The top four race is alive and kicking heading into the final month of the Liberty A-League season and neither side could be separated in the Pride Cup.
Meanwhile, an Australian football legend continued her hot streak, a super-sub helped swing the trajectory for Sydney FC and there was more magic at Macedonia Park.
With a lot to dissect, here are the talking points from Round 15 of the Liberty A-League.
Heyman’s hot streak puts the heat on in Golden Boot race
Michelle Heyman just can’t stop scoring right now.
Heyman took her tally to nine goals for the Liberty A-League season, scoring a brace in Canberra United’s 3-0 win over Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday afternoon.
The 34-year-old’s two-goals extended her goalscoring run to three consecutive games and cut the deficit to only two goals behind Western United’s Hannah Keane in the Golden Boot race as she chases an incredible third Golden Boot and her first since 2012.
Not only is the all-time leading scorer in A-League Women’s history up to nine for the season, but up to 91 club goals in the Liberty A-League, closing in on an incredible ton.
It’s a goal she set herself before the season to push for the milestone.
READ: Heyman stars as Canberra close the gap on top four in Wanderers thrashing
“I’ve been training for the last couple of months just trying to stay fit and stay ready for the league, and 100% I’m going to try to push for (100 goals) this year, I really want to,” Heyman told KEEPUP before the season.
“I think I’ve got a few goals to score for it, but with the season being a little bit longer (thanks to the addition of Western United), it gives me more of a chance to hit it.
“So I like setting myself high targets. I’m definitely going to push for it. This is a silly story, but my dad used to pay me when I was little, I think it was five bucks a goal. So I was always feeling like, I’ve got to score, score, score, score, score.
“I think it’s ingrained something within myself that every game I want to score a hat trick or more, I don’t set myself out to score one goal, I always want to get three.”
READ: The race is on: Canberra & Perth close the gap on top four with all-important wins
In a shortened season last campaign, Heyman scored nine goals in 14 games, firing home her seven goals in her last five – showcasing that a strong finish is nothing new to the legendary striker.
Now, with nine in 13 games, Heyman has the chance to blow that tally out of the water as there’s still five games to go due to an extended season – plus potentially finals should Canberra make the top four.
A hat-trick or two wouldn’t her chances of chasing down 100 goals before season’s end too!
Pride Cup shared in Melbourne
Not even Catherine Zimmerman’s golazo could lift defending champions Melbourne Victory past rivals Adelaide United.
Zimmerman scored a long-range piledriver with 19 minutes remaining in Victory’s 2-2 draw at home to struggling Adelaide in the Pride Cup on Sunday.
Victory had been trailing after Meisha Westland and Chelsie Dawber cancelled out Melina Ayres’ seventh-minute opener before Zimmerman came to the rescue.
READ: ‘Perth are now in the box seat!’ – Dub Zone panel reacts as Victory falter in top four race
The top-four race is heating up with Victory fourth but Canberra United and Perth Glory are hot on their tail.
Adelaide remain ninth with the draw and are now nine points back of the playoff places with five games remaining in their season – all but ending the Reds’ top-four chances.
The half-time masterstroke which set Sky Blues on course for victory
Locked at 0-0 with Wellington Phoenix at half-time, Sydney FC were at risk of succumbing to a shock result in Auckland which may have impacted their chances of securing a third consecutive Premiers Plate.
But just two minutes after the break, the Sky Blues found their answer: and it came from half-time substitute Rachel Lowe, a midfielder-turned-striker whose impact leading the line proved to be somewhat of a masterstroke from head coach Ante Juric.
Rola Badawiya started up top for Sydney, and despite showing excellent hold-up play through the first half, failed to make her presence felt in and around the 18-yard box as the ‘Nix held firm to take their opponents to the break locked level at 0-0.
That all changed with the introduction of Lowe in the second half. The traditional central midfielder looked at home at the tip of Sydney’s attack; buoyed by her first goal of the season, Lowe worked well in stitching her side’s play together in the final third, and could have ended the afternoon with a brace had it not been for a superb save by Phoenix keeper Brianna Edwards in the 79th minute.
READ: Lowe strikes as Sky Blues edge Phoenix in Auckland
The Sky Blues were without first-choice striker Madison Haley, who wasn’t risked for her side’s trip to Auckland due to a slight niggle. Should the United States spearhead miss any further games, Juric may have found his answer at number nine: his number eight Rachel Lowe.
A “paw-some” initiative from the Jets…
Excuse the pun.
Newcastle’s pre-game walkout for their home clash with Western United was a special one on Sunday afternoon, with the hosts emerging from the sheds holding 12 puppies from the same litter, in a partnership with Dog Rescue Newcastle, an organisation with more than 150 dogs in their care.
READ: Statement made – Western dismantle Jets in club-record win
The aim is to raise awareness of dog adoption.
Click here for more information on Dog Rescue Newcastle, and how to adopt.
The magical corner at Macedonia Park
Hana Lowry, take a bow.
The Perth Glory midfielder continued her brilliant season to date, scoring a double in their 2-0 win over Brisbane Roar on Saturday evening – but it was her second goal, an ‘olimpico’ – which stole all the headlines.
READ: Lowry’s stunning ‘Olimpico’ headlines Perth’s fourth straight win – ‘She just has moments of magic!’
Lowry hit an in-swinging corner which floated over the outstretched arms of Isabella Shuttleworth and into the back of the net.
Incredibly, it’s not the first time someone has scored from that exact corner this season, with former Melbourne Victory midfielder Alex Chidiac doing the same earlier this season against the Glory.
Her two goals were integral at the final whistle, as the Glory came away with a fourth straight win, thus closing the gap on the top four to only five points with two games in hand.
