Illawarra Stingrays 4-1 Manly United
Manly United were defeated 4-1 by Illawarra Stingrays at Macedonia Park on Monday night.
Despite their choppy form, the Stingrays have proven themselves to be a strong side this year and are determined to play finals football. The south coast side are always a tough proposition at home, especially for Manly United, who were tasked with a two hour trip from the Northern Beaches for this game.
It was the Stingrays who got on the scoresheet first in the 27th minute, with Siobhan Edwards wrangling an opportunity for herself after a free-kick was partially blocked by Phoebe Gilbane. The number 14 found space and tucked the ball home for 1-0.
With Manly needing an equaliser, Alexia Karrys-Stahl stepped up to deliver what was certainly the goal of the round! After winning the ball from a Stingrays midfielder on the halfway line and spotting Brianna Edwards outside of her penalty area, the number 10 guided a rocket of a strike over Edwards and in for 1-1.
Following the half time break, Illawarra’s Hayley Taylor-Young sought to match Karrys-Stahl’s effort with a fine strike of her own, hitting a first-time volley that went in off the underside of the crossbar. 2-1 to the Stingrays in the 53rd minute.
A solo run and shot from Sakura Nojima in the 75th minute would extend Illawarra’s lead, as the skilful number 8 won the ball from a defender in the 18-yard box and confidently finished from a tight angle.
Danika Matos scored Illawarra’s 4th goal of the evening after being well-positioned following a corner to smash home via a deflection.
