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Match Preview: Christmas Melbourne Derby

Above: The Melbourne Derby. Image: Melbourne City.

By Alice de Koster-Kitto & Isabelle Campbell (22/12/2025)

Impetus’ Alice de Koster-Kitto and Isabelle Campbell preview Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory’s matchup with quotes from Michael Matricciani and Taylor Otto as well as Jeff Hopkins, Nicki Flannery and Taylor Ray.

Melbourne City

By Alice de Koster-Kitto

Between sporadic fixtures and travel due to AFC Women’s Champions League matches, and their most recent match against Adelaide United being postponed due to an influenza outbreak, it’s been a somewhat unsettled start to the season for Melbourne City, having only played four league matches, in comparison to Melbourne Victory’s eight.

“That’s probably been the one thing, just the flow of league games, but it’s a big match, and what we have been able to do over the last eight or nine days is put a lot of load in conditioning sessions,” said head coach Michael Matricciani

Despite the unusual circumstances, Matricciani is confident that the squad has the capabilities to put their best foot forward and thrive on their perceived adversity during the Melbourne Derby.

“We’ve worked the girls extremely hard; we’re very prepared for this match,” he added

“We can’t focus on that. It’s out of our control. Obviously, we had the Champions League campaign as well, which we missed a couple of games.”

The highly anticipated derby will be City’s first time out at AAMI Park this season, and Matricciani believes that a massive home crowd, and the pressure of coming up against their most heated rival is exactly what the squad needs to get back on track, after a period of uncertainty “I think when we play at AAMI Park, it’s a different aura about it.”

Matricciani expressed his belief in the tactical advantage that a ground such as AAMI Park can bring to his City squad “A team like us that we like to dominate the ball and move the ball around to open up gaps in the opposition, it’s actually easier because it’s harder for the opposition to close the spaces and cover the distance of the ground.” he said, as he looks to capitalise on the teams signature dynamics.

Melbourne City defender Taylor Otto also commented on the squad’s possessive tactics and their focus on perfecting their play following recent losses, and bringing their best game into the derby. “I think we need to be able to close the spaces. We need to be cleaner on the ball. We need to be together more in the way that we’re playing and connecting,” said Otto. “I think for us, really, we know the standard we want to hold. We just have to go back to the drawing board and get back to that,” she added.

“It’s a stressful thing, having an invincible season. But we’ve all spoken about it like that’s a very difficult thing to do, and I don’t think any of us expected to do that again.” said Otto, reflecting on Melbourne City’s 2023/24 ‘invincible’ season, and the expectations to bounce back, as a derby win would be the perfect opportunity to regain that confidence following recent losses.

“I think we just need to believe in ourselves a bit more, have a little bit more confidence, and know the way that we can play in the way that we have played in the past few years,” added Otto

There are a number of essential players who will be left out of the City squad for Tuesday’s derby, with Shelby McMahon having taken a knock to the knee, and Laura Hughes recently undergoing knee surgery.

While Hughes and McMahon have both been instrumental in City’s successes this season, the depth within the squad should be well-equipped to put on the performance they are capable of, despite notable absences.

“We have depth, we have people that can play in different positions. We have all these things on our side. So I think really, we’re just trying to focus on ourselves one game at a time and getting the job done,” said Otto

The last time the two Melbourne sides went head to head, was in February of this year, with the battle ending in a 1-1 draw. The match was massively in favour of Victory after Rachel Lowe’s 5th minute strike, but a last minute goal from former City midfielder Mariana Speckmaier evened the score. Looking back at the clashes history, and the squads current form, it might be expected that Victory will come away with the win. However given the unprecedented circumstances of irregular fixtures, players in and out, and an inconsistent start to the season from both sides, the derby is ultimately anyone’s.

“I think it brings to the game. It’s why we love this. There are these big games, and I think the league is growing. The teams are getting progressively better. These games are getting more competitive. And yeah, you never know who’s gonna win. And I think it’s really great for us,” said Otto.

Melbourne Victory

By Isabelle Campbell

In contrast to Melbourne City’s disrupted schedule, Melbourne Victory enter the A-League Women’s Melbourne Derby with rhythm and momentum on their side, having played eight matches already this season, the most of any team in the league, and coming into the fixture off the back of consecutive wins.

Amid a busy festive period and with limited preparation time between matches, head coach Jeff Hopkins said the atmosphere within the Victory camp has remained upbeat.

“We’re happy. We’ve had a quick turnaround. We’ve had a couple of very light sessions, but very, very intense. And we had a great session this morning. Even wanted to ask to go in the gym afterwards, which just means for us, they’re feeling pretty energized. And we sent them home happy after Kris Kringle.”

With limited time on the training pitch between matches, Hopkins believes Victory’s recent form has allowed the squad to embrace the short schedule heading into the derby.

“We spoke about it last week and said a lot of it depends on how you’re going. We’re going very, very well. The team has moved forward in a lot of areas. So we’re just looking forward to playing.”

Victory’s strong recent form has also been driven by their attacking unit, with forward Nicki Flannery returning from injury and opening her account for the season in the win over Newcastle. She said the momentum built over the past two matches has been key.

“Obviously, the short turnaround is kind of good when you have great momentum. I feel the group is very positive after the two games, especially the one against Newcastle, we felt really dominant. So hopefully we can take that in tomorrow.”

Flannery also highlighted the contrast in preparation between the two sides, with City having played only four matches this season.

“I think, for them, it’s hard because they haven’t got this momentum that we’re fortunate to have this week. I think it’s difficult to prepare for a derby when you’ve got 10/14 days to prepare for it. It’s a lot of time to think about opposition, and how to prepare the bodies. Hopefully, if we just get in their face nice and early, they’ll be a bit worried.”

While Victory’s momentum has been evident, Hopkins remains clear on the challenge City will pose, noting their distinct style and attacking threats.

“You know what you’re going to get from City. They’re a team that likes to keep possession, likes to build from the back, and play through the thirds. They’ve got the ability with Holly McNamara up front, to go direct as well. So there’s always that threat there. I think they play in a way that we understand. We’ve played them a lot over the years.”

Despite City’s recent league loss to Canberra, their first in 651 days, Hopkins insists Victory’s focus remains inward.

“To be honest? It doesn’t bother me. This is the derby, we’re always up for the derby. It’s always a big game for us. How they react, we can’t really do anything about that. We can just react to it out on the field.”

One of Victory’s new signings this season, Taylor Ray, said the squad is still on the hunt for consistency, particularly with players returning from injury.

“I think that is the biggest thing for us. We want to build that consistency going throughout the season. I think it’s been a bit of a tough one, because we’ve had a lot of players coming in and out of the squad with injuries, myself included, some big names like Nicki Flannery as well.”

Ray also pointed to the importance of chemistry and communication within the group as a key focus moving forward.

“I think the biggest thing is taking on that reflection, you know, analyzing the game and just having honest communication, owning up and taking accountability of your mistakes is the first step to getting better.”

With squad depth improving, Hopkins confirmed another boost ahead of the derby, with Sienna Saveska set to likely make her Victory debut.

“Yes, Sienna is in the squad this week… She’s probably good enough to play 45 minutes at least. So she’ll be thereabouts. She’s in the squad.”

Offensively, Victory’s creativity has been flourishing in recent matches, with Flannery highlighting the form of her fellow forwards.

“Early on in the year, we struggled to find the back of the net and create really clear goal scoring chances. I think in the past three games in particular, we’ve had a lot of creativity up front, and that’s starting to gel really nice. [Holly] Furphy has been playing out of her skin. It’s really great to see that we’re creating a lot of goal scoring chances and completing them.”

The derby, though big for all players, will be a milestone for Rhianna Pollicina, who spent four seasons at City before signing with Victory this season. Hopkins spoke about her preparation and motivation ahead of facing her former club.

“I kind of sussed her out over the last few weeks, how much I can kind of stir the pot, but I don’t think I need to at the moment. She’s got her own motivations around playing City, and she’s also got some really good memories of the club, so I don’t want to jump in there and say too much that might go against kind of how she’s preparing for the game. She’s a professional. She knows how to get herself ready for the game, and I know she will perform, and she’ll perform really well, even if I don’t really understand that motivation.”

As Victory prepare to host City, Flannery said the feeling around derby day remains unmistakable, regardless of form or fixture congestion.

“It’s just the unspoken feeling of a rivalry… We just know that there’s that extra bit of happiness when you do beat them.”

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Kyah Simon: “Stick with me” – Exclusive Interview

Above: Kyah Simon in training for Dijon. Image: Jean-Pierre Thiesset for Impetus.

by Jean-Pierre Thiesset (22/12/2025).

Impetus’ Football’s Jean-Pierre Thiesset interviewed Kyah Simon about her latest journey in France and how it compares to the rest of her illustrious career. The striker represents Australia, earning 111 caps and scoring 29 goals. In 2011, Simon became the first Indigenous Australian player to score a goal in a FIFA Women’s World Cup. She signed a 1-year contract with Dijon in the Arkema Première Ligue in October 2025.

Jean-Pierre Thiesset: What drew you to France, and Dijon specifically?

Kyah Simon: For me, I have always been aware of the French league being one of the first league in Europe, but it was quite a random way I guess how it came about. It was through a friend I know, who was an agent; when the Dijon sporting director, who was looking for another striker, got in touch with him and became aware of my situation. At the time I was training and looking myself back up in Sydney. It was, yeah, quite an urgent request to respond and I had to make a decision fairly quickly from being in Sydney with my family and deciding within 24 hours. I think what draws me is obviously knowing France Première League is one of the top leagues in Europe and I wanted to get back in European high-level football. I had a great conversation with Sylvain Carric, Sporting Director, and it just made sense for my career at the time.

JPT: After playing in England, Holland, and the US, how does each league style and standard compare with Australia?

KS: I would say definitely across the board it is very different. I would say in the US obviously it is very athletic and direct.

In Holland, I guess it was a similar experience than to Australia, in terms of level of football there.

In England, I think probably it is definitely out there that there is the highest quality league in the world with the top players they have in terms of well-known players, big names players, and from very different countries.

**Above:** Simon on the ball in training with Dijon. Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset for Impetus.

I think France is that league that flies under the radar a little bit but with high quality players very technical and tactical winners. It is a very consistent league across the board with obviously top teams like Lyon (OL Lyonnes), which has always been strong for years.

I guess Australian league was involved in changes during the last years from when a lot of the core of us experienced players were in the league. Now there are more young players coming through, which is great for development, but I think obviously the experience from either over the world or different national teams is important and there is not much of that now in the league.

JPT: After some injury hit seasons, how are you feeling, and has the change of environment helped?

KS: Yeah, for me I definitely felt like I needed a change in environment being back in a really professional environment here in Dijon club in terms of the facilities and the set up and being a full-time professional football player. Dijon offered that to me and coming from the A-League I think for me it was just time to change the environment. I had a difficult couple of years with injuries, and it has been a real challenge and struggle for me to just find some rhythm and momentum, and I think the first thing was to be in the highest professional environment that will take care of me first and foremost and then built step by step.

You know, coming here first in Dijon, there will always be a teaming period and having to settle in a new environment in a non-English country (laugh). There are a lot of challenges that come in place, but the one cool thing is that every day I wake up and I am really excited to looking forward to coming to the club. I want to put in the work and get myself back to the best form that I know I can and have patience with myself at the same time. I just cannot expect it to happen overnight but knowing that I got the full support of the club and everyone here has just really settled me and is taking those baby steps with me, hopefully I have a very good feeling. So, I think that it has been very good to have understanding, feel understood as well and know what it takes to help me get back to my best.

**Above:** Simon warms up. Photo: Jean-Pierre Thiesset for Impetus.

JPT: Have you had any contact from Joe Montemurro since he took over the Matildas job?

KS: Yes, I have, we talked a few times, and he said that going to Dijon was a good option for me. Again, it is the same as everyone else, it is just about playing and getting back matches minutes which I think ultimately that is the goal for everyone.

He is a great guy, and I had a few conversations with him. Ultimately it is about getting match minutes, and it is the goal for me and for everyone involved and whatever happens from those match minutes will happen you know. Until I got back on the pitch and got regular minutes that is the key to everything.

JPT: There has been a lot of talk recently about how successfully the A-League Women built on having the 2023 World Cup played in Australia. What would you like to see happen to further develop the competition?

KS: Yeah, look, after the World Cup I think we do not capitalize as much on the tournament. I think it was a missed opportunity. Salary is the number one thing for players to be able to be on full-time contract and to have a long enough season where you have a preseason and off-season period. Again, I mean the wages need to increase.

Also, it should be an all-around the year competition because until you have that, numerous players, majority in each team, have a different job or need to work elsewhere. Until you do not have the players on full-time wages and they do not have to have another job, they will always be splitting interest, and it is not ideal for training time. So, there is so much that flows on from that, that high salary with full-time contract and more support and resources around the league are necessary.

I think until you have that, the product itself will never be taken seriously and be attractive to compete with European leagues. You cannot compete with any other leagues until I guess you put those measures in place. Right now, it is an easy decision for Australian players to go oversea where they will be on a full-time season salary. In Australia a lot of players are left in limbo during the off-season period and are playing in a lower level trying to make money. Some players are not even playing for months, and they lose that kind of momentum and cohesion that you try to build in the team and each time you must restart from scratch.

However, I would like to say that the competition is a really healthy place because it is a league where pretty much majority of Matildas came through and that is the ongoing league that we all came through and developed through. So, A-League is essentially the portal for national team, and by fixing it domestically, it will benefit national team for the future.

JPT: Do you want to say a few words to your numerous fans in Dijon, Australia and all over the world?

KS: Obviously, with my 17 years of professional career, I would not be where I am without the fans’ support. Particularly, when I have not been on the pitch and going through a difficult time being injured. They had been patient with my process, and I really appreciated that and their understanding that at the end of the day no one wants to be on the pitch playing as much as I am. I am working as hard as I possibly can because I want to be back at top level and play and train consistently week in and week out.

I really appreciate the support from the fans all around the world wherever they are from. It is very appreciated when they send me a nice message on social media or when I meet nice people at games. I would definitely say, stick with us and stick with me and hopefully we could share some good moments in the future.

I would say that since I am in Dijon I met some lovely kind people in the club where they were friendly but also outside in Dijon.

**Above:** Simon lunges for the ball. **Photo:** Jean-Pierre Thiesset for Impetus.

I am enjoying being back in Europe. It is a new experience for me, and I guess at my age still being to experience something new in football it is the gift that keeps on giving for me and I am just enjoying the ride.

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Badawiya on call to seal the Glory for Perth

Perth Glory 1-0 Adelaide United

by Ben Gilby (21/12/25)

Above: Want a goal? Call me! Rola Badawiya celebrates after hitting her third of the season for Perth Glory today. Image: Paramount+

Perth Glory earned their second straight victory with a clean sheet after condemning an Adelaide United side who dominated possession and territory to a fourth defeat in six matches.

Last weekend, the Western Australian outfit had to see off a Wellington Phoenix side who created a stack of goalscoring chances. This time round, despite Adelaide having over 70% of the ball for at times, Glory keeper Teresa Morrissey had very few shots to save.

Perth boss Stephen Peters made one change to his starting line-up with Onyi Zogg missing due to a quad injury, with Julia Sardo coming in. Tijan McKenna moved into centre back. The Western Australians also had the luxury of a bench stacked with attacking potential.

Adelaide United, whose midweek game at Melbourne City was postponed due to a flu outbreak made two changes from their starting XI from their last outing at Melbourne Victory last weekend as Matilda McNamara came in along with Emily Condon for Holly Murray and Isabel Hodgson out.

Despite what is, on paper, a team with gifted attacking weapons, the South Australians came into this game having scored only three goals all season – they would have been hopeful of improving this record against the league’s leakiest defence, but it never really worked out that way due to a combination of Glory’s set up and organisation and poor passing at times from the Reds.

Indeed, it was the visitors who created the first chance of the encounter as Adriana Taranto used dancing feet along the right to beat her defender and let fly with an angled shot that only just cleared the bar.

Perth looked to respond, and Rola Badawiya broke through just before the quarter hour mark and turned Zoe Tolland, but just as the former Central Coast Mariners hot-shot was about to pull the trigger, a combative tackle from Ella Tonkin slammed the door shut.

As the half advanced, whilst the visitors remained in command of the possession, they never really showed any likelihood of breaking through the Perth backline. Clear cut chances dried up as Adelaide’s passing accuracy dropped off as the Glory looked to up the ante on their press.

The home side needed to get their foot on the ball, and find time to get the creativity of Georgia Cassidy into the game, something which would be key to calling Claudia Jenkins into action. If truth be told, neither goalkeeper had much to do in the opening 35 minutes.

However, Adelaide paid the ultimate price for failing to turn their domination into a scoreboard lead. With 37 minutes played, Perth were awarded a free kick after Healy fouled Johnston on the right, almost 30 yards out.

Cassidy floated the ball in, it was initially cleared, but turned back in by Sardo on the left – again, the visitors couldn’t effectively get the ball away, allowing Bronte Trew to touch on for Badawiya at the back post slot home.

The visitors looked to hit back immediately as Healy broke through, but Morrissey made a superb save with her leg.

Just as they did last weekend, Perth sucked up all the pressure and made their opponents pay the price for failing to turn a colossal possession share of 70.7% into goals. The character and attacking potential in this Western Australian side is there to bite you on the backside when you least expect it.

Perth started the second half strongly as Trew burst through and fired a powerful shot just over the top. Whilst it was a confident effort, a combination of a touch taking her further away from goal and Badawiya unmarked to the left, a pass could have been a better option.

Adelaide struggled to get any true foothold in an attacking sense again. The closest they came was with 20 minutes remaining when Adriana Taranto’s low shot from outside the box was easily held by Morrissey.

Perth had a chance to double their lead with seven minutes remaining when substitute Susan Phonsongkham, the scoring hero in last week’s Distance Derby success over Wellington, raced up the right and curled a shot wide of the left-hand post.

Then, deep into the four minutes of stoppage time, a final chance for the visitors. Badawiya was adjudged to have brought down Healy a few yards outside of the box to the right – but Paige Zois’ free-kick flew over the top.

This was an exceptionally frustrating game for Adelaide. Despite the fact that they are recovering from a flu bug that ravaged the squad, the Reds had more than enough possession and territory to have put this game to bed comfortably. This and their poor scoring record means there is a lot to work on as we move towards 2026 with the South Australian side bottom of the ladder on goals scored from Western Sydney Wanderers.

Perth now move up in the top six, having recorded back-to-back wins without being anywhere near their potential best. It’s a big few months ahead for both these sides.

Teams: PERTH GLORY (4-3-3): Morrissey, McKenna, Anderson, Sardo, Johnston, Dalton, Cassidy, Westaway, Trew, Hollar, Badawiya. Substitutes: Skinner, Lincoln, O’Donoghue, Phonsongkham, Tovar, Wainwright.

Scorers: Badawiya 39′.

ADELAIDE UNITED (4-2-3-1): Jenkins, Tolland, McNamara, Tonkin, Hodgson, M. Taranto, Zois, A. Taranto, Healy, Condon, Dawber. Substitutes: Bowler, Dewey, Gooch, Melegh, Murray, Rossi.

Scorers:

Referee: Sophie Allum.

Attendance: 825.

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Late leveller earns Canberra a point against Mariners

Canberra United 1-1 Central Coast Mariners

by Callum Logie (20/12/25)

Above: Michelle Heyman leading the way for Canberra United against Central Coast Mariners today. Photo: Canberra United.

A Sasha Grove equaliser in the final minute of regulation time ensured Canberra United would share the points with Central Coast Mariners in a match that endured several delays for both the heat and lightning.

This was a battle between two teams looking to create more momentum for themselves as they head toward the middle of summer. Canberra United made one change from their win over Melbourne City, bringing Jazmin Wardlow into the defence and dropping Tegan Bertolissio to the bench. Central Coast tweaked their starting shape from their 2-1 victory at Western Sydney, but kept the same personnel.

Canberra United created an early chance at five minutes in the game after a delivery from Josie Aulicino found Hawkins for a free header which was directed wide of the Mariners goal. The home team started positively, looking to continue their path to the top of the ladder.

A couple of minutes later, Michelle Heyman showed some great hold-up play which created an opportunity for Sasha Grove. Grove’s shot from about 20 yards was well collected by Annalee Grove who was the starting keeper for Central Coast this week.

At 10 minutes, Bethany Gordon burst forward into the box after an excellent first touch on the edge of the box and drove a ball across goal. Grove was able to push the ball out, but it was the most promising attack the hosts had put together up to that point, with Gordon and Grove regularly pushing forward to support Heyman in the middle.

Many players for Canberra United were peppering the goal of Central Coast in the first half, with Emma Hawkins directing a shot on target from yet another Heyman initiated attack. She did not connect well with the shot at 12 minutes, and Grove was able to keep her team level in what was a Canberra dominated 15 minutes.

The match was disrupted at a few points in the first half, with heat and lightning predicating regular breaks in play. After an hour off the pitch, the game resumed play an hour and a half after kick off time. With the scores being level, it was effectively a 65 minute game rather than the full 90 if you discount the first 25 minutes of play.

A minute after play resumed, Josie Aulicino won a free-kick after making a run inside. She often drifted wide to help support the attacking full backs and Heyman up front. Nothing came from the resulting free kick from Bethany Gordon, but it did mark that United intended to continue where they left off.

After a period of back and forth play and physical challenges. Nanako Sasaki created an opportunity for Canberra United with a well weighted cross directed toward Michelle Heyman landed at the edge of the six yard box. Greta Kraszula was able to spoil the efforts of Heyman and deflect the ball safely into the arms of Grove.

Central Coast were on the back foot for the entire first half, only managing one shot on goal and one corner. The tackling of the Canberra United defence and the physicality of the midfield made it difficult for the Mariners to create anything meaningful when pushing forward.

In order to create advantages on the flanks, the home side elected to tweak their formation, having a back three, while Hawkins and Sasha Grove were free to roam forward into attacking positions. The tackling of Hayley Taylor-Young and Wardlow along with the solid positioning on the defensive side of Emma Robers and Elizabeth Anton allowed for the team to continue deploying their attacking wide players forward.

This is a part of what has made Canberra United such a dangerous team this season, their ability to rotate players around and continue to play at a high level. On the other side, it was the physical defence of Elizabeth Barwick-Gray and Taren King that prevented Canberra from getting open in the box and in attacking options, so while they had the majority of the chances, Annalee Grove had quite a clean game in goal thanks to the efforts of her defenders.

Sienna Dale was introduced in the second half, the exciting youngster looking to bring some energy to the Canberra attacks. The second half was characterised by a lot of physicality in the first ten minutes, neither team able to create any major advantage.

It took 59 minutes for the Mariners to get their first meaningful chance, and it was seemingly out of nothing. A physical run from Isabella Coco Di-Sipio lead to her taking a snapshot from just outside the box that forced a save out of Sally James.

In terms of territory and possession, the Mariners did seem to have a stronger showing through the first portion of the second half, having more touches in Canberra United’s half. For United, the inclusion of Dale and the energy of Aulicino saw them pressing the Mariners defenders more when they were not on the ball.

Against the run of play, a long hopeful ball forward from Isabel Gomez found its way to Annalise Rasmussen who ran forward into the box and tucked away a great effort at the near post from about 14 yards. The Mariners had to wait 67 minutes for their first shot on target, but Rasmussen delivered with a goal.

Canberra started playing with a sense of desperation after falling behind, but were again having trouble breaking down the defence of the Mariners. Central Coast were able to maintain a fair potion of possession while continuing to frustrate their opposition.

The capital city side piled on the pressure, particularly in the final 10 minutes, looking to create that chance to get them back into the game. Another lightning delay was called at 85 minutes through the game, the weather doing its best to keep this game from finishing.

Finally, the game resumed with Central Coast creating an early chance, substitute Tiana Fuller directing her shot off target.

Despite their efforts in keeping their clean sheet, Central Coast did end up conceding in the 90th minute, with Sasha Grove striking from a low driven cross to tie it up for the hosts. Canberra continued to press for a winner, but Central Coast were resolute and able to preserve an important away draw.

Considering all the stoppages and disruptions of play, one goal a piece seemed to be a fair result at the end of this game.

Teams: CANBERRA UNITED (4-4-2): James, Hawkins, Wardlow, Taylor-Young, Robers, Sasaki, S.Grove, Anton, Gordon, Heyman, Aulicino. Substitutes: Bertolissio, Christopherson, Dale, Majstorovic, Malone, Stanic-Floody.

Scorer: S.Grove 90′.

CENTRAL COAST MARINERS (4-1-4-1): A. Grove, Baumann, King, Barwick-Grey, Martin, Gomez, Coco Di-Sipio, Quilligan, Kraszula, Trimis, Rasmussen. Substitutes: Buchanan, Clough, Farrow, Fuller, Prakash, Varley.

Scorer: Rasmussen 67′.

Referee: Isabella Mossin

Attendance: 1,152.

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Wellington wallops Sydney to break records

Wellington Phoenix 7-0 Sydney FC

By Alyce Collett 20/12/2025

Above: Grace Jale (centre) celebrates after scoring one of the two goals she scored against Sydney FC. Photo: Ryan Imray for Impetus

The Wellington Phoenix have recorded a monster historic win this afternoon, downing Sydney FC 7-0 to not only record their biggest ever win but hand Sydney FC its biggest ever loss. The Phoenix were in control all afternoon, and goals from Manaia Elliott, Samba Bhandari and Grace Jale, as well as own goals from Tori Tumeth and Sarah Hunter, saw the home side bank the historic scoreline.

After a little bit of a frantic start, it did not even take Wellington even three minutes to get their scoring started. After the initial shot was well saved by Tiarna Robertson, some poor marking of Elliot from the Sydney defence allowed the Phoenix attacker to pounce on the deflection and tap it home into the back of the net.

Pia Vlok went millimetres from doubling Wellington’s lead not even two minutes later, but instead hit the crossbar.

Even with only one goal on the board, momentum was very much in the yellow corner. The Phoenix players had a lot more energy all over the park – particularly from players like CJ Bott, Emma Main and Brooke Nunn – whereas the Sky Blues was just fighting for their lives, doing everything they can to keep the ball out of their defensive net. Riley Tanner was trying hard to generate something out on the left wing for Sydney, but with no one else lifting to her level her efforts were often in vain.

Wellington’s second goal came about 10 minutes after its first when Bhandari found herself at the back post and at the end of a perfectly placed Nunn corner, which she then headed home for her first goal in Phoenix colours.

One intriguing thing about the way the match was playing out, even from early on, was that despite Wellington having less players in its back line compared to Sydney’s, the Phoenix defenders were the more effective back line. Wellington’s defenders were positioning themselves better than Sydney’s and were more alert to everything, which meant the home side’s defenders were able to neutralise any attacking threats coming their way more effectively than Sydney’s.

Things did calm down during the middle period of the half, but as the half progressed towards its final stages it was clear that Wellington were far from done on the scoring front, scoring one more goal before half time.

Wellington had a corner that bounced around off several players as it landed in the box, but it eventually landed at Jale’s feet, who smashed it into the back of the net for her first goal of the season and Wellington’s 100th of its history.

The half time stats were as intriguing as they were at times stark.

Wellington had 12 more shots on goal than Sydney did (and four more than Sydney that were on target), had 18% more of the possession and had more than double the final third entries that Sydney did.

Despite the home side’s dominance in the first half, the second half was even more painful for Sydney than the first half was.

Jale’s second goal of the match – which took her to equal top goal scorer in club history – was another example of Sydney’s shortcomings from set pieces, after Jale found herself on the end of a perfectly placed corner from Main and then headed it straight into the back of the net.

Goal number five came from Bhandari, who after being fed a through ball perfectly from Nunn, guided the ball perfectly around Robertson and into the back of the net.

As if already being 5-0 down was not bad enough, Sydney added to its own pain by conceding two own goals in the final 10 minutes of the match.

The first one was off Tumeth, who was trying to clear the ball but mistimed it and it was a deflection into the back of the net, while the second one was perhaps the most chaotic one of the match, but ultimately bounced off Hunter.

Teams: WELLINGTON PHOENIX (3-5-3): Esson, Bott, Barry, Walker, Jale, Samba, Elliot, Van der Meer, Main, Nunn, Vlok. Substitutes: Danieli, Leon, D. Brazendale, Wall, Benson, Bartlett.

Scorers: Elliott 3’, Bhandari 13’, 69’, Jale 36’, 54’, Tumeth 80’ (OG), Hunter 90’ (OG).

SYDNEY FC (4-3-3): Robertson, Tumeth, Fenton, Ayson, Sullivan, Hunter, Lowry, Galic, Ulkekul, Hawkesby, Tanner. Substitutes: Hinz, Cassar, Lemon, Halmarick, Tallon-Henniker, Caspers.

Referee: Sarah Jones.

Attendance: 1,009.

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“We can be competitive with anyone”: Ho defiant as Spurs face Man Utd in Subway Cup Quarter Final

By Eloise Smallbone (19/12/25)

Above: The Tottenham team before last Sunday’s fixture at United Photo: @SpursWomen on X

Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping to go one step further in the Subway Cup against Manchester United this Sunday, having given up a 3-0 lead in the same league fixture last weekend.

Martin Ho revealed today that his team will be aiming to “reap some of the same performance” as last Sunday against Manchester United, “but with slight differences”, when the two sides face each other again in the League Cup quarter-final on Sunday.

Rivalry with Manchester United

Spurs and Manchester United faced each other as recently as last Sunday, where the two sides left Leigh Sports Village with a point apiece after a thrilling 3-3 draw. Ho described his pride at his side’s performance, as Leigh Sports Village is a “tough place to go and play” and he highlighted that Manchester United don’t tend to concede many goals at their home stadium.

Ho said that he “couldn’t have asked any more from the player” and that at the weekend they hope to “reap some of the same performance with slight differences”, including defending more diligently throughout the game.

Ho also credited the players for their mentality, explaining that: “The difference in the mentality of the group is that they were annoyed coming off the pitch.”

Ho added: “We are now in a space where we expect to win and we want to win” which “shows how far we have come.”

As well as the most recent fixture against Manchester United, Spurs also have the 2024 FA Cup final as motivation for Sunday’s tie, in which they lost 4-0 in front of a packed out Wembley. They also currently sit only one place below Manchester United in the WSL, after finishing sixth last season just behind Manchester United in sixth. This shows how competitive the two teams have become with each other over recent seasons and sets up another exciting fixture on Sunday.

His ambitions and Tottenham’s season so far

At the halfway point in the WSL season, Spurs have already surpassed their total number of points from last season, and Ho credited the players and staff for this. He explained that the club are benefiting from the players and staff working extremely hard, adding they he is “not surprised by their work ethic, commitment to doing things, application and attitude.”

Ho also described his own ambitions for the club, saying:

“I want to make sure I bring success to this club; we want to bring trophies to this club.”

The Spurs Head Coach also explained that he takes all the domestic competitions seriously and that the League Cup is an opportunity for silverware. If Spurs win against Manchester United at the weekend, they could face Arsenal in the semi-final, with Ho saying, “I’m confident no matter who we come up against” and “we can be competitive with anyone”. Ho’s positive mentality and leadership have been crucial to his team’s success so far this season. He explained that the team have built a strong mentality this season, arriving at Leigh Sports Village last weekend with a “quiet confidence that we could be competitive”.

Ho also thanked the fans for being outstanding, both home and away this season; describing them as the “extra spark” who help the team get over the line in tough games.

What to expect from Sunday

Ho also told the media that we can expect the same squad as last weekend. However, he was excited to share that some of the players who were injured on international break have started to return to training this week and a lot of these players should be back on the pitch as we head into 2026.

Tottenham will face Manchester United at 1pm BST on Sunday 21^st December for a place in the League Cup semi-final. The game will be available to watch on the WSL YouTube channel.

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Jets crash back to earth thanks to visitor’s statement win

Newcastle Jets 1- 3 Melbourne Victory

By Emma Burke 19/12/25

Above: Kennedy White (centre) celebrates after scoring. Photo: via the A-Leagues

Despite a late surge, Melbourne Victory were too good for the Newcastle Jets tonight, defeating them 3-1 at No. 2 Sportsground thanks to goals from Kennedy White, Rhianna Policina and Nicki Flannery.

The home side were put to their defensive work early when Sofia Sakalis found enough room at the top of the box to try her luck, but Anna Leat was ready between the sticks for the threat, doing just enough to push the ball over the bar.

It was a header from the American import White in the first half that opened the scoring account for the Victory, delivered off a pin-point free-kick by Alana Jancevski.

The Jets had chosen to leave White completely unmarked in the box, making her job of putting the ball into the back of the net all too easy, on top of being paired with such great service.

Pollicina later continued her incredible first season with Victory scoring a volley early in the second half, an instant contender for goal of the week, aided by Holly Furphy’s assist.

The sheer brilliance of Melina Ayres almost brought Newcastle back into the game when she was able to turn around a difficult cross and get the shot off. It unfortunately clipped the crossbar in the wrong direction, bouncing out of the goal.

Victory continued to pile on the hurt, scoring their third of the night through Flannery, her first goal since her return from injury and a stint overseas in Cyprus with Apollon Limassol.

Lauren Allen was able to find her side a consolation goal late in the game, after her shot on goal spilled through Courtney Newbon’s hands, which did seem to light a spark in Jets, but it was too little too late by that point.

The Victory now have a quick turnaround as they face their cross-city rivals in the Melbourne Derby on Tuesday, while Newcastle will play hosts to Canberra United next Saturday.

Teams: NEWCASTLE JETS (4-3-3): Leat, Cicco, Prior, Bates, Breier, Copus-Brown, Davis, Dundas, J. Allan, Brown, Ayres. Substitutes: Hoban, L. Allan, Adams, Wilson, Ritchie, Page.

Scorers: L. Allan 82’

MELBOURNE VICTORY (3-4-1-2): Newbon, Morrison, Ray, Bunge, Jancevski, Pollicina, Sakalis, Pickett, Lowe, White, Furphy. Substitutes: Maher, Flannery, O’Grady, Curtis, Woodward, Techera.

Scorers: White 25’, Pollicina 57’, Flannery 77’

Referee: Mikayla Ryan.

Attendance: 1,145

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“We’re a Great Team” Morrison Confident Ahead of Newcastle Clash

Above: Kayla Morrison speaks to the media. Image: Melbourne Victory.

By Isabelle Campbell (17/12/25)

Melbourne Victory captain Kayla Morrison says her side must use last week’s gritty win over Adelaide as a platform for consistency as they prepare to face the Newcastle Jets in Newcastle on Friday night.

Victory bounced back from a disappointing loss to Canberra with a hard-fought Original Derby win, and Morrison said the response across the group had been encouraging.

“I think we had, obviously not our best game against Canberra, but that led into one of our better weeks of training, which in turn led to maybe not our best performance against Adelaide. But what I said to the girls was it was a performance that we’re known for, get a goal and then hold on to the lead, do what needed to be done to win. So we walked away pretty happy.”

The challenge now, according to the skipper, is ensuring that performance becomes the standard rather than an exception.

“It is going to be hard with the short turnaround to the game, but I think now that we’ve kind of felt what it is to kind of grind out a match, we can take that into the next match, hopefully get goals and then not let them score. I do think they’re a good team this year, but I think we’re a great team, so hopefully we can get the win there and then prep for the next quick turnaround.”

Despite a season marked by fluctuating form, Victory remain toward the top end of the table, a position Morrison believes reflects how tight the competition has been.

“I think everyone’s kind of been up and down, which helps us. It’ll be what team can find that consistency and who can find it the quickest, and hopefully that will be us.”

Victory have recently been boosted by the return of key players, including Nicki Flannery and, earlier, Taylor Ray, something Morrison feels will be an important factor in their attacking play.

“We were struggling to find goals. So I think getting in as many attackers, or people who want to play the ball forward, get forward, like Taylor, like Nicki, I think that will really help take the pressure off the other girls up there. So it will be great, if anything, it just kind of drives competition as well.”

That internal competition, Morrison says, can also help refine decision-making in front of goal, an area where Victory have created chances but not consistently capitalised.

“I think that is a mentality thing from us. It’s hard to get those opportunities, but then who’s going to have the hunger to put it in the back of the net? I think competition will make people think, ‘I want to be the one scoring the goals. I want to be the one assisting.’

I thought Holly kind of showed that on the weekend with Adelaide. She was up and down the line, she was getting crosses in and maybe, knowing that other people are coming back in the squad, it’s like, ‘Okay, I’m going to be the one that’s playing 90 minutes. I will not be the one to get subbed’”

Morrison had nothing but praise for young winger Holly Furphy, who has been a standout player for the side so far this season.

“I’ve known Holly for a long time, and I’ve always thought she was an incredible player. She went away to America, and she came back a great player. I think she struggled maybe a bit mentally before, but she gained a lot of strength and dealt with adversity while she was over there. So I think we’re seeing Holly really try to kind of find herself now. I think she knows what works for her, and I think the people around her need to help amplify that and help play to her game, because she is someone who will win those games.”

With significant changes to the squad over the offseason, including numerous departures in attack and midfield, Morrison acknowledged the side is still refining its on-field chemistry.

“There’s been a really big change with the starting 11. So we are still learning what each other needs, but I think it’s been long enough now we should know, and it’s got to start clicking for us.”

The upcoming fixture list leaves little room for error, with short turnarounds, the Melbourne Derby and the busy Christmas period all looming.

“If it goes well, it will accelerate us, but if it doesn’t, it puts a damper on things, because there’s a lot of points to be won here. You just hope everyone’s in good spirits, you hope that it’s more exciting to be playing this amount of games than it is daunting. I look at it and think, it’s a good turnaround.

If you feel, ‘Oh I should have scored that goal’, well you can do it in three days. So I think it will be an exciting period for us. We’re a fit team, we have a great S&C and they’ll make sure that we’re fit and we’re ready and we’re recovered. We’ll be raring to go.”

Friday’s opponents, the Newcastle Jets, have impressed Morrison at this stage in the campaign, who expects a tough contest away from home. When asked what has made the Jets a much-improved opponent compared to last season, the captain shared,

“I don’t know why. Obviously, I want to say because my friend Melina [Ayres] is there, and she’s such a great goal scorer. I think they’re just a hungry team. New coach, maybe he’s kind of sorted out a good way for them to play. But we play better against good teams, you know you have to bring it. You can’t be in the mindset of ‘it’ll be easy’, because this is a good team, it’s going to be hard. So everyone will be mentally switched on from the whistle.”

Stopping former Victory striker Melina Ayres, who spent several seasons with the club and is an opponent the squad knows well, will be a major focus for Victory’s defence. Ayres has long been one of the league’s most dangerous attacking players, with her experience and instinct in front of goal making her a player to watch.

“I don’t know if it’s saying, ‘we’re gonna stop her every single time’. I think it’s just putting her in the worst position possible to shoot. She is known for shooting from anywhere, and always really hungry.

You talk about hunger, she is someone who will score the ugliest goal in the world because she’s just willing to do the ugly stuff. So it will be hard to stop her completely, but we’ll do the best we can to just put her in the worst positions possible.”

As Victory look to turn resilience into rhythm, Morrison believes the coming weeks will define their season. With confidence restored, competition for squad places intensifying and a demanding run of fixtures ahead, the captain is backing her side to rise to the challenge and take another step toward the consistency needed to remain firmly in the running for silverware.

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What will Leicester do in the transfer window? A superfan’s view

By Ben Tattoo (16/12/25)

Above: Leicester’s team talk before the London City Lionesses game this weekend Photo: LCFC_Women on X

Ben Tattoo interviews Charli Parkes, host of the ‘Why Always She’ Podcast, ahead of the January transfer window, to discuss Leicester City’s season so far and how the rest of the campaign could shape up.

Hi Charli, thank you for joining us. What is your history as a Leicester fan?
In 2023 my husband and I decided we wanted to watch more women’s football, and Leicester are our closest WSL team, so we chose them. I didn’t think that I would get into it as much as I have, but I love it. My husband and I started a podcast called ‘Why Always She’ where we talk about it, and I’ve been on Leicester radio to talk about the team.

Rick Passmoor took over from Amandine Miquel close to the start of the season, were you surprised?
Yeah, I was really surprised. We’d got our highest points tally ever under Miquel and there weren’t any hints that things would change. But when the new director of football came in, he did a review of everything at the club, and I guess they decided she wasn’t up to scratch. I wouldn’t have changed things. You can’t fault his commitment, though, apparently he comes to every game.

What did you think of the club’s business in the summer?
It was a strange one, because three players were signed under Miquel and then three players came in under Passmoor. Olivia McLoughlin has been really good, I remember seeing her play for England Under 23’s. She’s come into our midfield and has barely missed a minute. I rate Van Egmond too; she has struggled in some games but has generally been good. (Heather) Payne added some depth at the back but now she is injured. (Celeste) Boureille was signed by Miquel, and she’s looked solid, but she’s also had some injuries.

It felt like some important players left last season, Yuka Momiki and Sophie Howard in particular?
Losing Momiki was not great, but the biggest loss in my opinion was Sophie Howard. She was an absolute colossus for us and a really important leader. Losing Ruby Mace was obviously disappointing, but she’s such a good player, she was going to move on eventually, and we got a really good fee for her.

How do you feel about the season so far?
I think we’re in a bit of a rut, though I think we still have more points than this time last season when we were really struggling with injuries. We seem to be able to beat anybody away in the League Cup, but can’t do it in the league! My husband and I joke about how suffering is a big part of being a football fan! It makes the good times even better. However, I think it’s a tight league, and anyone can beat anyone, as Everton showed recently, so we’ll see how things go.

Where do you think the team needs to strengthen in January?
Playing a back three, we are really reliant on our wing backs. Asmita Ale has been immense down the left, if we could clone her that would be great! Down the right we’ve struggled a lot more. Janice Cayman has been tried there. She is a stalwart and I’d like to get her in the team, but she’s 37 and can’t bomb up and down the flanks. Hannah Cain has struggled in that position too. So we definitely need to invest in that area.

Do you think Leicester will do a lot of business?
We were linked on deadline day with Lucy Parry at Liverpool, and I think she would be good, she hasn’t been getting many minutes but has come in recently due to injuries, and I don’t think Gareth Taylor wants to let anyone go with the thinness of their squad at the moment.

The club are the second lowest scorers in the league; do you think they need to add to the forward line?
Every season I feel like we’re crying out for a striker! One of the interesting things about our system though is our use of a front two. Noémie Mouchon has felt like the answer at times, but the club have been wrapping her up in wool after her injury last season. Shannon O’Brien works really hard and is always trying to get in behind (defences). Jutta Rantala was looking good, but she’s now out for the season again, which is gutting. Rosella Ayane came from Spurs, I think she was a bit maligned there, but I think she’s looked decent coming off the bench.

If you could bring any player to the club. Who would it be?
I love Stina Blackstenius, she’s so quick and she would play great in a front two so would suit our system perfectly. My personal preference is that football should be about getting the ball forward quickly, and I’d love us to get the ball forwards quickly to Stina and she’d score loads of goals!

Any transfer predictions for the rest of the WSL?
I think Trinity Rodman will go to Chelsea, they seem to like their American wonderkids. Arsenal will and need to strengthen. Gareth Taylor has been making a lot of noise about needing recruitment at Liverpool, and I think Manchester United need to invest too. Everton spent big in the summer, and I’m not sure they’ll spend more. London City already have a gigantic squad, but I can see them investing in more.

How do you think the rest of the season will go? What position are you hoping for?
I’d take just staying up be honest (laughs)! We came 10th last season for the second season in a row, and then had another reset! So we’ll go again in the summer (hopefully!) and see where we go from there.

This is the first in a series of 12 articles covering all teams in the WSL, keep your eyes open for more coming in the next few days.

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Slegers calls on Gunners to “play the Arsenal way”

By Roos Schelen (16/12/25)

Above: Renée Slegers during yesterday’s pre-match media conference. Photo: Arsenal website.

Renée Slegers says Arsenal will try to chase a top four position in this UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) league phase.

Arsenal play Oud Heverlee Leuven (OHL) on what is the final day of the league phase in the competition. Arsenal sit eighth and Leuven sit twelfth. Arsenal have already qualified for the knock out phase play off rounds. They could still skip those if they get a top four position and advance to the quarter finals directly, but a lot of results will have to go their way.

Slegers says: “It’s not within our hands, but we try to chase those top four positions. But Leuven will have to go for something as well or they will go for something. So it’s going to be an interesting game. All games will be played at the same time, so scenarios can change in an instance.”

OHL have held Paris FC, Paris Saint-Germain and AS Roma to draws so far in this UWCL campaign. Slegers thinks Leuven are an interesting team. “I think they are very disciplined in everything they do and they defend in certain areas. But they also have the ability to change things in game. They can go higher, they can go lower, they have quite some depth in the squad, so they can make changes that will change the game for them. So there’s a lot of different scenarios for the game tomorrow”, Slegers assesses.

During the weekend, Leah Williamson made her return from injury after more than 4 months out. In her absence, Steph Catley, Lotte Wubben Moy and Katie Reid have held the fort well at centre back. Katie Reid is now unfortunately out with an ACL injury, but Catley and Wubben Moy continue to make an impact on the pitch for Arsenal. Williamson being back however doesn’t give Slegers selection headaches.

“I’m happy that so many are performing at a high level”, Slegers says. “And I’m happy that Leah is back fresh. She got her first minutes against Everton and looked really good, looked like herself. And we always plan, thinking ahead. But like I just said, things change quickly and you need different things at different stages. There’s going to be schedules that are full”, she adds.

She also says she is really happy with the quality that Arsenal has. “I think it’s them taking really good ownership of building those relationships and partnerships with each other. And that’s been on a really high level. So it’s really good to have Leah back and it’s really good to have so much quality in central positions”, Slegers concludes.

The game tomorrow at Leuven’s Stadion den Dreef is sold out, which means a record crowd for Belgian women’s football. Beth Mead joined Slegers in the pre-match press conference and has played in the record breaking 2022 and 2025 Euros finals, a sold out Emirates Stadium, among others.

When Impetus asked Mead whether she’s getting used to playing so many record-breaking matches, Mead suggested that it is still surprising: “It’s fun to play in front of so many people. When you see how far the women’s game has gone, you played in front of a few hundred people, not even that.”

Tomorrow’s match between Oud Heverlee Leuven and Arsenal will be played at 8pm BST and is streamed live on Disney+.

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