Canberra United bounced back after their loss to Sydney last week when they defeated Perth Glory 1-0 at McKellar Park in Round 12 action of the Westfield W-League.

In doing so, Canberra have qualified for their third consecutive Final’s campaign. As with Sydney and Brisbane, Canberra is the only other team to have made the Finals in each of the three W-League seasons.

Yet, they required a draw or a win in this match and Perth were not in Canberra to make up the numbers. They too could have made the Finals had they won, but defeat paired with a 2-0 win by Melbourne over flailing Adelaide meant the team from the West finished fifth.

Canberra’s goal came two minutes from time, and with a tinge of controversy. The match had two moments where the decision by referee Kiralee Gardener went against Perth.

Mid-way through the second half the ball crossed the line and Perth striker Katie Gill claimed such. But Gardener ruled that Gill had kicked into Canberra keeper Lydia Williams while she was prone on the ground with the ball in her possession. Replays were inconclusive.

Then two minutes from the end, a ball went to the eastern touchline, on the left attacking side for Canberra. Confusion existed as to 'if' the ball was out of play or 'not', and Perth captain Tanya Oxtoby chose to believe it was - picking the ball up.

That, according to Gardener was illegal as her assistant had not flagged for the ball out of play. The resultant freekick by Emily van Egmond found Ashleigh Skyes sneaking in at the far post and heading home.

That was the sole blemish on the Perth defence and except for an Ellie Brush header being cleared off the line by Jaymee Gibbons and a Cian Maciejewski header hitting the crossbar, Canberra’s attacks were well contained, especially by Swedish international goalkeeper Tine Cederkvist.

Perth, on the other hand sent in foray after foray at the Canberra stronghold, the mastermind on most occasions being Matilda midfielder Collette McCallum.

Yet, each time either Sam Kerr, Katie Gill and later Elissa D’Ovidio got into a promising position they messed up the opportunity or sent it towards goal giving Lydia Williams little concern.

Certainly Perth were the better team on the day, but only marginally. The loss of Leah Blayney midway through the opening period did not help the hosts and their two forwards Caitlan Munoz and Michelle Heyman were somewhat ineffective during the game.

Yet Perth could not find the breakthrough and Canberra did and that was the main reason why the team from the capital will be heading to Brisbane next Saturday afternoon instead of Perth.