A Meleri Mullan brace helped secure West Adelaide their first WNPL & WSL Cup since 2014 as they recorded a memorable 3-1 win over Adelaide City at ServiceFM Stadium.
Today’s festival of Women’s Cup football was enjoyed by 2,176 fans, with the day hosting six fantastic matches spanning across the Junior Girls, Community Women’s and WNPL & WSL competitions.
The day's final match saw 2022 WNPLSA Premiers West Adelaide take on a talented Adelaide City squad who were eager to secure cup glory.
Adelaide City looked the hungry of the two sides upon the beginning of the encounter, with the team securing an early 1-0 lead through attacker Katie Bowler who was able to glide past the oncoming Annalee Grove in West Adelaide’s net, providing her with an open net to gain the afternoon's first goal in the eleventh minute.
Falling behind early, West Adelaide was hungry to utilise incredible their attacking prowess, with the team committing numerous players forward to find the equaliser. Racheal Quigley was unlucky not to level the score in the 18th minute as her diving header was blocked by Adelaide City defender Zoe Tolland.
Throughout the opening 40 minutes, Adelaide City produced a defensive masterclass as their players put their bodies on the line to withhold the quality of the West Adelaide attack, which saw their opposition becoming continuously frustrated.
Minutes before the half-time break, West Adelaide’s found their equaliser through Meleri Mullan, as the team's high press saw Georgia Macri pinch the ball inside the Adelaide City box, ultimately leading to Mullan converting into an open net.
Coming out from the break, West Adelaide looked the most dangerous of the two sides, with the WNPLSA Premiers producing various golden opportunities to take an early lead, including a Nicole Blackett free kick that was palmed away from the top corner only minutes into the restart.
Continuously proving a major threat, West Adelaide was growing increasingly frustrated as they saw numerous opportunities throughout the opening 25 minutes of the second half go to waste.
West Adelaide took the lead for the first time in the match as Meleri Mullan produced a moment of brilliance, as her strike from outside the box found the top corner of the Adelaide City net, giving West Adelaide a 2-1 lead in the 70th minute.
However, their lead was momentarily in jeopardy, as Adelaide City’s Katie Bowler was fouled inside the box, earning her team a penalty and a chance to level the scores only minutes after falling behind. Annalee Grove was the hero for West Adelaide, as the goalkeeper saved the oncoming penalty by Adelaide City’s Dylan Holmes, keeping the score at 2-1.
Racheal Quigley put the nail in the coffin as she found the back of the net, as the ball found her feet after a Maddie Durieu deflected, with Quigley remaining calm to convert West Adelaide’s third and final goal.
West Adelaide’s 3-1 victory capped off another fantastic day of football at ServiceFM Stadium. Earlier in the day we saw Adelaide University secure the Under 13 Girls Cup, Modbury Vista win the Under 15 Girls Cup and Division 1/2/3 Cup, while Adelaide Hills were the winners of the Under 17 Girls Cup, with Northern Wolves crowned Division 4/5 Cup winners.
West Adelaide: 3(Meleri MULLAN 41', Meleri MULLAN 70', Racheal QUIGLEY 90')
Adelaide City: 1(Katie BOWLER 11')
Venue: ServiceFM Stadium
Date: 14/08/2022 03:00
West Adelaide Substitutes: Harriet BURNETT on Meleri MULLAN off(73'), Siena COVINO on Georgia MACRI off(90+3')
Adelaide City Substitutes: Daniela DI BARTOLO on Sophie LESZCZYNSKI off(46'), Florence RUSSELL on Valeria GUAJARDO off(66'), Yasmina KASUMOVIC on Mawa SUMAORO