Melbourne Victory claimed a deserved road win at Western Sydney Wanderers in the Ninja A-League on Saturday afternoon.
Jeff Hopkins’ team took all three points from the Matchweek 1 contest at Wanderers Football Park thanks to Alana Jančevski’s 32nd-minute free kick.
The 23-year-old brought a dead-ball situation to life in stunning style, with her trusty left foot striking from the best part of 30 yards in New South Wales.
Victory will go for another away-day success next weekend across the Tasman Sea versus Wellington Phoenix before their first home game of the season against Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park, which is part of a Men’s and Women’s double-header on Sunday, November 1. Tickets can be purchased now by clicking here.
Team news
Every off-season recruit was in the match day squad, with four of these players – Angie Beard, Sophie Harding, Anna Sutter, and Alicia Woods – named in the starting XI. Among the substitutes was Jasmine Millar, fresh from signing her Youth Development Agreement.
Match action
Hopkins’ team, wearing the unmissable 2026/27 Elite Eleven away kit, set the agenda in New South Wales and applied the early squeeze, although it was not them involved in the match’s first major incident.
Instead, former Victory player Rhianna Pollicina was at the centre of this, with the Wanderers’ captain withdrawn following a non-contact injury that caused a chain reaction leading to the opening goal.
Her replacement, Samantha Iredale, felled Zoe McMeeken and from the resulting free kick, Jančevski backed herself, making the ball sing over the red and black wall and into the net.
McMeeken, continuing to cause problems, had an opening to add a second, but marauding forward on the right, her attempt was sliced off-target.
Half-time: Western Sydney Wanderers 0-1 Melbourne Victory
After weathering a mini-storm from the hosts, Victory started to impose themselves again and had a golden chance to double their lead less than 10 minutes into the second half. An inquiring delivery backed up Holly Furphy’s tricky wing play, but Sutter, as defenders failed to clear their lines, could not connect cleanly to finish.
Similarly, headspinning approach play on the corresponding flank created Western Sydney’s first and best sight of goal. Substitute Allyssa Ng-Saad made inroads and her centre was fired goalwards by Talia Younis, but reigning Ninja A-League Goalkeeper of the Year Courtney Newbon, fresh from her first Matildas call-up, smartly moved to her right to save.
A concern of a different type followed when Claudia Bunge made way due to some discomfort in her leg, but her replacement, Chelsea Blissett, was straight into the flow of action. Woods’ swirling corner was inviting, and it took a big hand from Sarah Langman to keep out Blissett’s header.
Then Captain, Kayla Morrison, was denied at a corner, this time the effort being inadvertently blocked by her own teammate, substitute Sienna Techera.
This would not, however, prove costly despite Wanderers throwing caution to the wind late on, as Victory, remaining watertight, put a padlock on the points.
Match details
Western Sydney Wanderers 0
Melbourne Victory 1 (JANČEVSKI 32′)
Western Sydney Wanderers starting XI: 1. Sarah LANGMAN (GK), 2. Tiana JABER, 4. Silje BJØRNEBOE, 5. Amelia BENNETT (16. Estelle FRAGALE 84′), 8. Sofia SAKALIS (24. Nikkita FAZZARI 60′), 9. Elexa BAHR, 10. Rhianna POLLICINA (C) (7. Samantha IREDALE 16′), 11. Brooke MILLER (17. Allyssa NG-SAAD 60′), 15. Sofia PALYWODA, 19. Talia YOUNIS, 21. Laura PICKETT.
Substitutes not used: 12. Brianna EDWARDS (GK), 6. Isabella CHIDIAC, 34. Ruby BETRO.
Booking: BJØRNEBOE 83′.
Melbourne Victory starting XI: 1. Courtney NEWBON (GK), 16. Anna SUTTER (28. Sienna TECHERA 67′), 19. Zoe MCMEEKEN, 3. Claudia BUNGE (4. Chelsea BLISSETT 67′), 18. Kayla MORRISON (C), 13. Angie BEARD, 14. Alicia WOODS, 9. Holly FURPHY, 10. Sienna SAVESKA, 66. Alana JANČEVSKI (2. Skye LEACH, 84′), 8. Sophie HARDING (7. Ella O’GRADY 53′).
Substitutes not used: 25. Ayana AOYAGI (GK), 21. Jasmine MILLAR.
Booking: MCMEEKEN 39′.
