Melbourne Victory Women face Melbourne City in Round 17 of the Ninja A-League on Sunday, February 15, kick-off 5pm AEDT.
The second Melbourne Derby of the 2025/26 season, at The Home of The Matildas, has Jeff Hopkins’ team looking to retain local bragging rights after they were edged by City at AAMI Park in December.
Most recently, Victory claimed three points last weekend, completing a league double over Newcastle Jets courtesy of a 2-1 triumph in Shepparton.
City were also successful in Round 16, coming from behind to beat Brisbane Roar 5-2 as the race for Finals heats up.
The Girls in Blue
Fresh from their first win of 2026, Melbourne Victory have three straight outings at the Home of the Matildas as they bid to cement their top-six berth and avoid a late scramble for Finals football in April and May.
The success over the Jets was Victory’s first three-point return since they took the spoils in December’s reverse fixture in the Hunter Valley, putting a much-needed full stop on a sequence of six winless outings.
Head Coach, Jeff Hopkins, made changes to his starting XI before drawing a big impact from his bench, with substitutes Alana Jančevski and Holly Furphy contributing significantly.
The former saw her dangerous corner delivery turned in by a Newcastle player, before Furphy hit the winner in stunning fashion after the visitors levelled from the penalty spot.
Victory’s starting XI featured Rosie Curtis making her third successive start and a remarkable return from the first whistle for Rhianna Pollicina, just weeks after undergoing surgery on a broken wrist suffered against Adelaide United.
Saturday’s clash with the Jets also notably saw off-season signing Chelsea Blissett make her full debut for Girls in Blue, while young attacker Ella O’Grady was granted her first start of the campaign.
This Sunday’s Melbourne Derby is set to be the 100th appearance for Captain, Kayla Morrison, who reaches the milestone following a shade over five seasons at the Club, during which she has won two Championships and received the Victory medal three times.
Returning from a brief spell on the sidelines, defender Laura Pickett removes her name from Victory’s injury list after being included in the Round 17 squad.
Round 17 Squad: 1. Courtney NEWBON, 3. Claudia BUNGE, 4. Chelsea BLISSETT, 5. Sofia SAKALIS, 6. Taylor RAY, 7. Ella O’GRADY, 8. Sienna SAVESKA, 9. Holly FURPHY, 10. Rhianna POLLICINA, 16. Kennedy WHITE, 18. Kayla MORRISON, 23. Rachel LOWE, 24. Laura PICKETT, 27. Rosie CURTIS, 28. Sienna TECHERA, 30. Payton WOODWARD, 41. Jessica YOUNG, 66. Alana JANCEVSKI, 81. Grace MAHER
Ins: 24. Laura PICKETT (returns from injury)
Outs: 14. Fiorina Iaria (omitted), 17. Poppy O’KEEFFE, 20. Leyla HUSSEIN (omitted)
Unavailable: 11. Nicki FLANNERY (injured), 19. Zoe MCMEEKEN (injured)
Across the City
Melbourne City produced a fightback versus Brisbane Roar to avoid a fourth defeat in six and remain top of the Ninja A-League ladder ahead of the 24th Melbourne Derby.
Michael Matricciani’s team, who went the entire 2024/25 season unbeaten, had lost back-to-back matches against Adelaide United and Western Sydney Wanderers in recent weekends, having also slipped up against Newcastle Jets earlier in the year.
Inside a quarter of an hour against Roar, they were down by two, and staring at a hat-trick of losses, but hauled themselves level by the interval before racing clear in the second 45 to run out comfortable winners.
Unsurprisingly, the competition’s leading scorer, Holly McNamara, netted in the comeback, bringing her tally to a dozen in 14 matches, three shy of her 2024/25 goal return. Despite these strikes, they sit behind second-placed Wellington Phoenix as the league’s leading scorers.
City boasts a league double over the Phoenix, but have dropped points to three of the other current top six – Adelaide United, Brisbane Roar and Adelaide.
Run it back
Melbourne Victory were beaten late on by Melbourne City in the final days before Christmas at AAMI Park.
Rhianna Pollicina’s smart approach and angled finish, having been expertly found by Alana Jančevski, had Jeff Hopkins’ side in front at the break.
But following an unfortunate Claudia Bunge own goal midway through the second 45, momentum shifted toward the home team, and City claimed the points thanks to a well-taken winner from Holly McNamara.
Last time out
Melbourne Victory battled their way through windy conditions and a stubborn Newcastle Jets to earn a valuable three points in Shepparton.
After a first half where Victory’s attacking ambition suffered in the elements, they went ahead when Claudia Cicco’s attempt to clear Alana Jančevski’s corner ended up in the back of the net.
A controversial penalty awarded to the Jets and converted by Kelli Brown threatened to split the points at John McEwen Reserve, but substitute Holly Furphy stepped up with the go-ahead goal, picking out the top corner with a remarkable left-footed curling effort.
Melbourne City overcame a two-goal deficit, inflicted by Kijah Stephenson’s double, to defeat Brisbane Roar at the ctrl:cyber Pitch last Sunday.
Rebekah Stott scored from a corner to half the arrears, and Holly McNamara pulled them level before the break after rounding the goalkeeper.
Bryleeh Henry kept her composure in front of goal to put Cty in front, and accurate finishes from Devon Jackson and Aideen Keane extended their lead later in the second half.
