Perth Glory 1-5 Melbourne City
by Isabelle Campbell with EXCLUSIVE photography from Rob Lizzi (18/4/25)
Above: Melbourne City celebrate their Premiership success after their victory over Perth Glory today. Photo: Rob Lizzi for Impetus.
Melbourne City swept Perth Glory away in style to clinch their fourth A-League Women Premier’s Plate – their second in a row – to complete an unbeaten season in the competition.
Needing just a point to clinch the Premiership, Melbourne City wasted no time asserting their dominance in the season finale, striking within just three minutes of kickoff.
A superb corner delivery from Alexia Apostolakis found the head of Taylor Otto, who directed the ball home to give the visitors an early lead. Barely three minutes later, City doubled their advantage, through Bryleeh Henry, leaving Perth Glory facing an uphill battle early on.
The home side found a lifeline in the form of a penalty soon after when a scramble in the box led to a handball by captain Rebekah Stott. Susan Phonsongkham stepped up and confidently converted the chance, reducing the gap and bringing some life back to the home side.
Izzy Dalton had a chance to level matters for Glory but failed to generate enough power to trouble Malena Mieres in goal. Then, in a moment of déjà vu, Apostolakis once again linked up with Otto from a corner, with the American heading in her second goal of the night to restore City’s two-goal lead at 3-1.
Glory nearly struck back after capitalising on a sloppy pass inside the box, but the opportunity slipped away and City were left untouched. Glory’s ongoing injury struggle was deepened when Megan Wynne was forced off, with Kelli Brown coming on in her place.
It wouldn’t be a Melbourne City match without a Holly McNamara goal, and true to form, she did what she does best, finding the back of the net to put her side even further ahead. The strike extended her season tally to an impressive 15 goals.
Brown nearly responded with a powerful effort at the other end, but Mieres was equal to the task, parrying the shot to safety.
Glory pushed from the opening minute of the second half, with Phonsongkham looking to get her name on the scoresheet once again. But the defensive presence of Mieres was too strong, and after a tense few seconds in the box, the danger was eventually cleared.
Lourdes Bosch fired an effort towards goal, but a brilliant goal-line clearance from Onyi Zogg was enough to keep the scoreline unchanged.
In the 61st minute, Izzy Foletta was brought on, marking her 50th appearance for the club, a milestone moment for the childhood Glory fan. But the celebrations were short-lived. Perth local and former Glory Leticia McKenna put City even further ahead with a superb strike, burying the ball into the top left corner to make it 5–1.
With just ten minutes left to play and the game far from winnable, Glory looked to simply minimise the gap. Captain Dalton had an excellent chance after a well-timed pass from Grace Johnston, but the opportunity went begging. Looking to join her sister on the scoresheet, although for the opposing side, Tijan McKenna powered a shot at goal, only to be denied by the keeper.
Perth Glory continued to fight, but the result was beyond reach. The final whistle marked the end of the 2024/25 regular season for both sides, with Melbourne City finishing unbeaten and capping off their campaign with a dominant 5-1 victory, securing the league title in dominant fashion. They now host a semi-final in a fortnight’s time and are going all out to take the Championship too.
For more of Rob Lizzi’s images from the match for Impetus, check out our Instagram page – @ImpetusFootball
Teams: PERTH GLORY (4-3-3): Dumont, Johnston, T.McKenna, Wynne, Cassidy, Phonsongkham, Chinnama, O’Donoghue, Abdul-Massih, Dalton, Zogg. Substitutes: Templeman, Anderson, Lincoln, Foletta, Brown.
Scorer: Phonsongkham (pen) 12’.
MELBOURNE CITY (4-4-2): Mieres, Apostolakis, Stott, Otto, Roestbakken, Hughes, Davidson, L.McKenna, Bosch, Henry, McNamara. Substitutes: Barbieri, McMahon, Murray, Pollicina, Vlajnic.
Scorers: Otto 3’, 26’, Henry 6’, McNamara 40’, L.McKenna 68’
Referee: Bec Mackie.
Attendance: 1,402.
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