Five-star performance keeps Brisbane’s finals hopes alive

Brisbane Roar 5-2 Perth Glory

by Alice de Koster-Kitto (27/3/26)

Above: Momo Hayashi celebrates after scoring one of the two goals she scored tonight against the Perth Glory. Photo: via the A-Leagues.

A match full of end-to-end action saw Brisbane Roar take the points against Perth Glory in the penultimate round of the Ninja A-League. There was no shortage of action at Spencer Park – with 7 goals between the two sides –  however after 90 minutes of thrilling and unpredictable football, it was the hosts who held onto the win by five goals to two. Their goals came from Aimee Medwin, Kijah Stephenson, Tameka Yallop and a double from Momo Hayashi.

The Glory were thrown a spanner in the works just before kick off. Glory keeper Teresa Morrissey was scheduled to start; however Dayle Schroeder ended up making her A-League debut when Morrissey was ruled out in the last minute.

Perth took the first chance of the game when Megan Wynne made a pass that just missed the boot of Rola Badawiya, who was well within range.

Despite the Glory having the better chances early on, it was Brisbane who held the possession in the opening minutes, as the Roar were able to dominate the ball and regain control of the match in the face of Perth’s attacking strength.

The Glory continued to get forward, with a Badawiya goal feeling inevitable. However Chloe Lincoln – who makes her first appearance since returning from her campaign at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup – was not making it easy for the visitors.

Eventually Brisbane broke through with a Medwin header off a corner from Angie Beard, putting the hosts ahead at the 20th minute.

There were continued efforts at both ends, with Roar taking the dominant edge as they chased their second. Their efforts were rewarded at the 32nd minute when captain Hayashi reached the back of the net from inside the box.

Bente Jansen came close to finding the third for the hosts, but didn’t have the right footing to create a real opportunity.

Although possession was fairly even and Perth had the better of the early chances, the game became increasingly Roar’s for the taking, with Glory appearing more passive on the ball as halftime approached.

Just moments before the halftime whistle, a Julia Sardo header gave Perth Glory one back, leaving the score 2-1 to Brisbane at the break.

The 48th minute saw a phenomenal goal, which was a long time coming from Badawiya, earning an equaliser for Glory.

A clash between Alicia Woods and Isobel Dalton sent Dalton down, causing a momentary pause in play, leaving Perth with 10 players, as there was a fair amount of initial concern for the captain.

Brisbane managed to capitalise on the absence of the Perth Glory captain, taking back their lead with a magnificent shot from distance from Stephenson.

With 5 goals before the hour mark, and an incredible display of reactive tactics across the pitch, the game remained unpredictable. Despite the Roar holding the lead, Perth’s response displayed a determination to find another equaliser, and the Glory continued creating chances to do so.

However the Roar then furthered their lead with a Hayashi free kick, following a foul on Woods by Dalton.

In late drama, Schroeder was taken down with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, halting play momentarily.

In the final minutes of additional time, it was Yallop who made it 5 for the hosts, sealing Brisbane’s win.

The visitors fought tirelessly to the end to find another goal, however there were no real chances to be found, and it was Brisbane who took the points.

The win leaves Brisbane in fifth on the ladder, a position the Roar will be desperate to hold onto as they face Canberra United at McKellar Park next week if they wish to get their first taste of finals football since 2021.

Meanwhile Perth Glory will head home to take on Melbourne Victory next week, and will undoubtedly be looking for any points they can get.

BRISBANE ROAR (4-2-3-1): Lincoln, Medwin, Beard, Cuthbert, Studer, Hayashi, Woods, Meyers, Miller, Stephenson, Jansen. Substitutes: Campbell, Franco, Hanson, Kinsella, Piazza, Yallop.

Goals: Medwin 20’, Hayashi 32’, 65’, Stephenson 57’, Yallop 90+7’

PERTH GLORY (4-3-3): Schroeder, Johnston,McKenna, Zogg, Sardo, Cassidy, Dalton, Tolvar, Badawiya, Hollar, Wynne. Substitutes: O’Donoghue, Anderson, Abdul Massih, Lincoln, Wainwright, Morrissey.

Goals: Sardo 45+2’, Badawiya 49’

Referee: Rachael Mitchenson.

Attendance: 2,044.

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“Pressure is a privilege.” Perth Glory’s Stephen Peters and Gabby Hollar preview finals decider against Brisbane Roar. 

Above: Gabby Hollar speaks to the media. Image: Perth Glory.

By Ella McShane (26/3/2026)

As Australia takes a breath to process the Asian Cup, the heat in the A-League kitchen only is only intensifying. Perth Glory are set to take on Brisbane Roar this Friday at Spencer Park, with only six points up for grabs in the regular season and the possibility of a play offs spot, the girls in purple have it all to play for in the tropics. 

Stephen Peters and a Gabby Hollar reflected on last weekend’s draw with the Mariners and expressed both encouragement and frustration with the result.

“We controlled the game quite well,” said Peters. “That cutting edge in the final third probably let us down.” 

Hollar echoed the sentiment, highlighting the team’s standards despite the stalemate.

“It’s disappointing that we couldn’t get the three points,” said Hollar. “You’re in a good position if you’re disappointed by a tie.”

The girls in purple have not been in realistic finals conversations for several years, with Peters and Hollar offering insight into the tone and mindset behind these discussions. 

“For us to be having these conversations and having to deal with the pressure that comes with it, is a real growth point for us,” said Peters. 

“Pressure is a privilege,” said Hollar. “To have pressure on us, is a good thing at this point in the season. It’s just prepping us for finals.”

Looking ahead to their opponents, Brisbane Roar have grappled with a demanding schedule, while both sides have undergone significant tactical development since their round two meeting.

“I think it’s pretty normal what they’ve gone through. In terms of the amount of quality that they’re missing,” said Peters. “It feels like an age ago that we played them. It’s a hard one to predict.”

Looking to absences and the injury bench, Onyi Zogg is due to return from suspension and close to a full team compliment is expected. 

Brisbane Roar v Perth Glory will take place at Spencer Park at 5pm AWST and will be available to stream live and free on 10Play and Paramount+ for paying subscribers. 

“If we’re at our best, we can beat anyone on that day”: Pollicina ahead of must-win Big Blue

Above: Rhianna Pollicina talks to the media. Image: Melbourne Victory.

By Isabelle Campbell (27/03/26)

Melbourne Victory midfielder Rhianna Pollicina says her side need to embrace the pressure and “go for the win” as they prepare for a decisive ‘Big Blue’ clash with Sydney FC this Saturday at Leichhardt Oval.

With just two games remaining in the regular A-League Women season, Victory sit sixth and are clinging to a finals spot, making this weekend’s rivalry fixture a must-win in the battle for the top six.

The squad returns from the international break following the Asian Cup, with Pollicina describing the tournament as an inspiring backdrop while Victory used the time to reset and fine-tune their own preparations.

“The Asian Cup was definitely motivating. The girls put up a good performance against Japan. Unfortunately, they didn’t get the win, but the stats show they did dominate the game, which was nice, and as a spectator, it was nice to watch. Unfortunate for them not to go all the way but they did really well to get to the final.”

“On the Victory girls, we’ve had a good week and a half off. We still worked hard in the break, had an internal game, which was really effective. We’re looking forward to Saturday’s game, we just need to go for the win.”

Pollicina also provided an update on her wrist injury, which she sustained earlier in the season, saying she is now fully recovered following a successful rehab process.

“My wrist is all good, I’m out of the splint now full time. The recovery was all well, I saw the surgeon not long ago and that was all smooth, just strapping it up to play now. Credit to the staff as well. They’ve put me through rehab, and it’s feeling fine now,” she said.

Her determination to return quickly after the injury saw her miss minimal time, something she attributed to both her own mindset and the club’s swift handling of her recovery.

“I’m not someone that likes to miss football. So the 10 days that I was off my feet, I was very annoying, and the staff had to definitely hold me back. I had the determination to get back on the field ASAP. Only missed the one game, and then straight back in, starting against Newcastle, which was nice. But it’s all down to, obviously, the surgery process and that the club got the ball rolling fast and got me in the recovery mode as quick as possible.”

Victory will also be looking to refine aspects of their performance following their recent win over the Western Sydney Wanderers, particularly in possession and in front of goal. Pollicina said the team has used the break to review and address those areas, with a clear focus on converting chances this weekend.

“It obviously wasn’t our best performance with the ball. We know that we could be better, and we’ve looked at that, and we’ve obviously got great staff when it comes to reviewing the game, and we know where we need to be better, and we know we need to put some goals away. We focused on that in the last two weeks, and hopefully that comes this weekend. We need it to come, because we do need the win. The girls are definitely feeling confident, which is nice.”

Despite Sydney FC enduring an inconsistent season that sees them currently sat at the foot of the table, Pollicina is wary of the challenge ahead, particularly in a league where results have proven unpredictable and ladder position offers little guarantee.

“Obviously, with this league, it doesn’t matter where you are on the table, and it’s been proven the last few weeks, bottom teams can beat the top teams. So we know that it’s going to be a tough game no matter what. They’ve got some quality individuals that we need to look out for as well. They’ve got a new coach, so that coach is going to be motivated to get his wins going. We know it’s going to be a tough game and we need to be our best, and if we’re at our best, we can beat anyone on that day.”

With finals football within reach but yet to be secured, Victory’s approach remains grounded in controlling the controllables. Pollicina emphasised the importance of focusing inward and maintaining a game-by-game mindset as the season reaches a critical stage.

“We just take every game as it comes. We focus on us and what we can do to win the game. We don’t focus on other teams and other results. We’ve just got to focus on us, and we’ve done that the last couple of games. Getting that 1-0 win against Wanderers felt like the old Victory again. And that’s what we’ll look to do this week against Sydney as well, just take it one game at a time not look at any results and we know that we have to win so we’re going to do everything it takes to win.”

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Mariners sail past Phoenix to steal important win

Central Coast Mariners 2-1 Wellington Phoenix

by Alyce Collett (25/3/26)

Above: Central Coast Mariners players celebrate after scoring one of their two goals they scored tonight against the Wellington Phoenix. Photo: via the A-Leagues.

The Central Coast Mariners have picked up an important three points in the race for finals qualification after a shock 2-1 win over the Wellington Phoenix.

The goals took a while to come, but eventually the Mariners found the back of the net thanks to Eliza Familton and Isabel Gomez. Macey Fraser also found the back of the net for the visitors halfway through second half stoppage time, but it was ultimately a case of too little too late.

The win sees the Mariners jump up to fifth on the ladder, while Wellington’s hopes for the minor premierships got a little bit harder.

The first half did not contain any goals, but it did contain some very strong defensive work from both sides.

The action was very free flowing, but neither side could convert or really looked like scoring.

The keepers certainly had plenty to do but they did not have to break a sweat while doing so, whether that be because of the power of the shot or the angle of the shot.  

Both sides were trying to use the full width of the field, but well placed defences led by the likes of Taren King up one end and Mackenzie Barry up the other end ensured that the attackers had to find increasingly more intricate ways to get effective shots away. Lucia Leon, Brooke Nunn, Avaani Prakash and Familton were all trying their hardest to generate something for their sides, but just could not quite pickpocket their opponent’s defence to maximum effect.

The half time stats told a very interesting story.

The Phoenix ultimately finished the first half with about six percent more of the possession and got significantly more shots away than their hosts (eight to three), but crucially, they also only had one more shot on target than the Mariners did.

Perhaps keenly aware of the importance of this match not ending in a draw, the goal drought did not extend too long into the second half.

The Mariners scored first through Familton, who had been lively in the first half and was making the most of her starting debut. She found herself perfectly placed to be under the flight of a perfectly curled Peta Trimis cross, and then perfectly headed the ball past Phoenix keeper Victoria Esson and into the back of the net.

The home side doubled their lead just under half an hour later through Gomez, who let a bullet of a banger lose from just outside the top of the box that sailed into the top corner of the net, which Esson had no hope of stopping.

The evening’s offerings of bangers did not stop with Gomez though, as Fraser delivered one of her own a couple of minutes into stoppage time. It was the perfect free kick, taken just further out than where Gomez took  her shot from, and it sailed straight past Annalee Grove and into the back of the net.

Teams: CENTRAL COAST MARINERS (4-4-2): Grove, Baumann, King, Barwick-Grey, Martin, Fuller, Kraszula, Gomez, Trimis, Familton, Prakash. Substitutes: Buchanan, Farrow, Levin, Thew, Quilligan, Varley.

Scorers: Familton 58’, Gomez 83’

WELLINGTON PHOENIX (4-4-2): Esson, Walker, Barry, van der Meer, Elliott, Nunn, Pijnenburg, Jale, Vlok, León, Anthony. Substitutes: Benson, Brazendale, Feinberg-Danieli, Fraser, Jaber, M.Woods. 

Scorers: Fraser 93’

Referee: Sophie Allum.

Attendance: TBC.

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NPLW Vic R6: Melbourne City win, and Koizumi is back to her best

By Kieran Yap 25/3/26

Above: Maia Capitanio. Photo: Melbourne City

Bulleen climbed to fourth, Melbourne City enjoyed their first win, and Heidelberg United returned to the winners list in Round Six of the Victorian NPLW.

 Melbourne City hosted Keilor Park SC in an interesting clash of styles,  and the home team began the game confidently against the side that recently beat Victory in this competition.

City’s devotion to passing out from the back and keeping the ball on the deck is showing improvement week to week, even if the wins have been elusive. Keilor looked to pressure the hosts at every opportunity, hoping to force mistakes or encourage them to sacrifice their plan, but to City’s credit, they continued to try and play through the aggressive press.

As they did last round, Keilor looked to score early, Abby Holmes was their most dangerous player, and tested Dali Gorr-Burchmore in goal, but the Junior Matilda’s goalkeeper was equal to the shots.

City dominated general play, and Mary Brown looked dangerous in the attacking third, but Keilor’s defensive structure held them at bay until the 25th minute. Maia  Capitanio was waiting at the far post at a corner kick and struck her half volley perfectly for the only goal of the game and City’s first win in the NPLW.

Spring Hills travelled to play Heidelberg United at The Home of The Matildasand took part in another classic match. Seo Jiyoun opened the scoring for the Warriors. Ayo Sasaki’s long, looping ball forward caused confusion in the Spring Hills defence, and Seo was able to tap into an empty net.

Spring Hills were able to draw level through Rachel Gillies corner kick. Her curling delivery snuck in at the near post. The equaliser had seemed like it was coming, but the method was a surprise.

Seo’s 33rd minute effort put Heidelberg back In the lead, Minori Akiyama combined to Sasaki to play Seo through in on goal and restore the home side’s one-goal advantage.

And absurd goal in the dying seconds of added time gave Heidelberg a two-goal cushion going into the beak. Samantha Curwood-Wanger’s persistence on the wing created the chance, and a deflection off Nali Plant send the ball sailing over everyone but under the crossbar.

Spring Hills are always dangerous though, especially when Aleks Sinclair is allowed to turn and attack. Sinclair dribbled along the byline and cut the ball back for it to be half cleared by Heidelberg, but smashed home by Bella Stringfellow to make it 3-2 in the second half.

Spring Hills regained momentum and searched for what might have been a deserved equaliser, but Heidelberg were in an unforgiving mood and made it 4-2 through Sasaki’s penalty to seal their first win of the season so far.

The Preston Lions hosted Alamein FC on Friday night and after a close loss last week, they were eager to make amends.

It was not to be, with Alamein continuing their strong start to the season. Zoe Houghton scored the opening goal, but it was made by the surging run through midfield by Anna Liacopoulos who created space for her teammates, then found Savanna Anastasopoulos out wide. The cross was dangerous and Houghton was first to meet it, scoring in the 37th minute.

Houghton turned provider for the second goal. Preston had gained some control of the game, and were knocking the ball about purposefully, but a turnover resulted in a Houghton’s cross and Anastasopoulos eventually finishing after Emma Runnals kept the chance alive.

Runnalls capped off the win, meeting Summer Laskey’s ball with a leaping header that left Preston with a scoreline that may not have reflected the whole game, but did reflect how clinical Alamein were when they went forward.

Friday’s other game saw Box Hill United jump into first place after a win over Melbourne Victory’s U23’s.

Several key players from Victory were unavailable. With Sienna Saveska and Sienna Techera injured, and others with the senior A-League Women squad. Box Hill had the result effectively secured by half time, even with star forward Erin Keyt on the bench, they had no trouble finding the net. Maho Murakami scored in the 5th minute after a wonderful combination with Juri Kawano.

Kiara Bercelli’s strike from the corner of the penalty box doubled the lead in the 18th minute and Grace Norbury made it three almost immediately after with a long range goal.

A long ball forward found Kawano almost unmarked in attack and she was able to lift the ball over the approaching Natalie Picak to make it 4-0 before the break.

Emily Rutkowski pulled on back for Victory in the 76th minute with a low cross/shot from the left flank, but there was not enough time for Victory to fight their way back into this one.

Essendon Royals provided the slight shock result of the round with a 3-1 win over Avondale FC. Played out in Tarneit, Essendon were away from their traditional base, but still looked right at home. The Royals were the stronger team, and forced some excellent saves out of Brooke Bennett.

Back in the lineup, Kelli McGroarty eventually broke the deadlock in the 34th minute, and then Isabella Sewards added her second of the season in the 36th.

Hannah Wilkinson was fairly isolated in the first half, but her 68th minute finish gave Avondale a lifeline.

McGroarty converted a late penalty to bury any chance of a comeback by the more fancied visitors. Although the star striker delivered again for Essendon, they won this game in midfield, with Ayano Koizumi outstanding in a box-to-box role.

That result meant that Bulleen Lions had a chance to jump into the top four with a win against bottom placed Bentleigh Greens. Bulleen were at home, looking for their fourth win in a row, building form, so the visitors were facing a tough test.

Bentleigh did not shy away from the challenge, and tested Alyssa Dall Oste’ with some good early attempts on goal. But when the first goal went in, Bulleen only became more confident and dynamic.

Tiffany Eliadis got things started finishing off a cleverly worked free-kick routine, then Sarah Cain scored with a slightly fortunate attempt that dropped down from up high and seemed to disorientate the goalkeeper.

Maja Markovski scored from the penalty spot, and then again after meeting a deep cross by Catherine Renehan to bring up her fourth consecutive brace this season.

Markovski completed her hatrick with a powerful free-kick, and substitute Nia Salleh scored one of the best goals of the night with a direct solo run and excellent finish at pace.

Markovski’s left foot drive across the goalkeeper made it 7-0 in the 89th minute and that finally ended the scoring on a night where Bulleen boosted their goal difference and Bentleigh’s took another big hit.

It was the Markovski show on the highlights reel, but Bulleen played a very complete game. The midfield duo of Cain and Olivia Bomford were excellent. They moved the ball forward quickly or ran in into attack themselves, playing at a pace that Bentleigh could not match. Alana Cortellino was uncontainable out wide and Claudia Mihocic provided a strong defensive presence that allowed the home side to attack with confidence.

Next Saturday, Bulleen will host Preston at The Veneto Club as they look to secure their position at the top end of the table.

In appreciation of… Ayano Koizumi.

Who doesn’t love a quick, tough, skilful and slightly diminutive midfielder that can still boss a game?

Koizumi was in excellent form against Avondale, and her performance could help kick-start Essendon’s season. Avondale were most neutral’s favourites for this fixture, and even without Elise Kellond-Knight or Beattie Goad in the squad, they still had a very accomplished lineup.

Koizumi was essential for this win, she was able to retain possession under pressure, snap into tackles and keep the ball moving forward where Kelli McGroarty was lurking dangerously.

It was her best performance of this season, and vindicates the faith that Essendon have shown in the Japanese midfielder.

Koizumi has been with the club since  the 2023 season where they were seeking promotion from the VPLW. Essendon won the premiership that year, with Koizumi crucial to their success.

Koizumi did not get to enjoy much of Essendon’s first NPLW campaign in 2024. A serious knee injury ended her season after eight games and what followed was a long road back to now.

She spent last season in the VPLW, regaining fitness and returned to The Royals for 2026 where she has started every game with the exception of Round One.

There is a lot of talent at Essendon, and plenty of X-Factor in attack. Koizumi gives them control, and it looks as though she is getting back to her best. If she can continue to develop her midfield partnership with Bella Sewards, it looks like  pairing that could propel Essendon back into trophy contention.

But results aside, it is a pleasure to see Ayano Koizumi playing like she did on the weekend.

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City reclaim top spot with win over Wanderers

Western Sydney Wanderers 1-2 Melbourne City.

By Kieran Yap 23/3/26

Above: Melbourne City celebrate a goal against Western Sydney Wanderers. Photo: Melbourne City

Melbourne City have taken another step towards the premiership with a solid win at Wanderers Football Park. Leticia McKenna and Bryleeh Henry scored for the visitors, who managed to win despite being on the receiving end of a red card and a Talia Younis wonder-strike.

Melbourne City arrived in Sydney needing a win. They had lost to Adelaide United mid-week and the chasing pack have games in hand on the defending premiers. Holly McNamara came straight back into the squad the day after completing Matildas duty. Aideen Keane started on the bench with the front three consisting of Danella Butrus, Bryleeh Henry and Chinaza Uchendu.

Western Sydney have only pride to play for at this point of the season, but have looked good of late. A close loss to Melbourne Victory last week was a reminder that even though they sit near the bottom of the table, they are not a team to be taken lightly. City rotated, but did not rest the big guns.

The first major incident of the game was a surprising one. Uchendu was involved in a behind play incident with two Wanderers defenders, and was shown a straight red card. Before exiting the field she made her feelings clear to the taunting home fans and it looked to be advantage Wanderers.

If City considered this a setback, they did not show it. With almost the next attack, they took the lead. Leticia McKenna finishing well from inside the box after Dan Turner’s long cross eventually fell to her.

City doubled their lead before half time. McKenna was involved once again. Her cutback was met by the aggressive run of Henry who forced the ball home despite the presence of multiple Wanderers defenders.

Michael Matricciani managed the red cared well, pushing McKenna into a slightly more advanced role, to let her significant attacking abilities keep Wanderers on the back foot.

Aideen Keane was brought on at half time, her engine seen as an alternative to Butrus’s artistry.

Western Sydney eventually found a way back into the game, but it took something special. Talia Younis shot from 30 yards out to beat Melina Mieres with a spectacular, swerving drive. It will be a contender for goal of the year, and further solidifies the 17-year-old’s reputation as a rising star.

McKenna’s corner almost meant that City’s two-goal cushion was restored, but in the end, it was not needed, City held on for a crucial win that also qualifies them for next season’s Asian Champions League.

City end the round in top spot on the ladder, six points clear of Wellington and seven clear of Canberra United and Adelaide United. However, the story is far from over. The chasing pack still have games in hand, enough to catch them if they stumble in their final game against Newcastle Jets in a fortnight.

Teams: WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS (4-3-3): Khamis, Cerne, Harrison, Hooks, Bennett, Chessari, Buchanan, Matos, Younis, Harada, Collins. Substitutes: Wang, Yuan, Ng Saad, Zumaya, Fazzari, Edwards.

Goals: Younis 53’

Melbourne City (4-3-3): Mieres, Roestbakken, Stott, Otto, Turner, McMahon, Davidson, Mckenna, Butrus, Henry, Uchendu. Substitutes: Barbieri, Apostolakis, Keane, Hughes, McNamara, Jackson.

Goals: Mckenna 34’ Henry 45’

Referee: Isabella Cooper

Attendance: 682

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Impressive Canberra dent Adelaide’s top two aspirations in 3rd v 4th clash

Canberra United 3-2 Adelaide United

by Ben Gilby (22/3/26)

Above: Emma Hawkins (7) celebrates after scoring Canberra United’s third goal today. Photo: Canberra United.

Adelaide United’s hopes of going straight into the second week of Finals by finishing in the top two suffered a set-back with this defeat to Canberra United at McKellar Park in the battle of third v fourth.

It’s been a tough recent schedule on the road for the South Australians, who held leaders Melbourne City to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday before this trip to Canberra to face an opponent who were competition’s fourth placed side going into the round.

The Reds made one change to their starting line-up from the game at City, with Paige Zois coming in for Melissa Taranto.

Canberra’s form had been up-and-down coming into this encounter, with two wins and two losses. Head coach Antoni Jagarinec made one change to his starting line-up from their previous match, a 3-1 defeat at Melbourne City last weekend, with Darcy Malone coming in for Sasha Grove.

The home side hit the front on the 10 minute mark after Nanako Sasaki played a perfectly weighted pass from the edge of the centre-circle that dissected the her former side’s midfield, and found a closely marked Emma Hawkins.

The attacker turned Zoe Tolland brilliantly and played the ball through for Bethany Gordon to run through from just outside the area and slot calmly past Ilona Melegh to give Canberra the lead.

Just four minutes later, Josie Aulicino broke through to the left of centre in acres of space and squared a pass for Sasaki to hit a powerful drive from the edge of the ‘D’ which Melegh did well to get a hand to. Gordon’s attempt on the follow up at the right hand post was dealt with by the visiting keeper.

Shortly before the half-hour mark, Adelaide drew level.

A free kick inside their own half found Erin Healy along the left. She was able to beat Tegan Bertolissio and bend her run to cut along the byline before finding Chelsie Dawber who in turn laid a pass for Sarah Morgan behind her to take a touch and dispatch the ball into the back of the net from around eight yards.

Canberra responded, and eight minutes before the break came close as Grove’s curling cross shot bent viciously in from the corner of the 18-yard box on the left and came off the crossbar with Melegh beaten.

The hosts regained their lead with 20 minutes remaining as the result of a calamity at the back for Adelaide.

Gordon played a long ball forward along the right hand flank, and there was no immediate danger when Matilda McNamara gathered possession, and turned a pass back to Melegh who was on the edge of her area. However, the goalkeeper miscontrolled the ball and could only race back in vein as it trickled over the line.

It got worse for Adelaide eight minutes later as Canberra sealed an important three points.

Bertolissio’s throw just inside the Adelaide half found Aulicino who spotted the run of Gordon to play a clever pass out to an empty right hand channel.

Gordon had all the time in the world to advance onto the ball and play a low cross from the right hand post which came back off Tolland. McNamara couldn’t quite get her feet set to clear, allowing Hawkins to fire a powerful shot into the top right-hand corner of the net from 10 yards.

The visitors set up a potentially dramatic conclusion when they got a second goal back early in the six minutes of stoppage time with Sian Dewey’s drive from 20 yards after Dawber played the ball back to her from Tolland’s cross.

Adelaide couldn’t quite create another real opportunity in the remaining minutes. Indeed, Gordon could have added another for the hosts, but her effort was blocked by Tolland.

Canberra’s win sees them leap-frog Adelaide into third place, just a point behind Wellington Phoenix in second, albeit having played a game more. Adelaide were second just a week ago, and now find themselves fourth on the same number of points as Canberra. The Reds next host Newcastle Jets, with Canberra travelling to Central Coast Mariners in the penultimate round of the home and away season.

Teams: CANBERRA UNITED (4-4-2): James, Grove, Taylor-Young, Robers, Christopherson, Gordon, Sasaki, Anton, Bertolissio, Aulicino, Hawkins. Substitutes: De Domizio, Majstorovic, Malone, Skelly, Stanic-Floody, Wardlow.

Scorers: Gordon 10′, Melegh (OG) 69′, Hawkins 77′.

ADELAIDE UNITED (4-3-3): Melegh, E.Hodgson, McNamara, Tonkin, Tolland, Zois, Condon, Morgan, Healy, Dawber, A. Taranto. Substitutes: Holmes, Dewey, Gooch, I.Hodgson, Jenkins, Rossi.

Scorers: Morgan 27′, Dewey 90+1′.

Referee: Isabella Mossin.

Attendance: 1,066.

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Japan break host hearts to win Asian Cup number three

Japan 1-0 Australia

By Alyce Collett 21/3/2026

Above: Maika Hamano (second from right) celebrates with team mates after scoring the match winning goal of the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup final. Photo: via AFC.

Japan are the champions of Asia for 2026, after defeating Australia 1-0 in tonight’s final.

While Maika Hamano’s first half goal was what ultimately made the difference on the scoreboard, it was a strong and disciplined defensive performance from the Nadeshiko that ultimately made the difference, really constricting Australia’s attackers while they were trying to do their job.

The start from the tournament hosts was a lively one, and Sam Kerr almost got the game off to a perfect start for the Australians inside the first two minutes but did not get enough power on her shot.

Australia was also dominating possession, but a well positioned Japanese defence meant that shots – particularly ones on target – were hard to come by. Not only was Japan getting plenty of numbers behind the ball but was also giving the Matildas’ attackers very little room to manoeuvre.

However it was the Japanese who scored first, with Hamano letting a powerful shot rip from outside the box that perfectly curled away from Mackenzie Arnold and into the back of the net.

That goal really showed the class of Japan, and showed that a side as good as Japan only needs one moment to make all the difference.

Caitlin Foord did pick up a good steal and opportunity to score with about 1o minutes left in the first half, but unfortunately for the home fans she could not quite work the angles in her favour.

Despite the Matildas’ inability to navigate past a very strong Japanese defence, the score at half time was still only 1-0 so the tournament hosts were still very much in the match at the break.

Australia continued to dominate possession, but just could not navigate a well disciplined Japanese defence, in much the same way that plagued them in the first half.

Ellie Carpenter and Kaitlyn Torpey both had prime chances in the first half of the second half, but just could not make them count for one reason or another.

As the minutes ticked down, Australia was running out of time to fix its issues in attack and find that equalising goal.

What was not helping Australia’s case was that coach Joe Montemurro was not really changing anything in terms of formation or personnel on the field. Hayley Raso was the only player brought on by Montemurro in the second half before the 80th minute mark.

Australia kept pushing hard in the last 10 minutes to try and find that equaliser, but as hard as the Matildas tried they just could not find what they were looking for.

Teams: JAPAN (4-3-3): Yamashita, Kumagai, Takahashi, Kōga, Miyazawa, Ueki, Nagano, Kitagawa, Hasegawa, Fujino, Hamano. Substitutions:  Shimizu, Minami, Seike, Tanaka, Hayashi, Moriya, Hirao, Yamamoto, Tanikawa, Matsukubo, Okuma, Narumiya, Chiba, Hijikata.

Scorers: Hamano 17’

AUSTRALIA (4-4-2): Arnold, Heatley, Catley, Torpey, Foord, Fowler, Kennedy, Carpenter, Gorry, Cooney-Cross, Kerr. Substitutes: Hunt, Wheeler, Rankin, Nevin, Lincoln, Chidiac, Johnson, Sayer, Aquino, Heyman, Rule, McNamara, Van Egmond, Siemsen, Raso.

Referee: Kim Yu-jeong (South Korea)

Attendance: 74,397.

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Perth Glory battle to tense goalless draw with Central Coast Mariners

Perth Glory 0 – 0 Central Coast Mariners

By Callum Logie 21/3/26

Above: Millie Farrow (left) competes for possession with Mischa Anderson. Photo: Perth Glory

The reigning champions still sit outside the finals race as points are shared with Perth Glory in a tense affair at Sam Kerr Football Centre. Mischa Anderson starred defensively in the scoreless draw.

The match started at a frantic pace, both teams trying to create chances quickly with direct passes and runs forward. 

The best of Perth’s attack came from smart balls forward from Georgia Cassidy during the first 15 minutes while energetic runs forward from Peta Trimis and Avaani Prakash generated the most positive play for the visiting Mariners.

Millie Farrow almost opened the scoring at 20 minutes after a strong piece of physical play from Tamar Levin on the byline. Levin sent a low cross through the six-yard box and Farrow just missed out on tapping the ball in. 

Perth Glory had a good opportunity a couple of minutes later after winning the ball high up the pitch. Gabriella Hollar intercepted possession and played the ball across to Rola Badawiya who forced a solid save from Annalee Grove.

Badawiya looked the most dangerous of the players on the field, driving a few long-ranged efforts throughout the first half. 

Levin struck a long-ranged effort in the 38thminute and she hit it well enough to force a good save out of Teresa Morrissey who stretched out to get two hands on it and collected the second time of asking. 

In the 43rd minute, Isobel Dalton took a long freekick and curled it over the wall to the right of Grove’s goal. Grove did well to get across and make the save, meaning the first half ended scoreless. 

In the second half, an early Mariners corner from Levin found Elizabeth Barwick-Grey who drove the ball just over the bar with a powerful header. 

The competition between the drinks break in the second half was tense, with much of the battle being fought in midfield. Neither team was able to create any significant chances through the middle portion of the second half.

In the 71st minute, the dangerous Levin struck a long-ranged curled shot from outside the box which forced a great save out of Morrissey. 

Morrissey had a good game in goal, and her defence were able to scramble away several efforts at goal from the resulting corner. Charli Wainwright managed to clear one of the shots off the goal-line. 

In the 85th minute, Sarah O’Donoghue had the best chance of the game as the ball bobbled to her after a scramble in the Mariners’ box. She drove a shot at goal but the Mariners were able to recover to block the shot away from goal and keep it scoreless.

Despite a late free-kick in added time for both teams, neither were able to take the lead and the game ended as it started.


Central Coast still have a game in hand heading into Round 21, remaining a point behind Perth Glory who are in the seventh spot on the ladder. 

PERTH GLORY (4-3-3): Morrissey, Johnston, Anderson, McKenna, Wood, Cassidy, Tovar, Dalton, Hollar, Lincoln, Badawiya. Substitutes: Abdul Massih, Blaabjerg Skinner, O’Donoghue, Wainwright, Westaway, Wynne

CENTRAL COAST MARINERS (4-3-3): Grove, Baumann, Thew, Barwick-Grey, Buchanan, Levin, Kraszula, Gomez, Prakash, Farrow, Trimis. Substitutes: Bowman, Familton, Fuller, Quilligan, Varley, dos Santos.

Referee: Sophie Allum

Attendance: 793.

Brown hat-trick earns Roar critical home victory

Brisbane Roar 4-2 Newcastle Jets

by Alice de Koster-Kitto (21/3/26)

Above: Brisbane Roar hat-trick hero Daisy Brown (fourth right, back to camera) celebrates after one of her hugely important strikes last night. Photo: A-Leagues.

It was a heated end-to-end battle at Spencer Park this Friday evening, where a second-half goal-fest made up for a quiet opening 45 minutes and ended in a massive 4-1 victory to Roar, sending the hosts to sixth on the ladder.  

Brisbane dominated the attacking half in the early moments of the game, with Momo Hayashi breaking through a scrambling Jets defence, but was unable to convert in front of goal. 

Claudia Cicco played a crucial role in the Jets’ defence, intercepting in dangerous areas, preventing an early goal as the Roar eased their way through the midfield. 

Josie Allan gave Newcastle their first chance of the match with a bursting run, which was challenged by Seidl, who was shown a yellow card for the interception, awarding the Jets a free kick, which got dangerously close to an opening goal, but was ultimately halted by Roar keeper Talia Franco. 

An issue with Tash Prior’s boot momentarily left a gap in the Jets’ backline, just as Brisbane’s front line put pressure on the visitors. Despite being down a defender, Newcastle was able to scrabble the ball away as the hosts got close to putting the ball over the line, before Priori made her way back to the pitch. 

An expert save from Georgia Ritchie saved the Jets from conceding in the 19th minute, after Hayashia headed the ball of a fantastic Tish Woods long ball. 

In an almost identical scramble in the box at the other end, Melina Ayres got gravely close to opening the scoring for Newcastle twice in extremely close succession. Both attempts were wonderfully saved by Franco. 

A Hayashi free kick in the 31st minute could have given Roar the opening goal; however, the ball sliced over the crossbar. 

While the hosts came onto the pitch as the more dominant attacking side, Newcastle quickly responded and turned the game around, taking the better of a slew of end-to-end chances in the first half. After a minute of added time and strong efforts across the pitch, the match remained goalless at half-time. 

Daisy Brown opened the scoring for Brisbane Roar in the 46th minute, slotting the ball behind Emma Bates and straight past the hands of Ritchie. Ayres looked to respond and reassert the Jets’ attacking strength with a powerful strike from outside the box, which just flew over the crossbar. 

Another strike from Brown extended Queenslanders’ lead, with the 19-year-old earning a brace just minutes after first hitting the back of the net. 

The match remained a heated battle, as the second yellow card of the evening was shown to Ashlyn Miller after a scuffle inside the box. 

The Jets found a fantastic opportunity to earn a goal, as Lauren Allan’s first touch of the game came in the form of a shot on target, which once again, found the safe hands of Franco. 

The 62nd saw Brown compete her hat-trick, earning her seventh goal and first claim of the match ball in her maiden A-League campaign, and finding her place as one of the league’s youngest ever hat-trick heroes. 

Just minutes later, Bente Jansen slammed the ball to the back of the net, after an excellent buildup from Medwin and Brown, bringing the scoreline up to 4-0. 

It wasn’t long before Jets found a response, with Tash Prior scoring the first of the evening for the visitors, as stoppage time approached. 

Tameka Yallop came dangerously close to the line as the Matilda looked for a comeback goal in her second appearance back from injury. The ball was excellently saved by Ritchie, who sent the ball over the crossbar. 

The intensity did not slow down in the final minutes of the match, as Copus-Brown was shown a yellow card following a foul on Hayashi. 

Sophie Hoban managed to send the ball around Franco, netting the second for the Jets within five minutes of added time. 

Despite non-stop efforts at both ends, right up to the final second of play, there were no late goals to be found, leaving Brisbane Roar victorious. 

The penultimate round of the home and away season will see Brisbane host fellow top six rivals Perth Glory. Newcastle Jets will head to ServiceFM Stadium to take on Adelaide United. 

BRISBANE ROAR (3-4-2-1): Franco, Studer, Cuthbert, Hayashi, Medwin, Woods, Kruger, Seidl, Miller, Jensen, Brown. Substitutes: Meyers, Kinsella, Stephenson, Campbell, Piazza, Yallop.

Scorers: Brown 47’, 52’, 62’. Jansen 69’.

NEWCASTLE JETS (4-3-3): Ritchie, Bates, Prior, Cicco, Wilson, Hoban, Copus-Brown, Dundas, Ayres, Collins, J.Allan. Substitutes: L.Allan, Lancaster, Page, Boertje, Brown, Karipidis.

Scorers: Prior 73’, Hoban 90’.

Referee: Rebecca Durcau.

Attendance: 1,363.

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