistake in opening the scoring, picking her spot and confidently slotting past Melissa Barbieri in the Adelaide goal. In truth it was nothing more than Canberra deserved after being the better of the two sides for most of the ninety minutes and certainly creating the more presentable opportunities.
Indeed, the visiting team should have been in front early in the first half when referee Katie Patterson awarded them a spot-kick for a rash challenge on the ever elusive Heyman who had darted at pace into the area. Caitlin Munoz took the responsibility and struck the penalty well only to see the ball crash back off the upright and away to safety much to the distraught midfielder’s annoyance.
For their part the Lady Reds made one or two forays into the Canberra half with the feisty Lisa-Marie Woods a combative presence throughout the match. The hard-running Kristy Moore offered a willing outlet in the final third for the Reds with Jenna McCormick and Tiarn Powell also enjoying good matches in what was turning into a dogged battle of attrition but one which United slogged out to claim a vital win.
Ochs formed a deadly partnership with Heyman last W-League season but, when she returned to her US club Houston, she was switched to left-back. Migchelsen thought that was a waste of her striker’s skills as she told the Canberra Times afterwards. “She probably could play both positions but, with her strength and her speed and power, it’s better for us to play her up front than at the back,” Migchelsen said. “It will take some time for her [to adjust back to attack] but she will manage it in the coming weeks. I’m confident she will work it out.”
STATISTICS
Adelaide United: 1. Melissa BARBIERI, 4. Lauren STEER, 5. Jessie WHAREPOURI (14. Rachel ALONSO 63’), 7. Katrine PEDERSEN, 8. Emily CONDON (10. Alexandra CHIDIAC 75’), 9. Lisa-Marie WOODS, 11. Isabel HODGSON, 15. Jenna MCCORMICK, 16. Katie HOLTHAM (6. Dylan HOLMES 69’), 17. Tiarn POWELL, 23. Kristy MOORE
Substitutes not used: 20. Sarah WILLACY
Canberra United: 1. Chantel JONES, 2. Catherine BROWN, 5. Grace FIELD, 6. Caitlin MUNOZ, 7. Ellie BRUSH, 11. Michelle HEYMAN, 13. Nicole BEGG (9. Grace GILL 80’), 14. Ashleigh SYKES, 16. Lori LINDSEY, 18. Rebecca KITING, 22. Stephanie OCHS (17. Holly HOUSTON 90+2’)
Substitutes not used: 3. Julia DE ANGELIS, 20. Melissa MAIZELS
Discipline: YELLOW CARDS: 11. Michelle HEYMAN, 16. Lori LINDSEY (Canberra United)
Referee: Katie PATTERSON
