Canberra United 6 (Carpenter 3′, Thorsnes 37′, 47′, 54, Sykes 43′, Roestbakken 54′) def. Adelaide United 1 (Mautz 11′)
A sublime hattrick from Norwegian forward Elise Thorsnes has lead Canberra United to a 6-1 victory over Adelaide United in Westfield W-League Round 10. Thorsnes was aided by goals from Ellie Carpenter, Ashleigh Sykes and Karly Roestbakken as Alyssa Mautz registered an early score for the visitors.
Canberra stated their intent from the beginning as Toni Pressley’s half-way effort from kick off ricocheted off the crossbar, and it took only three minutes for the hosts to open the scoring.
Laura Bassett played a first time pass over the Adelaide defence and down the left wing, and Michelle Heyman gave chase. She gathered, cut into the box and rolled the ball back to Carpenter who drove her shot past Sarah Willacy and into the bottom corner.
It took only eight minutes for Adelaide to draw level though as Emily Condon broke down the wing, and in an almost carbon copy of the first goal, slid the ball across for Mautz to tuck home. Adelaide looked to take the initiative during the middle of the half as they pressed for the go ahead goal, but instead the hosts made the breakthrough.
Sykes blazed a path down the right flank and whipped a low cross in that was behind Amy Sayer racing through, but Thorsnes was unmarked at the back post and smashed it home to steal the advantage.
She turned provider shortly after, whipping in a cross from the left that Sykes met with a powerful header to send the hosts into the break two goals ahead.
Heather Garriock’s side came out of the blocks looking to extend the lead after half-time, and it took only two minutes to make good on that.
Sykes again was at the heart of the goal; she gathered the ball near the corner of the box before cutting past her defender towards the byline. Her fizzing cross rebounded off the upright and past everyone to the penalty area, from where Thorsnes thumped the ball into the roof of the net for her side’s fourth.
Canberra were cruising and Adelaide were shellshocked, and Canberra pushed forward again. With 54 minutes played Amy Sayer beat an opponent before playing a one-two with Heyman at the top of the area. Sayer left the return ball for Karly Roestbakken though, and the young full-back struck a fierce effort at Willacy who could only parry it behind her and into the net.
Not even a minute later Thorsnes latched onto an errant Adelaide pass and burst through on goal before tidily slotting into the far corner to seal her hat-trick and the scoreline.
Adelaide did not lie down though, and an entertaining personal battle ensued between Alex Chidiac and Haley Kopmeyer, with the Canberra custodian making a number of brilliant saves to deny Adelaide’s talented youngster in the second half.
Canberra now turn their attention to Western Sydney Wanderers at home next week, anxiously awaiting news on Clare Hunt who went down awkwardly at the back during the second half.
