Canberra United 2-3 Melbourne Victory
By Ryan Miller-Woods 20/1/24
Above: Alex Chidiac celebrates her goal for Melbourne Victory. Photo: Melbourne Victory.
Melbourne Victory ncontinued their undefeated streak against Canberra United to 10 matches that dates back to 2017 but most importantly have their first win since December 16th with a dramatic 3-2 win at McKellar Park.
Canberra opened the scoring in the fifth minute bthanks to Holly Murray who dispossessed Rachel Lowe then provided a beautifully floated cross for Michelle Heyman. The Canberra captain seized her moment and slotted the ball into the bottom left corner for her eighth goal of the season and 102nd in the A-League Women. Tte goal put her back into third all-time for most goals scored in the A-League era (Men’s and Women’s).
Thirteen minutes later, Victory equalised thanks to a great through ball by Kayla Morrison that found Lowe who lobbed the ball over Canberra’s goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln for her Lowe’s seventh goal of the season. Less than a minute later, Victory came close to taking the lead with two chances by Lia Privitelli and Lowe respectively but were denied by Lincoln’s great goalkeeping.
Just after the half-hour mark, Canberra were quite unlucky to have not been given a penalty after Deven Jackson made a great run into the box and was brought down by Tori Hansen.
Melbourne took the lead in stoppage time via Sara D’Appolonia who crossed the ball into the box. After a slight scramble with Canberra’s Murray it fell to Alex Chidiac who put enough power on it for her first goal of the season.
Even though certain statistics would understandably have had Melbourne in the lead, Canberra still would have been frustrated to have been behind just before the first half concluded given how well they played during the half.
Six minutes into the second half, Victory had a good opportunity to hav double their lead via a great pass by Lowe for D’Appolonia in the box but Lincoln made a great block to prevent Melbourne scoring.
In the 70th minute, Canberra equalised. Sasha Grove laid the ball off for Ruby Nathan who crossed the ball into the box for Sophia Christopherson. Her header was initially saved by Courtney Newbon but the ball went directly into the path of Heyman who once again seized the opportunity to bring up her 103rd goal.
It was Heyman’s second goal of the match but was also her ninth of the season which then put her equal with her teammate Vesna Milivojevic in the A-League Women’s Golden Boot.
A minute later, Victory came close to re-taking the lead as D’Appolonia provided a cross in the box for McKenzie Weinert who blazed her shot well over the bar.
Further chances kept coming between both sides as the match headed into stoppage time. In the 91st minute, Canberra came agonisingly close to scoring with a great link-up play between Maria Jose Rojas and Heyman in the box but was denied by some great goalkeeping by Newbon.
Two minutes later, Victory scored the winner via Emily Gielnik as her shot from outside the box went over Lincoln and into the top left corner for her first goal of the season. Absolute heartbreak for Canberra but pure delight for Melbourne and a great goal from the returning striker.
Teams: Canberra United (4-4-2): Lincoln, Clough, Clark, Bertolissio, S. Grove, Milivojevic, Stanic-Floody, Murray, Flannery, Heyman, Jackson. Substitutes: Majstorovic, Piazza, Rojas, Nathan, Christopherson.
Scorers: Heyman 5’, 70’.
Melbourne Victory (4-4-2): Newbon, Rankin, Morrison, Hansen, Checker, Weinert, Murphy, D’Appolonia, Privitelli, Lowe, Chidiac. Substitutes: Candy, Gielnik, Okino, Zois, Curtis.
Scorers: Lowe 18’, Chidiac 45+1’, Gielnik 90+3’.
Referee: Isabella Mossin.
Attendance: TBC.
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