Graphic: Michael Alesich

Round 4 brought plenty of drama – good, bad and, unfortunately, the ugly. In amongst it, City made a comeback in the Melbourne Derby, Sydney continued their unbeaten streak and Adelaide made impact with another win.

Game of the round: Melbourne Victory 2 – 3 Melbourne City

Written by Marissa Lordanic

Playing the same opponent twice in as many rounds is a strange rarity. What could possibly change in seven days? Victory fans hoped not much, City fans hoped a lot. But no one could have foreseen what would occur at Epping Stadium on Sunday.

On the pitch, City came out with a physicality and aggression that coach Rado Vidošić said his team had been working on throughout the week. Alex Chidiac was promoted from the bench to a starting spot and was a difference maker for City. The 22-year-old opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, bursting past Victory’s defence and finishing coolly past Gaby Garton. 

City’s advantage was doubled when Claudia Bunge bungled the ball into her own net three minutes later following a probing cross from Chinatsu Kira. Victory looked to peg back the deficit but Teagan Micah was enormous between the sticks, producing sensational saves.

Mindy Barbieri provided the perfect start to the second half, producing a stunning free kick to beat Micah from the edge of the box. A few minutes later the teams were back on level terms. Catherine Zimmerman added to her tally with an effort from the edge of the box which caught everyone by surprise – including the camera. 

With the game poised on a knife’s edge, Chidiac again showed her quality. On a run through the midfield, she evaded defenders and played through Harriet Withers who scored her first W-League goal – the eventual winner. 

With a handful of minutes to go and Victory pressing for another equaliser, the game was forced to stop. Victory fans behind Micah’s goal threw glass bottles and cans onto the pitch, resulting in a lengthy delay, intervention from the ref, pleas from both captains, and warnings from security.

Arguably one of the most lively and evenly contested derbies in this fixture’s short history will, unfortunately, now be remembered for all the wrong reasons. 

 

Sydney FC 2 – 0 Western Sydney Wanderers

Written by Dale Roots

Sydney FC re-asserted its dominance in the Harbour City, commemorating captain and club legend Teresa Polias’ 150th W-League match with a comprehensive 2-0 win over cross-town rivals Western Sydney at Stadium Australia on Saturday night.

Mackenzie Hawkesby’s first-half penalty and a well-taken goal from defender Ellie Brush were enough to hand the Sky Blues victory. The margin may well have been into double figures if not for the woodwork and a number of goal-line clearances.

Wanderers were well in control of proceedings throughout the opening 20 minutes, with Jada Whyman’s fumble of a low Leena Khamis cross almost gifting the keeper’s former employers the opener after a quarter-hour.

That dominance however was undone by a clumsy foul inside the penalty box. Danika Matos brought down Princess Ibini as she cut inside from the left flank, leaving the referee no choice but to award the spot kick, which Hawkesby duly dispatched for her first W-League goal.

Western Sydney was dealt a blow – both literally and physically – in the shadows of half-time, losing captain and defensive stalwart Caitlin Cooper to a concussion after she was struck flush on the jaw by a Cortnee Vine shot on goal.

Despite missing their leader in the second half, Wanderers toiled diligently, chasing Sydney’s crisp passes through midfield and looking to shut down the Sky Blues’ attacking options.

Sydney almost had its second goal just beyond the hour mark. Wingback Ally Green hoodwinked and bamboozled defenders on a mazy run into the box, squaring the ball to Remy Siemsen to tap home from two yards out, only to watch in horror as substitute Nikola Orgill somehow cleared the ball off the line.

However there was little any Western Sydney defender could do when the second goal came moments later. Brush was perfectly placed at the back post to volley home from a corner after Teresa Polias’ in-swinging delivery rattled the crossbar and fell right at her feet.

Wanderers almost dragged a goal back with 20 minutes to play; Libby Copus-Brown did well to knock a header into the path of Khamis, but her chance was snuffed out by a well-timed clearance by the imperious Brush, putting paid to any chance of a red-and-black resurgence late on.

 

Perth Glory 1 – 2 Adelaide United 

Written by Neil Bennett 

For the second time in five days, Emily Condon was the match-winner for Adelaide as they beat Perth Glory 2-1 at Dorrien Gardens on Thursday evening.

Perth had the best of the early exchanges, but a neat passing move in the 6th minute between American Mallory Weber and Fiona Worts saw the Englishwoman smoothly tuck the ball past Lily Alfeld to put the visitors 1-0 up.

Adelaide now took control and should have doubled their lead in the 22nd minute. Condon capitalised on a terrible back pass by Sarah Morgan but managed to screw her shot wide when the goal was gaping.

The second half started as the first had left off – with Adelaide on top – but out of nowhere Glory equalised in the 53rd minute. Caitlin Doeglas played a delightful one-two with Marianna Tabain before despatching a neat left-footed shot past Sian Fryer-McLaren.

Back came Adelaide and only a superb fingertip save by Alfeld in the 73rd minute prevented Georgia Campagnale’s long-range effort from going in. 

The Reds were not to be denied though and just a minute later, María José Rojas worked some magic on the byline to pull the ball back to Weber. Her clipped cross was met by Condon, whose firm header was beyond the reach of Alfeld, to atone for her 1st half miss.

 

Newcastle Jets 1 – 1 Brisbane Roar

Written by Dale Roots

Returning winger Emily Gielnik’s well-taken second-half goal salvaged a point for Brisbane, cancelling out Newcastle midfielder Tara Andrews’ first-half header and ensuring honours were even between the two sides at Hunter Stadium on Sunday night.

Gielnik’s goal was her first of the season, and her first for the Queensland side since leaving her home state to join Melbourne Victory in 2018. The result also makes Brisbane the first team in W-League history to draw four consecutive fixtures.

Former Brisbane winger Sunny Franco has the game’s first real chance, striking the upright with a delightful chip after six minutes, before volleying the rebound just wide of Georgina Worth’s near post.

Andrews opened the scoring for Newcastle on the quarter-hour, heading Lauren Allan’s floated cross back across goal from the six-yard box to wrong-foot Worth and put the Jets in front.

Newcastle had the chance to make it two just before the break, as wingback Tessa Tamplin floated a teasing cross into the Brisbane box, forcing Worth to punch clear before Rhianna Pollicina volleyed over.

Brisbane made the Jets pay for that wastefulness eight minutes after half-time. Worth sent a long bomb downfield to Mariel Hecher, whose calm nod-on to Gielnik fell perfectly in her path, allowing the winger to slide her shot calmly past Claire Coelho to equalise.

Without a point from their opening two games, Ash Wilson’s Jets looked to harry Brisbane whenever they were in possession, with Tamplin and Gema Simon regularly stepping in off their wings into a second defensive midfield role to close down Brisbane’s forward movement.

And that industry was almost rewarded moments from the final whistle, as midfield pivot Cassidy Davis found Sophie Harding on the right flank. She beat her defender with a neat move before firing on goal, only to be again denied by the ever-stoic Worth. 

Round 5 details

All times are AEDT. 

Adelaide United vs Melbourne City at Marden Sports Complex – Thursday 21 January, 7.05pm
Brisbane Roar vs Melbourne Victory (venue TBC) – Friday 22 January, 9.05pm
Newcastle Jets vs Western Sydney Wanderers at No.2 Sportsground – Saturday 23 January, 4.05pm
Canberra United vs Perth Glory at Viking Park – Sunday 24 January, 4.05pm
Sydney – BYE

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Graphic: Michael Alesich
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