Teigen Allen was one of Western Sydney's best | Credit: Eric Berry Teigen Allen was one of Western Sydney's best | Credit: Eric Berry

Adelaide United fell just minutes short of repeating an unexpected win over the Western Sydney Wanderers in the opening round of the W-League.

A late Catherine Cannuli goal cancelled out Alex Gummer's first half strike to see the home team snatch a win out of the hands of the visitors.

In what was a scrappy affair, the Western Sydney Wanderers started the match confidently but for all their possession they struggled to find a way through the Adelaide defence.

Despite the storming runs of Teigen Allen on the right wing and Rachael Soutar down the left, the patterns of Wanderers play soon had an air of predictability about them that made it easier for the Reds to clear the lines.

Emily van Egmond had plenty of the ball and although she was able to pick out Jenna Kingsley, Michelle Carney and Cannuli time and again, it was either out wide, and forcing a cross in, or the strikers were too deep.  As a result many of the Wanderers chances barely ruffled Melissa Barbieri's feathers.

That changed with the introduction of Linda O'Neill who, in a cameo role, provided that creative spark missing.  It was no coincidence that presence on the park led to Barbieri finally required to produce some saves.

With the likes of Heather Garriock, Servet Uzunlar, Alanna Kennedy and Kyah Simon seated in the grandstand (and shouting the occasional instructions), the Wanderers were a study in how one or two top  players off the park can see a team come back to the field.

That's to take nothing away from a promising performance from Adelaide United.  In several periods of the match Ross Aloisi's new young side demonstrated that this version of United may not be the easy beats contemplated.

In those phases, the Lady Reds were composed, sharp in their passing and good with their touch.  Led by the indefatigable Kristy Moore, with Laura Stockdale providing the steel, the midfield posed a number of incisive questions to the Wanderers.

Most promising was the adventure in their attacks as they looked to play between the lines and hit their forwards where they could turn and do the most damage.

As a result, a number of times they found themselves in behind the Wanderers defence with only Dimi Poulos to beat.  With the Wanderers 1-0 down and chasing the game, this tactic worked to their advantage although Tegan Riding and Moore were unable to convert gilt edge chances with an open goal beckoning.

In saying that, they also gave the ball away too cheaply in the middle of the park and sometimes under very little pressure.  Large holes were left in a midfield courtesy of the midfield line sitting too deep.  Maybe it was to assist the defence but it meant that an transition to attack was too slow, at least until the match opened up late.

Defensively Melissa Barbieri demonstrated how invaluable a good goalkeeper is.  Not just in her decision making to head off Western Sydney attacks but also in her organisation of the defence.  Defensively the Wanderers require a greater work rate from their full backs.  The Wanderers were constantly able to create space down their flanks to put in crosses.  Against teams with more accurate delivery, that could prove costly.

This was a match of two teams trying to find their way in the first round of the season. There were positives for both but still plenty for them to work on.