Melbourne City 1-0 Melbourne Victory
By Emma Burke (23/12/23)
Above: Laura Hughes puts City into another attack. Photo: Melbourne City.
Melbourne City have come away with three points in the Christmas Melbourne derby, defeating Melbourne Victory 1-0 thanks to an early goal from Emina Ekic.
City came out firing, looking to prove a point after drawing last week to Central Coast Mariners and losing to Perth Glory in round seven.
They found their opening goal through Emina Ekic, after being released by Rhianna Pollicina. Ekic worked her way into the box and then sent Victory Captain Kayla Morrison in the wrong direction. With no one in front of her, Ekic was then free to slide the ball into the far corner, past a diving Lydia Williams.
City were in charge on the scoreboard and on the field from there, spending the rest of the first half all over Victory, giving them very little time or room to work with the ball.
Victory clearly received a strong message from their head coach Jeff Hopkins at the break, as their return for the second half saw them almost immediately find an equaliser.
Midfielder Rachel Lowe found herself in space and fired across the face of goal. Unfortunately for Lowe, her shot only managed to rattle the far post, and not City’s defensive line, who were able to clear the danger.
While Victory were trying to work their way back into the game, City were still looking to further their lead.
Opportunities came and went for Kurea Okino, hit the post, and Lowe again who was on the receiving end of a brilliantly timed cutback from Beattie Goad.
The return of Kaitlyn Torpey for City also came with a slew of chances, none of which she was able to convert in the heat of the moment.
While City will be happy to see themselves returning to the top of the table, they’re likely rueing the same thing Victory will be, a lack of conviction in front of goal.
Teams: MELBOURNE CITY (4-2-2-2): Proulx, Chinnama (70’ Henry), Stott, Otto, Grosso, Hughes, L. McKenna (54’ Torpey), Pollicina, Galic, Ekic, Wilkinson.
Scorers: Ekic 10′
MELBOURNE VICTORY (4-2-3-1): Williams, Rankin, Nash (85’ Checker), Morrison, Hansen, Kellond-Knight (71’ D’Appolonia), Murphy, Lowe, Goad, Weinert, Okino (71’ Privitelli)
Referee: Kate Jacewicz.
Attendance: 6,286.
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