Summary
Well, that’s all she, and I, wrote. Some excellent performances to speak of today, most notably by the Matildas and Ashleigh Barty. Western United will sleep soundly tonight, knowing that the team they’ve assembled is more than capable of matching it with the A-League’s elite. Also some less-than-impressive efforts today. But we’re not mentioning any names, are we Great Britain Lions? I’ve had fun but I’m now running late for an appointment with my mattress. See you next time.
A-League: FT: Western United 2-1 Western Sydney
A gutsy performance from United to come back from a goal down and take all three points as well as their maiden home victory. The result puts United level on points with the Wanderers, who tonight had their colours lowered for the first time this season. It’s still early, but both teams look capable of doing something meaningful this season.
What a start for @wswanderersfc!@mitchduke8 rolls the ball into the bottom corner after industrious work from Daniel Georgievski.
— Hyundai A-League (@ALeague) November 9, 2019
🎥 @FOXFOOTBALL #ALeague #RemembranceRound #WUNvWSW pic.twitter.com/iAG90nJP0e
Rugby Sevens: Australia 19-12 Samoa
Australia have rallied from 12 points down to beat Samoa at the Oceania rugby sevens championship to secure their spot at next year’s Olympics.
Tim Walsh’s men won 19-12 in the Olympic play-off thanks to a composed second-half lead by bench spark Henry Hutchison and captain Lewis Holland, whose late charge down and try sealed the win.
Things looked dire earlier though with Samoa scoring twice despite playing the bulk of the first half with six men.
Three times Australia coughed up possession in attacking positions and, trailing 12-0 at the break, it looked as if Australia would be scrapping for a Tokyo berth in an all-or-nothing tournament on Games eve.
Hutchison changed the narrative though, carrying with composure and scoring the first try before forcing a turnover that led to the next.
Holland missed the conversion that would have put them in front, but moments later charged down a Samoa kick and jumped on the loose ball to ensure his men would be in Tokyo next year.
A red card to Losi Filipo might have made the difference as Samoa lost 19-12 to Australia in the Oceania Sevens Olympic qualifying final. https://t.co/YxG9af1EJu
— Samoa Observer (@samoa_observer) November 9, 2019
More VAR controversy!
Newcastle coach Ernie Merrick is fuming over a VAR decision not to award a penalty after his midfielder Nick Fitzgerald had appeared to be pushed in the back in the 22nd minute of their 1-1 A-League draw with Perth.
Yet to win a match after four games this season, the Jets led 1-0 until the 86th minute when Glory’s Diego Castro popped up late to dash their hopes on Saturday at McDonald Jones Stadium.
And despite several late chances to score, including the Glory’s Alex Grant being red-carded in the 87th minute, Merrick has delivered a stunning spray at referee Jonathan Barreiro over the first-half incident.
“Before we start, let’s get the penalty out of the way. Have you ever seen a more blatant penalty? A push in the back, extended arm in the penalty box. How is that not a penalty?” Merrick said.
At half-time, Merrick was seen to approach the referee to seek clarification, but said he did not receive it.
“When he wasn’t speaking Spanish, yes I spoke to him,” Merrick continued.
“He speaks a lot of Spanish during the games and talks to the opposition a lot in Spanish. We’re in Australia, I would have thought he would be speaking English most of the time so we can all hear what he’s saying to his mates.”
A-League: 58 mins: Goal! Western United 2-1 Western Sydney Luck’s a fortune for Appiah-Kubi, who finds himself in the right spot when Gülüm’s fluffed attempt at goal falls at his feet. In the end it’s an easy shot to the right of the keeper to put United in the lead for the first time tonight.
A-League: 50 mins: Western United 1-1 Western Sydney Huge delay here with VAR holding centre stage, as VAR likes to do, ruling on whether the ball, headed by McDonald into the chest of the Wanderers keeper, has in fact crossed the line. Confusion abounds, and you can’t deny it is good theatre, but the ruling is NO GOAL. United players are convinced (of course) and so are the Fox Sports commentators, but it’s what VAR thinks that counts.
What’s the point of having technology if your still going to 🤬🤬🤬🤬 things up. Always have been always will 100% incompetent. VAR or not #wunvwsw
— Clinton Mitchell (@billyboy1984) November 9, 2019
I promised you our report on Great Britain’s rugby league loss to New Zealand in Christchurch. And I am nothing if not a man of my word.
A-League: HT: Western United 1-1 Western Sydney So, where were we? Oh, yes. Geelong. Well, since Durante’s equaliser there hasn’t been much to report. Save for yellow cards to Patrick Ziegler and Ersan Gülüm, and Kone’s injury-enforced substitution for Calver, the first half more or less fizzled out. United, however, have probably been the superior team and will be on better terms with themselves. And no Berisha? Don’t start me.
Andrew Durante's first A-League goal in 120 games! #WUFC #ForTheWest #WUNvWSW pic.twitter.com/3Yuo9dXUhn
— Western United FC (@wufcofficial) November 9, 2019
A-League: 13 mins: Goal! Western United 1-1 Western Sydney The Wanderers barely have a moment to enjoy their lead before Durante rises at the far post and heads home to restore parity.
Rugby league: FT: New Zealand 23-8 Great Britain
A pretty easy win for the Kiwis in Christchurch. I’ll have a spanking good match report for you very shortly.
Until then, I’ll leave you with this to ponder.
Congratulations to Wayne Bennett on taking England/GB from second best team in the world to sixth best in two years #GBRLLIONS #NZvGB
— Enough Of That Now (@AndyGilder) November 9, 2019
A-League: 5 mins: Goal! Western United 0-1 Western Sydney A very tidy start for the Wanderers in Geelong, with Thomas Duke finding himself on the receiving end of a nice ball from Georgievski. Duke could’ve blazed away, he could’ve gone for power, he could have fluffed it completely, but what he did was caress the ball with the inside of his right boot and curve it past the keeper. Pretty to watch.
Rugby league: FT: Fiji 22-20 Papua New Guinea
Fiji have edged Papua New Guinea 22-20 in their Oceania Cup rugby league Test in Christchurch. It was a lot closer than many had predicted but Fiji’s second-half defence ensured they clung on for victory.
After a quiet opening quarter, the game exploded into life when prop Tui Kamikamica opened the scoring for Fiji in the 22nd minute.
That set off a back-and-forward period in which both sides scored before PNG captain Rhyse Martin kicked a penalty goal on the stroke of half-time to give his side a 14-12 lead at the break.
Tries to Viliame Kikau and Ben Nakubuwai in the second spell gave Fiji a slender advantage which proved the difference. *
* Again, thanks to AAP
FULLTIME - 🇫🇯 Fiji Bati 22 🇵🇬 PNG Kumuls 20 @GBOceaniaTour @Fiji_RL @PNGRFL_Official pic.twitter.com/cEHJm45AeU
— GBOceaniaTour (@GBOceaniaTour) November 9, 2019
We’re not far away at all from the opening whistle in the A-League clash between Western United and Western Sydney Wanderers.
Teams:
Western United (3-4-3): Kurto (GK); Gulum, Durante, Chapman; Pain, Jertec, Kone, Risdon; McDonald, Diamanti, Appiah-Kubi. Subs: Scott (GK), Burgess, Hamill, Pierias, Calver, Stamatelopoulos, Vujica.
Western Sydney (4-4-2): Lopar (GK); Wilmering, Ziegler, McGowan, Georgievski; Muller, Baccus, Schwegler, Yeboah; Meier, Duke. Subs: Suman (GK), Adam, Trew, Russell, Grozos, Mourdoukoutas.
Should be a good game. The Wanderers are in fine form and the new boys haven’t been too shabby, either. I’m tipping a high-scoring draw and, in the 81st minute, a rousing rendition of Go West’s King Of Wishful Thinking by the entire crowd, players and administrative staff.
It’s certainly been a big week for women’s football in Australia, so you could be forgiven - I once had an editor who despised this turn of phrase, couldn’t understand it and never allowed it - for cutting them some slack against Chile this afternoon, especially as they were first-up after the World Cup.
But when Sam Kerr’s in your team, who needs excuses?
WBBL Round-Up
Perth have survived a massive scare to defeat Adelaide Strikers by two runs in a last-ball cliffhanger at Karen Rolton Oval.
Bridget Patterson, who played the knock of her life to drag the Strikers out of the mire, needed four to win off the final ball from Heather Graham to haul in the Scorchers’ 3-173.
But Patterson, who had crunched six fours and three sixes in her sizzling 60 from 32 balls, couldn’t quite find the rope one last time. *
Brisbane Heat have leapt to second position on the WBBL ladder after thumping Sydney Sixers by seven wickets in Saturday’s blockbuster at North Sydney Oval.
In a rematch of last season’s final, the reigning champions were untroubled in cruising past the Sixers’ modest 7-123 with 19 balls to spare, leapfrogging them and Adelaide Strikers in the standings in the process.
With her sister Grace Harris (26 not out) at the other end at the end, Laura Harris raised the Heat’s fourth successive win over the Sixers by smashing Hayley Silver-Holmes over the long-on fence for her second six.
Openers Beth Mooney and Maddy Green contributed 25 apiece and No.3 Jess Jonassen top-scored with 33 to cap a fine all-round game before the Harris sisters finished with a bang to make light work of the chase. *
A stunning masterclass from captain Jess Duffin has propelled Melbourne Renegades to a last-ball, four-wicket win over Hobart Hurricanes at CitiPower Centre in St Kilda.
With one required off the final delivery to reel in the Hurricanes’ 5-150, Maitlan Brown calmly flicked Nicola Carey past square leg for the winning run, snapping the Renegades’ three-game WBBL losing streak.
The home team was in huge trouble earlier in the chase when they slumped to 3-12 after Hobart spearhead Belinda Vakawera (2-21) had started with a wicket-maiden and proceeded to cut through the top order. But the Hurricanes simply had no answer for Duffin. *
* With thanks to Australian Associated Press.
International rugby league: 47 mins: New Zealand 20-2 Great Britain It hasn’t been a great tour of Oceania for the Lions and tonight the fans in Christchurch are being treated to the Kiwis tucking into the visitors.
Must’ve been the haka.
The New Zealand Kiwis with a FEROCIOUS haka. 🔥
— NRL on Nine (@NRLonNine) November 9, 2019
Kiwis v Lions | @9Gem#9WWOS #NRL #KiwisLions #NZvGB pic.twitter.com/zSLQAMs2OW
A-League: FT: Newcastle Jets 1-1 Perth Glory
This one’s just out of the oven. The Jets led for much of the game after Jason Hoffman’s strike after 31 minutes, but Perth were always in the contest and deservedly shared the spoils thanks to Diego Castro’s equaliser with barely four minutes of regulation time remaining. Newcastle needed a win here to lift themselves from near the rear of the ladder, but a point on the road will do the Glory nicely.
RED CARD! | Glory a man down to finish this one, Alex Grant has to go! #NEWvPER #ALeague
— FOX Sports Football (@FOXFOOTBALL) November 9, 2019
📺 Watch LIVE on Fox Sports 505
📝 Live blog: https://t.co/uHv0rOpdE6 pic.twitter.com/BXBarBXEXl
How good is Ashleigh Barty?
A straight answer to that question is: very, very good, the best female tennis player on the planet if you really want to know. A not-so-straight answer to that question is: don’t you know how good she is? Where have you been, under a rock?
Anyway, this superb player, who is looking forward to a can or two on the couch after her amazing year, gave Caroline Garcia a tennis lesson this afternoon to draw Australia level with France in the Fed Cup final. Onya, Ash.
Preamble
Good evening, sports fans. The footy seasons are over, the Test summer hasn’t yet begun, but I tells ya, it’s been a pretty big day in sport. And it’s not over yet. With the Fed Cup, WBBL, A-League, international rugby league and the mighty Matildas in action, today is ample proof that there is no such thing as a lull period in sport. I’ve got updates and results galore to bring you, but before I do that, wrap your staring gear around this.
