A-League
RD 4: Double Header - MARINERS v VICTORY, JETS v WESTERN UTD
Unite Round saw an entertaining double header on a beautiful but warm Sydney late spring day, with exciting draws in both games and some incredible solo goals.
First up, Central Coast Mariners took on the star-studded Melbourne Victory. It’s been a big start for Em Husband’s side to start the season, with all four of their opponents featuring in last season’s finals, including champions Sydney and premiers Melbourne City.
Victory had the first real chance to score in the 8th minute, when recalled Matildas striker Emily Gielnik, who scored a hattrick last week, got her boot to the ball at waist height in the box but pushed it wide.
Just four minutes later, the Mariners opened the scoring, when local junior Annelise Rasmussen unleashed a shot from wide out and beat the outstretched hand of former teammate Courtney Newbon.
The Mariners carried that momentum into the next stage of the game and had a few good opportunities through Brooke Dunn, Isabel Gomez and a shot by Rasmussen in a similar position, but couldn’t find the back of the net.
Despite all this, Victory had a possession advantage, and nearly found an equaliser late in the half after a free kick near the edge of the box, but Gielnik’s kick sailed wide.
Victory, playing with a reasonable breeze behind them in the second half, came out playing a more connected brand of football, and put the Mariners’ defence under pressure in the opening minutes courtesy of several corners, but were unable to convert any of them. Moments later Alex Chidiac had a crack from range but was saved by Mariners’ keeper.
Mariner Isabel Gomez was having a strong game in the midfield, but was forced from the field midway through the second half after a challenge left her clutching at an ankle. The 22yr old was selected for the upcoming Matildas squad to play Brazil and Chinese Taipei, and was seen looking visibly emotional after the game, indicating the injury make keep her out of the side.
Her teammate Jessika Nash has received a recall to the national team for the upcoming friendlies, having played her one and only senior Matildas game back in 2021 against the then World Champs USA when she was a teenager. Nash told HER WAY after the game about how she’s progressed since that game:
“I’ve think I’ve definitely grown mentally and physically. But I’m just so excited for the opportunity - I’m going to take it with both hands, and whatever comes I’m going to do my best and that’s all you can ask.”
Melbourne continued to press after a hot weather drinks break midway through the second half, and only some last ditch defence prevented Emily Gielnik scoring from a cross. Then in the 84th minute, captain Kayla Morrison headed home the equalising goal after the Mariners failed to clear the ball bobbing around in the goal face. The American-born captain has been in the news this week, with confirmation from interim Matildas coach Tom Sermanni that the national team is keen to have a look at Kayla in the green and gold if and when FIFA approve her paperwork to be considered to represent Australia. Victory coach Jeff Hopkins spoke about what his captain brings as a player:
“You can see the things you want from a leader and a central defender - she gives all of those. She’s dependable, and on and off the field she leads by example.”
After the game, Nash felt the Mariners walking away with a draw was a missed opportunity:
“We can be a bit disappointed because we had a few chances that we definitely should’ve taken in the first half. We’re still undefeated, so that’s a positive note.”
With split rounds coming up over the next two weeks due to the international window, Victory have next week off, and Hopkins told HER WAY the break will be beneficial for his team:
“We’ve got one or two players coming off injuries in pre-season who aren’t really match fit, so we’ll get some work into them. Obviously we’ll lose ‘Chids’ [Chidiac] and Emily [Gielnik] who won’t be available for the next game, but we’re really pleased that they’ve got an opportunity with the national team.”
Newcastle Jets and Western United clashed in the second game of the double header, with two big names in the starting lineup and marking up one on another - United captain Chloe Logarzo, returning after a week off to be married overseas, while Jet Sheridan Gallagher got her first start after coming back to the round ball game from her second season of NRLW.
The first real action came in the seven minute came when Newcastle’s Tash Prior, going back to retrieve the ball, collided heavily with her keeper Tiahna Robertson, and was taken from the field as a precaution.
Moments later, Western United had the first clear opportunity of the game when livewire defender Sasha Groves’ shot at goal from outside the box was deemed to have struck a hand of a Jets player in the box, and a penalty from the spot was ordered. However Robertson guessed correctly and batted away Logarzo’s attempt.
Playing with the breeze behind them, the Jets created more attacking opportunities in the first half, with one great chance from a corner tipped over the bar in a last ditch effort by Western’s defence, to the cheers of the nearby small but committed group of the Western Core supporter group.
Sheridan Gallagher was definitely having an impact in more ways than one. She was using her physical presence and strength in contests, and nearing halftime unleashed a shot off one step which saw Western’s teenage keeper Chloe Lincoln called into action to protect the top right corner of the net.
Lincoln, who was named for this week’s Matildas squad, was getting her first start in black and green since round one, and confirmed why she is a star on the rise, pulling off several good stops throughout the game when the Jets had periods of dominance. The teams went into the sheds locked at 0-0 in an entertaining game.
Western United had the first real chance in the second half, with Filipino international Sara Eggesvik unloading a powerful strike from long range which forced Robertson to make a good save.
However Newcastle continued to press, and three minutes later Sheridan Gallagher found herself one-on-one with keeper Lincoln but the 19 year old got down low and deflected the ball to the right of the goals.
A couple of minutes later, the opening goal came from an unlikely source, with Jets defender Claudio Cicco receiving the ball from outside the box and drove it into the left corner, bringing the travelling Newcastle fans at that end of the pitch to their feet.
The Jets threatened to double the lead almost immediately, but another great save from Lincoln kept Western in the game. To their credit, Logarzo’s team kept coming, and the talented Grace Maher decided to take her moment, unleashing a left foot screamer from deep in the 79th minute which left Robertson with no chance as the ball found the top right corner.
There were concerns late in the game for the Jets when Young Matilda Lara Gooch went down after a non contact injury, clutching at a lower leg. She departed the field in pain, leaving the team to play the last few minutes with 10 players after they used their final substitutions earlier. Coach Ryan Campbell said after the match it didn’t appear that Gooch’s injury was the worst case scenario.
Post-match, Western captain Chloe Logarzo was proud of her team to be able to get back into the game, securing their fourth point of the season after coming from a scoreboard deficit:
“It wasn’t the best football we’ve ever played, but at the end of the day Newcastle Pride themselves on being the fittest team in the league, and they came out roaring. We could’ve easily let that game slip and unfortunately conceded a goal, but I’m glad we were able to get ourselves back out of that.”
Logarzo will be joined in Matildas camp by her goalkeeper, another Chloe L. The skipper paid tribute to the 19 year old’s performance:
“She came up with some really big saves that kept up in the game, and those kind of momentum shifts is what led us to having a 1-1 draw.”
For the Jets, much like the Mariners in the first game, there was a feeling of missed opportunities for coach Ryan Campbell:
“There was a period there when we went 1-0 up, we had two one-on-one chances that I think would’ve buried the game. We’re creating chances, we’ve just got to find the way to take those chances and end up getting more points on the board.”
