Leon Shines Bright as Adelaide Dominates Wellington Phoenix to Secure Victory

Before the match, Adelaide faced an unfortunate setback with news that Emily Condon had to sit out due to an injury sustained in training. Despite this, Adrian Stenta’s team quickly found their rhythm and struck first.

Timing her run impeccably, Tonkin charged towards the back post and connected with Holmes’ corner, powering her header past Vilao and into the net.

Tonkin almost scored again in the 13th minute when Vilao fumbled a free kick from Fiona Worts inside the six-yard box. Just a minute later, Vilao had to spring into action once more as Chelsie Dawber, through some brilliant work from Worts, faced her one-on-one but could only hit the side netting—a significant let-off for the Nix.

In a similar situation to the 13th minute, Vilao again misjudged a Worts free kick. Fortunately for her, Tonkin could only manage a toe poke at the follow-up, while an opportunistic attempt from Dawber in the 33rd minute crashed off the crossbar.

Despite their impressive play, Adelaide’s slim lead was in jeopardy when an error in their own half proved costly just before the break.

Ferguson intercepted a poor pass from Matilda McNamara, outmaneuvered Tonkin, and calmly lobbed the ball over Reds keeper Claudia Jenkins, who found herself stranded outside the box.

Adelaide re-established their lead in the 56th minute, and whether by design or fortuitously, Leon’s goal made it 2-1.

Receiving the ball wide on the right, Leon looked set to deliver a cross, but her strike sailed perfectly over Vilao and into the back of the net instead.

Shortly after, Worts sought to make it 3-1; however, her powerful shot was expertly tipped over the bar by Vilao.

The keeper again proved her worth from the ensuing corner, managing to palm the ball away before Tonkin fired the rebound wide of the goal.

As the match progressed, Vilao continued to make crucial saves, most notably tipping a header from McNamara onto the bar, as Wellington fought to keep their hopes alive.

Things took a complicated turn in the 76th minute when referee Beth Rattray awarded a penalty to Adelaide after initially allowing play to continue.

A seeking ball over the Wellington defence saw Dawber getting in front of Tiana Jaber, whose attempt to clear the ball led to an accidental kick to Dawber’s face. Rattray called for a medical break but then chose to award the penalty after the drinks break, issuing a yellow card to Jaber. However, Worts saw her penalty brilliantly saved by Vilao.

Undeterred by the missed opportunity to extend their lead, Adelaide’s Worts hit the bar again from a corner before the away side secured their three points.

Wellington’s defence struggled to cope with yet another set-piece, as Maya McCutcheon headed the ball across the six-yard box directly to Leon, who reacted swiftly to poke it past Vilao, sealing the win for Adelaide.