By Texi Smith 26/10/26
Above: Momo Hayashi. Photo: Melbourne City
A storm-delayed double-header at Allianz Stadium produced one of the most comprehensive first-half performances from Melbourne City as they picked slow-starting Sydney FC apart on Sunday evening.
A goal on familiar turf for Cortnee Vine opened the floodgates, Momo Hayashi smashed home a second to make it look easy, and by the time Deven Jackson had fired home, there was little doubt about the destination of the three points. Charlotte McLean scored a bizarre own goal to keep the scoreboard ticking, and at 4-0 at half time, there was little to cheer for the remaining fans at the cavernous Allianz Stadium. A penalty from Melinda Ayres at the start of the second half looked to continue the theme, but Sydney FC managed to shut up shop thereafter, managing a chance or two of their own, but coming up with nothing in a deserved five-goal pummelling.
With the players having to retreat to the changing rooms for a 45-minute delay as a storm passed through, the positivity around Allianz Stadium following the men’s victory for the Sky Blues all but evaporated, large numbers of fans who had committed to staying leaving instead with no certainty of when the game would kick off. The usual pre-game routine was abandoned as the flags were rolled up and taken away, the game kicking off in a strange atmosphere, Sydney’s Women’s Cove at least making some noise to fill this huge stadium of largely empty seats. Whenever City had the ball, there was an ominous feeling; Sydney had thrown Amy Chessari into the middle of midfield with no game plan and she was given no time on the ball. It was no surprise when the visitors took the lead, ex-Sydney player Aideen Keane easily beating her marker and delivering a perfect ball across the face of goal where the unmarked Vine thumped the ball into the unguarded net for 1-0.
A Melbourne City fan was ejected from the Cove after causing a scene, totally unbefitting of the occasion, but the lone drummer at the away end continued to make a din as the visitors poured forward. It was Keane the provider again, racing to keep in a loose ball by the corner flag, easily beating the non-existent challenge and when Avaani Prakash laid the ball back to Hayashi, she had no right to fire in a low shot from distance that beat the diminutive Tiahna Robertson for 2-0. This was an insipid performance from Sydney FC, and it should have been three when Keane eased past Kiley Dulaney to find Vine at the far post, again unmarked, but this time her effort hit the underside of the bar and Robertson and Kenzie Roling somehow cleared. The third goal did come, and it was again Keane on the rampage, keeping the ball in on the left, the ball falling for Jackson whose wonderful effort from the corner of the penalty area bent around Robertson for a superbfinish.
The fourth goal was a calamity, and it had a sub plot, Vine teasing a cross in from the right and under no pressure and with no obvious danger, McLean swooped to head the ball into her own net as Robertson was set to claim an easy ball. This eclipsed last week’s own goal, almost a carbon copy, giving McLean an unwanted two from two in the A-League so far this season. City were relentless, and when Keane battled well to react first when a ball fell her way from a melee in the box, her shot smashed off the bar, the follow up from Ayres saved by Robertson down low. This was threatening to get ugly for the home team, but they made it to half time with only the four-goal deficit, the defiant Sydney fans still singing despite the horrific scoreline.
Megan Mifsud came on at half time as Sydney FC looked to add some grit, and she was immediately involved in a collision with Keane, pole-axing her opponent within 30 seconds of the restart. Following a stinging shot by Jackson that Robertson saved, it was again Keane the tormentor as she raced into the box, Mifsud sliding in for the challenge making it an easy decision for the referee, who immediately signalled the penalty. Mifsud was distraught, Ayres stepped up and it was 5-0 with still a lot of football to be played. This would be a test of mettle for Sydney FC. Ayres could have made it six, Robertson getting a hand to the ball to divert a looping shot onto the bar, collecting the rebound as if she meant it, and Sydney took heart from it, a brilliant through ball from Mifsud sending Faith Webber clear, but she took the ball wide and the shot was disappointingly wide of the mark.
Riley Cohn picked up a yellow card for a late stud on Prakash, and as games of this gulf in class often do, the team in command let the foot off the accelerator; Sydney suddenly found time and space and looked like a transformed team. Hayashi sent in a corner that went behind and City weren’t looking like the schoolyard bully any more. When City were punished by referee Sophie Allum for taking too long with a throw-in, that led to McLean firing in a looping shot from distance that just cleared the bar, then Webber turned sweetly but could only find goalkeeper Malena Mieres’ arms with the shot. Sydney looked confident, Maddie Caspers and Mifsud looking like new players, but the remaining minutes of the game would be disjointed as McLean went down with what looked like a hamstring injury, making a bad day even worse for Sydney FC.
This was a statement victory for Melbourne City; they have brought together a very talented squad, doing to Sydney FC what the Sky Blues would have done to others in years gone by. The array of former Sydney FC players in the City team today, players who were surplus to requirements, brings the home club’s profligacy to light. How times have changed, and how far apart are these two teams right now?
Teams: SYDNEY FC (4-2-3-1): Robertson, McLean, Sutton, Roling, Dulaney, Cohn, Channing, Caspers, Webber, Price, Chessari. Substitutes: Mifsud, Nada, McCredie, Scamardella, Tay.
Scorers: None
MELBOURNE CITY (4-1-4-1): Mieres, Stott, Hayashi, Ray, Roestbakken, Nash, Jackson, Prakash, Vine, Keane, Ayres.Substitutes: Biggs, Heatley, McGroarty, Medwin, Rako, Barbieri, Habib
Scorers: Vine 13’, Hayashi 16’, Jackson 24’, McLean (og) 30’, Ayres (pen) 53’
Referee: Sophie Allum.
Attendance: TBC
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