Melbourne Victory shredded the form book to topple Canberra United 1-3 in the Ninja A-League Finals Series Elimination Final on Saturday afternoon.
Jeff Hopkins’ side, fuelled by a sense of unfinished business, having lost twice to United during the regular season, performed far superior to a rival they had trailed by three places and as many points on the ladder, setting up a must-watch Semi-Final against Melbourne City.
In a statement performance at McKellar Park, two goals in three first-half minutes from Rachel Lowe, reacting sharpest at a corner, and Ella O’Grady, forcing the ball over the line, put them on course for progression.
The right of reply came quickly and coolly from Sasha Grove in the 29th minute, but Canberra, hosting their first Finals fixture for a decade, could not mount a further comeback.
Instead, it was a special occasion for O’Grady, who bravely headed in number three to reinstate the advantage, and Victory, as a second-half shutout emphasised their Finals credentials.
Team News
Chelsea Blissett and Grace Maher were both promoted to the starting XI, meaning Alana Jančevski and Kennedy White moved to a seven-player bench, which included the addition of versatile youngster Rosie Curtis.
Match Action
As Canberra set the tempo, Victory brought the aggression in a flurry of early duels, and after Courtney Newbon fielded an arching Hawkins effort, they started to impose themselves.
There were eyebrows raised when a Rhianna Pollicina cross blocked by the arm of Emma Robers inside the penalty area received no interest from the match officials, and then aggravation as O’Grady picked up a soft yellow card, for which Hopkins’ protestations also earned him a caution.
These would, thankfully, morph to celebrations midway through the first half. Having issued a warning from an inswinging Grace Maher free kick, which Michelle Heyman steered behind, the visitors left their calling card.
Claudia Bunge’s header, from a Pollicina corner, could only be parried by Sally James into the orbit of Lowe, whose quick control and finish silenced a partisan home crowd.
And they were soon searching for more than words as the lead was doubled. Goalscorer Lowe contributed with an ingenious backheel, supplying Pollicina to put it on a plate for O’Grady from close range.
Holly Furphy would then have a chance, one-on-one, to make it three, only for James to foil her and give United a respite they took some nourishment from. Grove snatched possession in the centre circle and raced clear before stroking a finish into the bottom corner, halving the arrears with the match’s third goal in half an hour.
There should have been a fourth, and parity, but an unattended Hawkins, in a sliding doors moment, headed over Heyman’s pinpoint cross when it appeared trickier to miss.
Half-time: Canberra United 1-2 Melbourne Victory
Momentum going into the recess was with Canberra, yet it was the Girls in Blue who emerged from the rooms supercharged. Furphy, a constant threat, either in behind or out wide, centred left-footed, and O’Grady flung herself between two converging opponents’ shirts to head in.
What followed was a series of projectiles from the hosts, determined to keep their campaign alive, although clearly flummoxed by the blows inflicted by Victory, they had deployed three substitutes by the hour.
Contrastingly, the introductions of American striker Kennedy White and 87-time Canberra player Nicki Flannery felt like a luxury for an away team revelling in their assigned role of party poopers.
Off the bench, Sienna Dale was a bright spark in green, but neither of her shots off either foot required interventions from Newbon, as those from Victoria, skippered stoically by Kayla Morrison, exerted a crushing control of their opposition.
Frustrations threatened to boil over when Jazmin Wardlow took exception to Flannery’s occupation of the ball and kicked her in the ribs close to the corner flag. However, a late dismissal would only have offered a footnote to a memorable day in ACT.
Match Details
Canberra United 1 (GROVE 29′)
Melbourne Victory 3 (LOWE’ 21, O’GRADY 24′, 51′)
Canberra United Starting XI: 1. Sally JAMES (GK), 28. Tegan BERTOLISSIO (5. Jazmin WARDLOW 71′), 11. Emma ROBERS (13. Sofia CHRISTOPHERSON 52′), 12. Hayley TAYLOR-YOUNG, 8. Sasha GROVE (10. Mary STANIC-FLOODY 71′), 6. Josie AULICINO, 33. Nanako SASAKI (25. Darcey MALONE 59′), 3. Elizabeth ANTON, 32. Bethany GORDON, 7. Emma HAWKINS (19. Sienna DALE 59′), 23. Michelle HEYMAN (C).
Substitutes not used: 18. Coco MAJSTOROVIC (GK), 2. Alex MCKENZIE.
Booking: TAYLOR-YOUNG 57′.
Melbourne Victory Starting XI: 1. Courtney NEWBON (GK), 18. Kayla MORRISON (C), 3. Claudia BUNGE, 24. Laura PICKETT, 6. Taylor RAY, 4. Chelsea BLISSETT, 81. Grace MAHER, 23. Rachel LOWE, 7. Ella O’GRADY (16. Kennedy WHITE 73′), 10. Rhianna POLLICINA (11. Nicki FLANNERY 82′), 9. Holly FURPHY.
Substitutes not used: 30. Payton WOODWARD (GK), 5. Sofia SAKALIS, 27. Rosie CURTIS, 28. Sienna TECHERA, 66. Alana JANCEVSKI.
Booking: O’GRADY 10′, HOPKINS 10′, MORRISON 45+3′.
Coming Soon
A triumphant Victory will now face rivals Melbourne City in a two-legged semi-final, starting with a home fixture next weekend.
