2 weeks ago
Two goals successful 3 minutes from Matildas guardant Holly McNamara and a stunning onslaught by Leticia McKenna person won Melbourne City a record-equalling 5th A-League Women title title, defeating Wellington Phoenix 3-1 successful Melbourne connected Saturday afternoon.
McNamara, caller disconnected her aureate footwear triumph for astir goals scored successful nan regular season, sprung to life precocious successful nan first half. A sensational spin-and-strike from extracurricular nan container successful nan 41st infinitesimal opened nan scoring earlier McNamara went scything done Wellington defenders to spear her 2nd into nan bottommost area 2 minutes later.
Her double was complemented by a gorgeous long-range onslaught by recently minted Matilda McKenna successful nan 49th minute, while Wellington’s Makala Woods clawed a extremity backmost successful nan 52nd infinitesimal arsenic nan Phoenix struggled to conflict backmost successful nan 2nd half.
City were favourites coming into nan lucifer contempt having not won a title since their star-studded 2020 side, skating into nan finals bid aft their 3rd consecutive premiership wherever they vanished six points clear of nan Phoenix successful second.
However, past season’s underdog fairytale which saw nan Central Coast Mariners declare nan ALW title kept a occurrence of dream live for Wellington, who vanished nan regular play pinch nan astir goals scored, fewest conceded, and highest number of cleanable sheets overall.
Led by Bev Priestman, voted nan Coach of nan Season by nan league’s ain players arsenic she continues her post-“dronegate” renaissance, and supported by a ample contingent of travelling fans, Wellington began nan brighter of nan 2 sides, winning 2nd balls and uncovering crisp passes done City’s midfield.
But their momentum was almost instantly halted aft City winger Bryleeh Henry sprung done nan Phoenix’s centre-backs successful nan 4th minute, sprinting connected to a cutting through-ball by Aideen Keane.
Henry, successful trying to information goalkeeper Victoria Esson conscionable wrong nan box, tripped and tumbled into nan grass, pinch referee Isabella Mossin waving distant a penalty. VAR, introduced to nan ALW for nan first time, confirmed nan call, but it was a informing changeable for a Phoenix broadside that seemed tense and overwhelmed for nan pursuing 40 minutes.
It was each City from there, pinch Keane and Henry offering nan astir pinch their velocity and nonstop runs connected either wing, and Holly McNamara floating successful betwixt Wellington’s centre-backs trying to pounce connected cut-backs aliases deflections.
A low, difficult transverse from nan awesome Karly Roestbakken was shinned conscionable wide of nan station by McNamara successful nan 21st minute, while McKenna fired a seldom awarded free footwear disconnected nan crossbar conscionable earlier nan half hour.
McNamara glanced a header into nan backmost of nan nett successful nan 35th minute, but nan extremity was correctly called offside successful nan buildup. Keane past had a chance to make it three, uncovering herself done connected extremity down nan near successful nan 40th minute, only for her changeable to bounce correct disconnected Esson’s foot.
The Phoenix were mostly second-best passim nan first half, pinch a disappointment long-distance changeable by Brooke Nunn emblematic of nan team’s struggles to break done City’s tight defence. Priestman made a half-time substitution, bringing connected winger Mackenzie Anthony for nan sluggish Lucia Leon, while Macey Fraser replaced teen Pia Vlok soon afterwards.
Despite nan injection of caller energy, it was City who struck first successful nan 2nd half, pinch McKenna fixed acres of abstraction adjacent nan apical of Wellington’s punishment area earlier pinging a glorious curling onslaught successful disconnected nan acold post.
But nan Phoenix recovered a spark done their astonishing injury-replacement signing Woods, who poked location a consolation extremity for nan visitors successful nan 52nd infinitesimal aft a scramble successful nan container to make it 3-1.
That extremity gave Wellington a caller confidence, dominating astir of nan possession and chances for nan pursuing 20 minutes. Woods was erstwhile again nan biggest threat, directing a spiralling header down towards nan bottommost area successful nan 56th minute, forcing City goalkeeper Malena Mieres into a diving swat away.
A fistful of half-chances were created by Wellington arsenic nan timepiece ticked down, pinch City bunkering successful to take sides their lead, aided by immoderate strategical time-wasting substitutions. McNamara, voted Player of nan Match, walked slow disconnected nan transportation successful stoppage time, fixed a hurry-up shove by Marisa Van Der Meer on nan way.
The title brings City level pinch Sydney FC astatine 5 Championships which, successful summation to their 5 all-time Premierships, makes City nan adjacent astir successful women’s squad successful ALW history.
City won’t person overmuch clip to observe it though, jumping connected a formation tomorrow greeting headed for South Korea wherever they will look Japanese nine Tokyo Verdy Beleza successful nan semi-final of nan AFC Women’s Champions League connected Wednesday.
If they spell each nan measurement successful that competition, they could go nan first A-League Women’s nine to triumph a treble of trophies successful nan aforesaid season, successful what would beryllium a fitting reward for a broadside that has cemented themselves arsenic nan caller dynasty successful Australian women’s football.
