Late drama and individual brilliance have helped Canberra United rise from the dead and earn their first point of the A-League Women season.
Down 3-1 to the Brisbane Roar after 85 minutes, United struck twice through Grace Maher and Holly Caspers to take a dramatic 3-3 draw at Viking Park on Thursday evening.
The enthralling contest looked well and truly over until Maher blasted home a stunning free kick from more than 25 yards out on 86 minutes to give her side a sniff.
And she almost repeated the trick from even further out minutes later which drew a desperate save.
But chaos ensued in injury-time as a hopeful ball was placed home by Caspers, completing the comeback.
United’s Allira Toby, who starred in showing some delightful attacking take-ons and delicate passes, said the draw could prove season-defining.
“Today’s the start of our season; we really needed that point, we’re ready and I think we’re going to finish well this season,” she said.
“We’ve all been disappointed with our start, so to come out here and actually fight back and get a point is exactly what we needed. It’s only up from here.”
Toby had created Michelle Heyman’s 10th-minute opener, cutting inside from her left wing and delivering an inch-perfect pass for the captain to sweep home.
On her United debut, the former Brisbane and Sydney forward suggested there was far more to come.
I love playing next to Michelle and all the girls behind us. I can’t wait to get fitter and be out there for longer,” she said.
The Roar had levelled the game on 23 minutes as a back pass from United’s Karly Roestbakken bobbled as goalkeeper Keeley Richards went to kick the ball, resulting in an air swing and an embarrassing own goal.
Its second goal was far classier, as an intricate one-two between Anna Margraf and Larissa Crummer resulted in a shot that spilled from Richards to Shea Connors, who prodded it home from two yards.
Having helped create that goal, Margraf found her own in the second half, giving the ball a whack from outside the box before a deflection ensured it snuck in at the back post.
Both sides now have one point for the ALW season.
Canberra coach Vicki Linton said her side only had itself to blame for not claiming full points.
“I love to see that spirit again to get a result right at the end, but we shouldn’t have put ourselves in that position,” she said.
“It was a bit later than I would have liked, but I’m just glad for the players they got something out of that game, I think we deserved that from our first three games.”
By Alex Mitchell in Canberra
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