Melbourne Victory Women host Sydney FC in Round 14 of the Ninja A-League on Sunday, January 25, kick-off 5pm AEDT.
Each team will be fired up for three points in this Big Blue clash, with losses being served to those sporting both navy and sky blue last weekend.
Victory, despite creating plenty, were unable to complete a league double over Adelaide United in the Men’s and Women’s double header at Coopers Stadium.
That 2-1 defeat was mirrored by Sydney, who let slip an early lead to be beaten by Newcastle Jets at the death.
The Girls in Blue
Melbourne Victory will be determined to apply a full stop to their worst form of the season, winless in four matches, when welcoming Sydney FC to The Home of The Matildas this weekend.
It will be a year and a day since the Girls in Blue last took on the Sky Blues, beating them 2-0 thanks to goals from Alana Jancevski and Holly Furphy.
This pair were also threats in the final third against Adelaide United last time out, with the former expertly picking out Kennedy White for Victory’s equaliser in South Australia. The close-range finish was the American striker’s seventh goal in 12 matches this term.
The strike maintains Victory’s record of scoring in all but two of their Ninja A-League matches in the 2025/26 season, but coupling this habit with a first clean sheet in more than a month of action could be the key to a win on Sunday.
Jeff Hopkins will, however, be unable to call on the services of Rhianna Pollicina. The attacking force from midfield broke her wrist late in the Original Rivalry clash with Adelaide, and is set for a spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery earlier this week.
Round 14: 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, 16. Kennedy WHITE, 17. Poppy O’KEEFFE, 18. Kayla MORRISON, 20. Leyla HUSSEIN, 23. Rachel LOWE, 24. Laura PICKETT, 27. Rosie CURTIS, 28. Sienna TECHERA, 30. Payton WOODWARD, 41. Jessica YOUNG, 66. Alana JANCEVSKI
Ins: N/A
Outs: 14. Fiorina Iaria
Unavailable: 10. Rhianna POLLICINA (injured), 11. Nicki FLANNERY (injured), 19. Zoe MCMEEKEN (injured), 81. Grace MAHER (injured)
The Sydneysiders
Sydney FC, second bottom on the ladder, four points ahead of rivals Western Sydney Wanderers, travel to Victoria hunting a first win in more than two months.
That success, one of only two this campaign, was their second in as many matches, as they started the season brightly. Draws against Melbourne City and Adelaide United were followed by home wins over Perth Glory and Central Coast Mariners, and a draw away in the Sydney Derby.
But four losses and a goalless stalemate since have stunted their momentum, making the possibility of missing out on Finals football for successive seasons a distinct possibility.
A big problem has been goals, or more pertinently, the lack of them. Their half-dozen counters is the league’s lowest return, with no player finding the net more than once. To compound matters, the Sky Blues conceded seven away to Wellington Phoenix last month.
Run it back
Melbourne Victory netted in either half at AAMI Park to overcome Sydney FC in January 2025.
Alana Jancevski opened the scoring inside four minutes, converting a spectacular 30-yard free kick that flew into the top corner.
The lead was doubled in the final quarter of an hour when Holly Furphy, sent through by Rachel Lowe, rounded the goalkeeper to finish on the angle.
Last time out
Fiona Worts’ accurate finish, opening the scoring after 38 minutes, was not enough to give the hosts a half-time lead, as Kennedy White pounced during injury-time to level up the scores.
However, former Victory player Paige Zois would restore the Reds’ advantage, and this time decisively, scoring directly from a corner before the hour mark.
Sydney FC lost to Newcastle Jets despite taking the lead at Leichhardt Oval on the middle Tuesday of the month.
Amelia Cassar’s fine opener, which lobbed goalkeeper Anna Leat, only had the Sky Blues in front for 11 minutes of the first half, with Melina Ayres equalising for the Jets.
Although it appeared the points would be shared until Charlotte Lancaster, in the 91st minute, fired home via the inside of the post from distance.
