A gutsy Melbourne Victory, 0-1 winners at Perth Glory, have done all they can in their bid to finish inside the Ninja A-League top six.
The Girls in Blue wrapped up their 2025/26 regular season schedule on Friday night by fighting their way to an essential three points at the Sam Kerr Football Centre.
Claudia Bunge’s goal, a fierce header after 22 minutes, was the difference in Western Australia to complete a double over the Glory.
This result lifts Victory into fifth place, knowing defeat on Saturday for one of Brisbane Roar or Central Coast Mariners, or only a draw for the latter, will secure Finals football.
Team News
Jeff Hopkins made two alterations to his starting XI. There was a straight swap at left-back, as Alana Jancevski replaced Chelsea Blissett, whilst he tinkered with his attacking line. Ella O’Grady was retained, with leading scorer Kennedy White recalled, meaning Sofia Sakalis was on a substitutes bench that included the returning Nicki Flannery.
Match Action
The contest’s importance was emphasised by the full-blooded start each team made, with some meaty challenges being dished out during the opening exchanges, including a clash between O’Grady and Perth goalkeeper Teresa Morrissey. Thankfully, both players walked away unscathed.
Victory then survived a different sort of scare, when the hosts, who needed an improbable winning scoreline to harbour any top-six ambitions, thought they had scored after a dozen minutes of play. However, Gabrielle Hollar’s close-range effort was ruled offside by a rather late flag.
10 minutes later, the visitors would find the net, and this one counted. From the second of back-to-back Jancevski corners, after Pollicina had forced Morrissey into a save, Bunge powerfully headed in at the far post, with her wrestle to find space in a crowded area, epitomising what a mettlesome performance this was.
The Glory in retaliation would adopt a shoot-on-site policy, but Abdul Massih and Hollar would fire shots on the wrong side of Courtney Newbon’s upright.
Half-time: Perth Glory 0-1 Melbourne Victory
Hopkins’ team set about doubling their advantage at the earliest possible opportunity, and with the second half just 30-odd seconds old, it took a retreating run and last-ditch interception to stop Rachel Lowe from converting White’s square ball.
Kayla Morrison would go close next, the Captain bravely getting her head to the contact at a corner, only for the attempt to loop over the bar. Soon after, another header failed to threaten.
Midway through the second 45, the Glory really should have levelled. Substitute Bronte Trew was staring down Newbon, but her polite finish, perhaps symptomatic of someone fresh into the cut and thrust, made for a straightforward save.
Another introduction, on the other side, was Sakalis, and she too failed to truly test the goalkeeper when a corner was recycled to her on the edge of the box. The 23-year-old then, taking two bites at the cherry, could not quite squeeze in a Holly Furphy centre.
Regardless, it was not the margin of success that mattered to Victory, simply that it was secured. And as Perth, who had emptied their bench, became more desperate to spoil, the away side became more resilient.
Match Details
Perth Glory 0
Melbourne Victory 1 (BUNGE 22′)
Perth Glory starting XI: 1. Teresa MORRISSEY (GK), 3. Emma TOVAR, 5. Grace JOHNSTON, 6. Tijan MCKENNA, 8. Georgia CASSIDY, 9. Gabrielle HOLLAR (16. Olivia WOOD 75′), 17. Rola BADAWIYA (12. Bronte TREW 63′), 20. Ella ABDUL MASSIH (25. Ella LINCOLN 63′), 24. Julia SARDO (C), 28. Clancy WESTAWAY (27. Charli WAINWRIGHT 75′), 29. Onyinyechi ZOGG (2. Mischa ANDERSON 78′).
Substitutes not used: 52. Dayle SCHROEDER (GK).
Booking: MORRISSEY 39′.
Melbourne Victory starting XI: 1. Courtney NEWBON (GK), 24. Laura PICKETT, 18. Kayla MORRISON (C), 3. Claudia BUNGE, 66. Alana JANCEVSKI (4. Chelsea BLISSETT, 82′), 6. Taylor RAY, 10. Rhianna POLLICINA (11. Nicki FLANNERY 82′), 23. Rachel LOWE, 9. Holly FURPHY (81. Grace MAHER 90+2′), 7. Ella O’GRADY (5. Sofia SAKALIS 68′), 16. Kennedy WHITE.
Substitutes not used: 30. Payton WOODWARD (GK), 28. Sienna TECHERA.
Booking: WHITE 39′, JANCEVSKI 73′.
