Newcastle Jets 0-2 Melbourne City
by Isabelle Campbell (8/2/25)
Above: Bryleeh Henry on the attack. Photo: Melbourne City
Melbourne City secured a 2-0 win over the Newcastle Jets at McDonald Jones Stadium.
The Jets fought hard to break their winless streak, but City’s dominance saw their unbeaten run extend further.
Melbourne City arrived at McDonald Jones Stadium to take on Newcastle Jets, with the two teams entering the match with contrasting runs of form. City unbeaten in 15 consecutive matches, meanwhile the Jets, desperate to break an eight-game winless streak.
The visitors made just one change from their mid-week game, with Bryleeh Henry coming in for Holly McNamara. Despite only returning from an ACL injury in December, McNamara has already netted six goals, making her the team’s top scorer.
Melbourne City wasted no time asserting their control, dominating possession from kickoff and pushing forward in search of an early breakthrough. Mariana Speckmaier was the first to test the Jets defense, but her shot flew high and wide, allowing Newcastle to escape unscathed. Lourdes Bosch then came agonizingly close to giving City the lead, letting loose a powerful shot that rattled the crossbar.
While City made a strong start, Newcastle were not content to sit back. Libby Copus-Brown made a dangerous run on the counter and fired for goal, but her attempt failed to trouble the goalkeeper. City remained persistent, with Rhianna Pollicina trying a daring long-range strike after spotting keeper Danielle Krzyzaniak off her line, but the Jets keeper reacted swiftly to gather the ball. Speckmaier continued to be a constant threat, forcing a save with another well-placed shot as City still searched for the opening goal.
Newcastle’s best chance came when Sophie Hoban found herself in a dangerous position, but she failed to find her target and Rebekah Stott made a crucial clearance to deny the home side. Both teams created plenty of opportunities, yet despite the attacking intensity, each side managed only three shots on target by the halftime whistle.
The teams came back out for the second half still on the hunt for an opener. Sheridan Gallagher received a well-weighted pass from Libby Copus-Brown and her strike seemed destined for a goal, but Malena Mieres was quick to react, making a brilliant save to keep the score level.
Gallagher was later flagged offside, but the action didn’t stop there. Just a minute later, Gallagher was shown a yellow card for a foul on Lourdes Bosch. She wasn’t the only Jets player to be booked; Tash Prior followed soon after, also receiving a yellow for a foul.
Melbourne City finally capitalised on their dominance when Laura Hughes struck a brilliant long-range shot that found the back of the net, giving City a hard-earned lead. Mieres continued to shine making a crucial save to deny Claire Adams’ attempt at leveling the score.
Despite Newcastle’s efforts, City kept the majority of possession. Holly McNamara showcased both her speed and skill, winning a foot race against her Matildas teammate Tash Prior to slot in Melbourne City’s second goal of the night, extending their lead.
Mieres, refusing to lose her side the clean sheet, continued to put in stops. Jets defender Lorena Baumann made a perfectly timed tackle to deny McNamara’s attempt at extending the visitors lead further.
As the final whistle blew, it confirmed the continuation of two streaks: Melbourne City’s 16-game unbeaten run and Newcastle Jets’nine game losing streak. The match ended with City showcasing once again their attacking prowess, while the Jets were left to reflect on another difficult result.
Next week will see the Newcastle Jets travel to Western Sydney to take on the Wanderers and once again fight to get some points on the table. Melbourne City will return home to face Sydney FC.
Teams: NEWCASTLE JETS (3-4-3): Krzyzaniak, Wilson, Davis, Breier, Dundas, Copus-Brown, Gallagher, Hoban, Baumann, Prior, Allan. Substitutes: Hammond, Walandouw, Robertson, Adams, Collins.
MELBOURNE CITY (4-4-2): Mieres, Apostolakis, Stott, Otto, Roestbakken, Hughes, McKenna, Speckmaier, Bosch, Pollicina, Henry. Substitutes: Barbieri, Vlajnić, McNamara, McMahon, Harvey.
Goals: Hughes 69’, McNamara 85’.
Referee: Molly Godsell
Attendance: 2,583.
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