BALLARAT Eureka Strikers staged a comeback to secure a 3-1 win in an enthralling Football Federation Victoria women's state league one match on Sunday.
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The Strikers got off to a sluggish start and were punished after 14 minutes when Keilor Park striker Marissa Tisocco ghosted past the Eureka Strikers' defence with explosive pace.
The goal served as a wake-up call and the Strikers started applying more pressure after the restart.
Alyson Pym worked tirelessly to press high and offer an option up forward, but the Strikers struggled
to mount cohesive attacks.
The Strikers restructured the forward line at half-time, with Pym and Lulu Al-Huneidi playing more
central in the second half.
However, before the Strikers could capitalise, they were hit by the loss of goalkeeper Jasmina Zdelar
with a hamstring strain in the 50th minute. As a result, central defender Beth Taylor stepped up to fill in
between the posts.
The Strikers stepped up in the absence of their first-choice keeper, with Keilor failing to get a shot on
target for the rest of the game.
Ten minutes later, the Strikers had an attack breakdown but Hannah Kozaris was able to pick up the loose
ball and her shot from distance sailed over Keilor Park's goalkeeper.
At this point, the game heated up. Keilor attempted to break the deadlock by finding Tisocco in space and the one-dimensional nature of Keilor's attack allowed Ballarat's defence to organise effectively.
The Strikers started looking increasingly threatening going forward, particularly through left-midfielder Jordan Ivey, who delivered a number of threatening crosses into the box.
Al-Huneidi sent a couple of strikes just wide and Pym managed to break through, only to find the keeper with the resultant shot.
With time running out, it looked like both sides would have to settle for a draw, until Al-Huneidi was fouled just inside Ballarat's attacking half in the 90th minute.
Ivey sent the resultant free kick into to the box and found Al-Huneidi, who fired home. Al-Huneidi doubled her tally deep into injury time when she ran onto a ball sent over the Keilor defender's head.
Earlier in the day, Ballarat Eureka Strikers development squad secured a 1-1 draw, with Vanessa Yung
scoring Ballarat's goal.
Next weekend, the Strikers take on newly-promoted Yarra Jets at home.
The Jets have got their state league one campaign off to a solid start with two wins in the first two rounds and are likely to provide the Strikers with stiff competition.