A-League Women: Perth Glory draw 1-1 with Sydney FC as Caitlin Doeglas scores in sensational comeback

Caitlin Doeglas completed an extraordinary return to the A-League Women mere hours after her comeback was revealed — but Perth Glory were still held to a 1-1 draw by Sydney FC. Doeglas marked her first Glory game in almost four years with a goal, her first-half strike giving Perth a lead, only for Lucy Johnson to equalise from distance and ensure the points were shared at Sam Kerr Football Centre. Less than eight hours after her return to her hometown club as an injury replacement player was announced, Doeglas completed a fairytale homecoming after sensationally being given a start, snatching her first Glory goal since March 2021. But Johnson’s excellent strike lifted Sydney’s morale and they were the better of the two sides after the break, although Perth pushed hard for a late winner to little avail. The draw did little to help either side, with Perth still nursing a three-point lead Sydney, but occupying 10th spot on the ladder and five points off the pace of the finals race. Amid a raft of injuries, Perth started strongly and looked comfortable playing the ball out from the back and working their way into Sydney’s half, with Georgia Cassidy prominent early. Sydney’s early chances came in isolation, but when opportunities did fall well, Casey Dumont was the reason Perth did not fall behind. Firstly the goalkeeper saved well from Shea Connors, and then a few minutes later she pawed the ball away from the Sydney striker one-on-one after she beaten the offside trap. But the Glory took a deserved lead in the 24th minute, when Miku Sunaga’s deep cross was not well read by goalkeeper Tahlia Franco, allowing Gabby Hollar to square the ball for Doeglas to finish. Perth looked good value for the lead at half time, but the Sky Blues had other ideas and Johnson’s speculative long-range effort sailed into the top corner in the first minute of stoppage time – the eighth goal from outside the box the Glory have conceded this season. If the hosts had looked the better team in the first half, it was Sydney who emerged from the change rooms with a spring in their step and as the sun went down and the moon came out, they began to turn the tide in their favour. The midfield battle was won by the visitors in the second half, and suddenly Perth found the going tough, their sights on goal drying up as they were afforded just the occasional foray forward. Once again, it was Dumont who came to Perth’s rescue as Sydney looked to make their advantage count as the ‘keeper foiled Mackenzie Hawkesby from close-range in the 74th minute, before pushing Princess Ibini’s attempt away less than 60 seconds later. As the game became stretched late, structure took a back seat as the two sides chased the game and twice late, Cassidy came close to snatching winners for Perth with dangerous free-kicks.