A look back at the A-League Women’s round 13 ahead of round 14 this week.
Alana Jancevski’s wonderful free kick inspired Melbourne Victory to a 2-0 win over Sydney FC, who are battling to make finals. Melbourne City scraped past Western Sydney 1-0 thanks to a Holly McNamara goal, while Adelaide and Western United fought out a 1-1 draw. Ella Abdul-Massih scored a late winner in the Glory’s 3-2 defeat of Brisbane Roar in their clash in Perth on Sunday.
Sydney can still reel in finals spot says coach
Sydney FC coach Ante Juric was adamant the two-time defending champions’ season isn’t over despite a demoralising 2-0 loss to arch rivals Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park last Friday.
Alana Jancevski scored a world class free kick in the fourth minute before debutant, injury replacement player Holly Furphy, added another in the 77th minute.
Victory (27 points) claimed their second win on the bounce in the race for the premiership plate, now sitting second on the table.
But the loss leaves the two-time defending champion Sky Blues still nine points outside the top six.
Victory needed less than four minutes to take the lead.
Jancevski, an attacker pinch-hitting at left-back, stood over a free kick some 25 yards out from goal on the right-hand side.
The left footer struck the ball sweetly and it kept rising into the top corner for her fourth goal of the season.
But Jancevski suffered a ball to the head in the 18th minute and was checked again after the half-hour mark before being substituted at half-time – though Hopkins was confident she wasn’t concussed.
Sydney couldn’t take their chances and Victory made them pay.
Rachel Lowe slipped through Furphy and the youngster rounded Brianna Edwards to score a lovely goal on a tight angle.
Furphy had only been officially announced as an injury replacement signing for Paige Zois on Friday.
Victory should take confidence from the win into Saturday’s derby against City.
McNamara puts City top of ALW, Reds and Western draw
Matildas attacker Holly McNamara celebrated her first start since returning from injury by sending Melbourne City top of the table with the only goal in a 1-0 win over Western Sydney.
Elsewhere, a wonderful goal from Erin Healy highlighted Adelaide’s 1-1 draw with fellow finals contenders Western United.
City celebrated Matildas midfielder Laura Hughes’ 100th ALW match with an early goal at Wanderers Football Park.
Mariana Speckmaier did brilliantly, beating two Wanderers defenders before squaring the ball for McNamara to tap home at the far post in the 14th minute.
It was McNamara’s second goal in as many games and third for the season.
The Wanderers almost responded immediately when Danika Matos burst away, but she skied a shot over the bar.
McNamara was ginger after she was clipped in a challenge from Maya Lobo in the 18th minute but played 59 minutes – the most since her injury last season.
The Wanderers were plucky throughout the first half, keeping City’s attack at bay.
But McNamara should have doubled City’s lead shortly after halftime. Lourdes Bosch brilliantly slipped through McNamara in the 49th minute, but she dragged her shot wide.
City butchered several other chances to double their lead, but the Wanderers weren’t able to make them pay.
Adelaide needed less than nine minutes to open the scoring at the Marden Sports Complex.
Healy burst down the left then cut central, breaking between two defenders and unleashing a strike from the edge of the box that crashed home off the bar.
But Western hit back when Catherine Zimmerman combined with Chloe Logarzo before forcing the ball home for a 61st-minute equaliser.
The visitors continued to press.
Western forward Kahli Johnson chipped a chance to take the lead over the bar in the 80th minute, and teammate Mel Taranto had a 94th-minute strike deflect just wide.
It meant Adelaide secured their first ever point against Western, despite having just five shots (two on target) to the visitors’ 13 (six).
In the late game, Sheridan Gallagher had an eventful evening as she scored the equaliser for Newcastle in their 2-2 home draw with Canberra.
Gallagher was shown two yellow cards in the 15 minutes following her 72nd-minute goal.
Glory snatch last-gap win over Roar
Teenager Ella Abdul-Massih ended Perth Glory’s winless run by scoring a clutch 93rd-minute free kick to give her side a 3-2 win over Brisbane Roar.
Abdul-Massih was denied a clear goalscoring opportunity late in the game at Perth’s Sam Kerr Football Centre on Sunday and clinched victory for the Glory from the ensuing set-piece.
Referee Isabella Mossop had brandished a red card at Roar defender Holly McQueen, who cynically cut down Abdul-Massih on the edge of her box.
The win gives Perth their first victory in seven games, but they had to dig deep after Tameka Yallop had helped the Roar to a fifth-minute lead with a back-heel past Glory goalkeeper Casey Dumont.
Yallop’s strike moved her level in second place with Sam Kerr on the all-time ALW goalscoring charts.
It was her 70th ALW goal, although she remains some way off Michelle Heyman, who brought up her century last year.
Brisbane threatened to add a second goal not long after, but Perth’s frantic pressing was making things difficult for the away side.
It was through their relentless off-ball work that Perth grabbed their two first-half goals, both of which came courtesy of Caitlin Doeglas.
The first was as a result of a turnover deep in the Roar’s half where Doeglas was played in by Isobel Dalton and drove past McQueen for a well-taken finish in the 29th minute.
It took the Roar all of 90 seconds to reclaim the lead when Grace Kuilamu barged past Naomi Thomas-Chinnama and thumped the ball beyond Dumont.
But there was a further twist not long after Kuilamu’s goal as Roar goalkeeper Olivia Sekany dawdled on the ball and Doeglas pinched the ball off her and made it 2-2.
For the most part the second half was a dull affair until McQueen’s rash challenge gave Abdul-Massih the chance to win it.
She duly sealed it and Brisbane remain in fourth spot with the Central Coast hot on their tails.
The Mariners leapfrogged Wellington into fifth spot with a 1-0 win over the Kiwi outfit at Woy Woy Oval in Sunday’s earlier game.
Teenager Tiana Fuller’s long-range stunner was all that separated the two sides.
Matchday 14 – Schedule AEDT
Friday 31/1
Western United v Western Sydney Wanderers 7pm
Sydney FC v Adelaide United 7pm
Saturday 1/2
Central Coast Mariners v Newcastle Jets 4.50pm
Canberra United v Perth Glory 5pm
Melbourne City v Melbourne Victory 5pm
Sunday 2/2
Brisbane Roar v Wellington Phoenix 6pm
Standings
Teams Win Draw Loss Points
1. Melb City 8.5.0.29
2. Melb Victory 8.3.2.27
3. Adelaide Utd 7.2.4.23
4. Brisbane Roar 7.0.6.21
5. Central Coast 5.5.3.20
6. Wellington 6.1.6.19
7. Western Utd 5.4.4.19
8. Canberra Utd 5.3.5.18
9. Perth Glory 3.3.7.12
10. Newcastle Jets 2.5.6.11
11. Sydney FC 2.4.7.10
12. Western Sydney 1.3.9.6
With AAP
