Melbourne City 1-1 Melbourne Victory
by Jonathon Hagger (1/2/25)
Above: Mariana Speckmaier (left) and Rhianna Pollicina, who combined to score Melbourne City’s late equaliser, celebrate earlier today. Photo: Melbourne City.
Mariana Speckmaier’s equalising goal in the last minute of regulation time ensured that Melbourne City’s season-long unbeaten record would continue in a dramatic Melbourne derby at the ctrl:cyber Pitch.
It took only four minutes for the match to have its first pivotal moment, and it was as a result of a loss of possession in the City half that was pounced upon by Victory’s Rachel Lowe, with a shot that was struck well and low that secured the opening goal.
City looked to hit back, and they countered shortly afterwards with an excellent defensive press deep inside Victory’s area. The applied pressure resulted in Holly McNamara finding herself with a hint of a chance to shoot. A well-timed block by the Victory defenders cleared the ball for a corner.
The home side showed their attacking prowess for the majority of the first half with repeated attacks down both flanks. The vision of City defender Rebekah Stott created opportunities in transition as her precision passing found unmarked players on the wings as the Sky Blues monopolised possession.
Just before the half-hour mark, Victory were eventually able to secure a corner. An excellently weighted kick from Alana Murphy fell at the feet of defender Claudia Bunge but the ball was unable to be controlled and bounced just wide of the post. That particular moment marked the beginning of a momentum shift.
Two minutes later, City attacker Lourdes Bosch, linked up with Alexia Apostolakis who was making a run into the Victory goal box but the ball was sent clear by Nikki Flannery. The resulting attacking corner saw a beautifully played low kick, somehow run the entire way along the turf untouched – right across the face of the Victory goal, Another goal-scoring opportunity sailed by.
City kept applying the pressure as the Victory defenders were caught off guard in their marking assignments. In the 37th minute, a lovely soft layoff from Taylor Otto to an unmarked McNamara, waiting at the top of the 18-yard box, was fired wide and caused no trouble to goalkeeper Courtney Newbon.
The visitors immediately seized on a brilliant opportunity when speedster Sara D’Apolonia jumped on a loose ball midway in the City half, charged towards the goal, and took a shot while on the run. The final touch on the ball was uncontrolled and the play came to naught.
Newbon, Victory’s goalkeeper, demonstrated exceptional vision in the 45th minute unleashing a tremendous kick that found Emily Gielnik inside the City area. The Matildas attacker beat two defenders, and passed the ball smack bang into the path of Lowe but the City defenders were able to clear their lines.
The 50th minute provided the first goal-scoring chance of the second half as City attackers Rhianna Pollicina and McNamara connected up to launch a shot on goal. Unfortunately for McNamara, the angle was too acute and the shot sailed wide into the side netting.
City’s first-half strategy of patience while in possession and building pressure dissipated in the second half. Long kicks from the keeper and speculative passes became more the norm. When the attackers held the ball, City looked far more dangerous.
A heart-stopping moment occurred in the 61st minute as the Victory went end to end off a massive goal kick that ended up with Gielnik positioned just outside the City goal area. A shot on goal ran straight past the arms of the goalkeeper and out for a goal kick.
The Victory were not about to rest on a one-goal lead. In the 68th and 69th minutes, Gielnik got two shots on goal and was only denied by the brilliant positioning of the goalkeeper, Malena Mieres on each occasion to keep them out.
With 12 minutes remaining, City conjured up another chance to level as a diagonal pass from Bosch sailed past four Victory defenders into the six yard box, but Speckmaier just couldn’t get a toe on the ball with the goalkeeper collecting the ball. Yet another – what if moment.
Victory were equal to the challenge and struck back just seconds later, securing a free kick just outside City’s 18 yard box. A very handy kick by Murphy connected to the head of Gielnik, who rose above the defenders right in front of the goal, but the ball was never really on target.
Again in the 84th minute a long ball into open space, delivered this time by defender Bunge deep in her own half, landed at the feet of Lowe inside City’s goal area but the play was closed down and again – no goal.
City stayed focused despite this and applied enough relentless pressure to find a levelling goal in the final minute of normal time. Having set up camp in the Victory half, Pollicina passed a threatening ball to Speckmaier, who coolly slotted the ball into the goal.
The remainder of the match played out in the same way through to the end. City playing patient possession and Victory making their own luck. The final result of this top-of-the-table clash was a very fair outcome for two excellent teams whose quality football is recognised through their being the top two sides in the league.
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Teams: MELBOURNE CITY (3-5-2): Mieres, Stott, Otto, Apostolakis (83’), Vlajnic (46’), McKenna, Hughes, Davidson (46’), Bosch, Speckmaier, McNamara (75’). Substitutes: Barbieri, Roestbakken (46’), McMahon (75’), Pollicina (46’), Harvey (83’).
Scorers: Speckmaier 89′.
MELBOURNE VICTORY (4-3-3): Newbon, Curtis, Morrison, Bunge, Pickett, Chidiac, D’Applonia, Murphy, Flannery (46’), Lowe, Gielnik. Substitutes: Candy, Young, Sakalis, O’Grady, Furphy (46’).
Scorers: Lowe 5′.
Referee: Caitlin Williams.
Attendance: 1,545.
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