Melbourne Victory Women recorded their second road success of the Ninja A-League season as they beat Newcastle Jets on Friday night.
Kennedy White’s sixth goal since signing in the off-season earned Jeff Hopkins’ side a deserved lead after 25 minutes of play at No.2 Sportsground. The American striker was afforded the freedom of the penalty box to head in Alana Jancevski’s inviting set-piece delivery.
Rhianna Pollicina gave the away side a cushion shortly before the hour mark, continuing her impressive campaign courtesy of an unstoppable volley, and Victory’s control was highlighted when substitute Nicki Flannery opened her account for 2025/26.
Lauren Allan netted the Jets a response, but it came far too late to be of concern for the Melburnians, who move to the top of the ladder courtesy of the Round 8 win.
Team News
Hopkins stuck with the team who defeated Adelaide United last weekend, electing for an unchanged starting XI in the Hunter Valley. Victory’s only alteration came on the bench, where Jessica Young missed out on the match day squad as Grace Maher returned from the injury that kept her out of Round 7.
Match Action
Although the general tempo was subdued in the New South Wales heat, it was always Victory looking the more likely to find a first-half breakthrough.
Sofia Sakalis had an early strike pushed over, and then, from an accurate Laura Pickett cross, she made a good connection rising highest, but could only head wide. Pollicina also looked from the outset to continue her midfield goal contributions and had the accuracy locked in when striking from distance, only for her shot’s power to fade as it proved catching practice for Anna Leat.
The goalkeeper would, though, have no chance when the A-League Women’s leading scorer, White, got her first opportunity of the night. Jancevski dangerously whipped in a free kick won by Holly Furphy on the right, and Victory’s striker applied the perfect glancing header to give the visitors an advantage their play had foreshadowed.
Content with their lead, Hopkins’ team maturely managed the rest of the opening 45, with Courtney Newbon’s penalty box seeing little to no incident. A second was threatened as the half concluded when Furphy was given time to maze infield and trickle an effort wide.
Half-time: Newcastle Jets 0-1 Melbourne Victory
The tough temperatures were joined by some horizontal precipitation as the action resumed in changing conditions. Victory’s control, however, remained constant.
Kayla Morrison had their first chance of the second half. Reading a flick on to Pollicina’s free-kick delivery, the Captain, only a few yards away, was unfortunate not to see her guided attempt sneak into the corner.
On another occasion, it may well have been a chance that the team from Melbourne would live to regret, but as Newcastle continued to offer little at the other end, Victory upped the ante and doubled their tally.
White was this time involved in the build-up, releasing Furphy to gallop down the wing before occupying the attentions of several defenders, meaning Pollicina was allowed to make a late run into the box largely unattended. But the lapse marking from the Jets should not detract from what was a stunning volley, with the midfielder stabbing Furphy’s knee-high cross into the top corner.
From a goal of the season contender, to a shout for save of the season. Conceding a second brought something out of the hosts, and it was little surprise Melina Ayres was at the heart of it. Claudia Cicco picked out the former Melbourne Victory forward from the wing, and her turn and shot seemed certain to half the deficit until Newbon, at full stretch, diverted the ball onto the crossbar.
Alert to any shift in momentum, Hopkins turned to his bench and introduced Maher and Flannery, with the latter wasting little time to make her mark. Jancevski’s wonderful flighted pass identified an advanced Rachel Lowe run, she swept the ball square for Flannery, who forced the ball home from close range at the second time of asking.
The only dampener, the rain aside, was a goal back for Newcastle, when Allan’s rising shot burst through the gloves of Newbon.
Match Details
Newcastle Jets 1 (ALLAN 82′)
Melbourne Victory 3 (WHITE 25′, POLLICINA 57′, FLANNERY 77′)
Newcastle Jets starting XI: 24. Anna LEAT (GK), 3. Claudia CICCO, 4. Natasha PRIOR, 6. Cassidy DAVIS (C) (18. Sophie HOBAN 62′), 7. India BREIER, 8. Emma DUNDAS (32. Claire ADAMS 81′), 10. Elizabeth COPUS-BROWN (13. Lauren ALLAN 72′), 14. Melina AYRES, 15. Emma BATES, 26. Josie ALLAN, 44. Kelli BROWN.
Substitutes not used: 12. Georgia RITCHIE (GK), 2. Josie WILSON, 5. Olivia PAGE.
Booking: None.
Melbourne Victory starting XI: 1. Courtney NEWBON (GK), 24. Laura PICKETT, 3. Claudia BUNGE, 18. Kayla MORRISON (C), 66. Alana JANCEVSKI, 10. Rhianna POLLICINA, 6. Taylor RAY (81 Grace MAHER 72′), 23. Rachel LOWE, 9. Holly FURPHY (7. Ella O’GRADY 78′), 16. Kennedy WHITE (11. Nickoletta FLANNERY 72′), 5. Sofia SAKALIS.
Substitutes not used: 30. Payton WOODWARD (GK), 27. Rosie CURTIS, 28. Sienna TECHERA.
Booking: None.
Coming Soon
Victory sign off 2025 with two more away games. They face Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Tuesday, December 23, kick-off 4:30pm AEDT, before visiting Central Coast Mariners on Saturday, December 27, kick-off 5pm AEDT. The Girls in Blue return to the Home of the Matildas for the hosting of Brisbane Roar, who they took on in Round 1, on the second weekend of January.
