Melbourne City 3-1 Perth Glory
by Ben Gilby (28/12/25)
Above: Holly McNamara celebrates with Melissa Barbieri today. Photo: Tilly McDonald for Impetus.
A hat-trick from Holly McNamara on her 50th appearance, with all of her goals supplied by perfect passes from Leah Davidson, earned Melbourne City the win over a hard-working Perth Glory side at AAMI Park.
Bronte Trew’s strike early in the second half, after an excellent build-up gave the Western Australians hope and some reward for their efforts, but in the end, it was the McNamara/Davidson partnership that was the difference.
The home side went into their second game in five games unchanged following their late win over cross city rivals Melbourne Victory, which ensured that two icons of the club, McNamara, and Rebekah Stott would celebrate landmark appearances in the competition, with the New Zealander marking her 150th game, and the Matildas attacker her 50th.
Perth Glory made two changes to the starting line-up that defeated Adelaide United last weekend with Emma Tovar and Susan Phonsongkham coming in for Clancy Westaway and Gabby Hollar.
It was a thrilling start to this game with both teams looking to create. Recognising City’s preference to play from the back, the visitors played a rapid press from the off, and with a number of their squad very comfortable on the ball, they gave the Asian Champions League Quarter-Finalists a lot to think about in this spell.
With four minutes played, Rola Badawiya escaped along the left, beating Stott to play in a cross with plenty of pace on it which the hosts couldn’t clear and Bronte Trew put an effort just over the top.
Dani Butros was a key part of the City attack in the early exchanges, and her battles with Grace Johnston were a highlight with Butros’ pace going up against Johnston’s excellent reading of the game.
Phonsongkam was influential for the Glory in the opening 20 minutes. Her ability across the front third in combination with Badawiya was causing headaches for the Sky Blue defence – both attackers are capable of excellent pacy footwork, accurate dangerous balls into the box, and the ability to finish.
However, for all Perth’s promise, they failed to make a vital breakthrough – and history shows that Michael Mattriciani’s side will make you pay.
That they did with 23 minutes played when Davidson’s perfectly weighted pass through found McNamara who beat Mischa Anderson for pace and escaped from Tijan McKenna to fire home.
To their credit, the Glory stuck to the game plan, and were working exceptionally hard; both Tijan McKenna and Julia Sardo were doing the hard yards both tracking City’s attackers, and assisting the attack.
With just under a quarter of an hour until the break, City released Alexia Apostolakis who broke clean into the right hand side of the Glory box, but was met by Theresa Morrisey who snaffled out the danger.
Whilst this move didn’t result with a goal, it showed that if the home side could pull Glory players around, a telling ball into the slightest gap could lead to breaches at the back with the injection of pace – the danger for Perth in using a high block.
Three minutes into stoppage time, City doubled their lead. Perth keeper Morrissey played a pass out to Tijan McKenna who was immediately swamped by Chinaza Uchendu. Winning possession, the City attacker squared a low pass to Davidson. In turn, the midfielder laid off for McNamara to smash the ball into the net from near the penalty spot. A perfect time to score.
However, just five minutes into the second half, Perth were back in the game. A superb piece of vision from Georgia Cassidy saw the Young Matilda play an excellently weighted pass from the middle of the park for Johnston on the right to turn in a low cross for Trew to turn in at the back post.
On the hour mark, McNamara picked the pocket of Cassidy on the right and laid a low ball into the centre of the area for an unmarked Butros, but the former Football Victoria Academy player directed her shot at Morrissey.
However, with 20 minutes to play, up stepped City’s dynamic duo to finally settle matters. Stott supplied Davidson who then played a beautifully judged pass for McNamara to run through the Glory defence and lift the ball into the net.
The final chance of the afternoon fell to substitute Gabby Hollar, who hit a powerful half volley wide of the right hand post, to deny the league yet another dramatic conclusion to a match this weekend.
This was a pleasing win for City, who backed up their derby day win in midweek with some top quality offensive play. Whilst Perth’s unbeaten run is over, the application and promise shown across the opening hour of this game would have been enough to beat the majority of sides in the competition. It all comes down to putting the ball in the net when the chances came. McNamara did just that.
For the full gallery of Tilly McDonald’s photographs from AAMI Park today, go to our Instagram page – @ImpetusFootball
Teams: MELBOURNE CITY (4-4-2): Mieres, Apostolakis, Stott, Otto, Turner, Butrus, Keane, Davidson, McNamara, Uchendu, L. McKenna. Substitutes: Barbieri, Wilson, Rako, Jackson, Roestbakken, Jugovic.
Scorers: McNamara 23′, 45+3′, 70′.
PERTH GLORY (4-3-3): Morrissey, Johnston, Anderson, T. McKenna, Sardo, Dalton, Cassidy, Tovar, Trew, Badawiya, Phonsongkham. Substitutes: Phillips, Hollar, O’Donoghue, Lincoln, Westaway, Zogg.
Scorers: Trew 50′.
Referee: Bec Mackie.
Attendance: 1,937.
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