There may have only been four games in the Liberty A-League either side of Christmas Day, but there was still plenty to emerge in the wash-up.
Here are the main talking points from four A-League Women fixtures from December 23-27.
Gorry’s wizardry helps Brisbane to back-to-back wins
Katrina Gorry has begun her 2022-23 A-League Women campaign on a tear of form.
The Matildas midfielder has been outstanding since returning to action for Brisbane Roar, putting together two brilliant displays in the middle of the park which has helped them to back-to-back wins against Western Sydney Wanderers and most recently, Newcastle Jets.
Gorry was incredible on Friday night, scoring two belters to help her side to a 2-0 win on the road. The first, a pinpoint strike from the edge of the box that left goal-keeper Georgina Worth with almost no chance to keep out.
She completed her brace after splitting two Jets defenders and poking the ball past Worth from an acute angle to seal the win for Brisbane.
Gorry’s return has been enormous for Brisbane. In her early-season absence the Queenslanders struggled to string together any consistency in their performances, and her return showcased just how sorely she had been missed in the middle of the park.
Now, with bigger tests to come against Sydney FC, Adelaide United and Western United (the three sides directly above them) in the weeks to come, it will be a curious watch to see if Gorry and co. can ride the momentum of the last couple of wins into what shapes to be potentially season defining contests.
Particularly, if they can crack the top four with a few favourable results.
City showcase strength in depth
Two games in five days? No problem for Melbourne City.
Faced with a difficult fixture over the Christmas weekend, City rode the wave and showcased their strength in numbers with back-to-back wins over Canberra United and Perth Glory.
Interim coach Dario Vidosic used 15 different starters between the two games, resting the likes of Daniela Galic and Emina Ekic against Canberra, before bringing the duo back for the clash with Glory in place of in-form midfielder Rhianna Pollicina and Julia Grosso – while also bringing in veteran keeper Melissa Barbieri to replace Sally James.
And it was Pollicina who in fact helped turn the game on its head on Tuesday night against Glory, coming from the bench at half-time to help win the penalty that won the game for City.
In a further boost, they also brought back star striker Hannah Wilkinson – who returned from injury to replace Maria Jose Rojas – and Matildas defender Karly Roestbakken from the bench.
Not many teams in the Liberty A-League have nearly as much strength in numbers as City, and they will be further bolstered by the return of Holly McNamara in due time from a torn ACL – along with Rojas, who signed a permanent deal with the club and will be back in action in just under two months after a stint away with the Chile international team.
But City’s depth will be tested again with Ekic set to miss time with an ankle injury – Vidosic is hopeful she won’t miss too much action after succumbing to the injury in Tuesday’s win over Perth, as her loan deal expires in February.
Now it remains to be seen who fills the gap, with Pollicina potentially the one to take her place back in the XI after being rested from the onset.
wHAT IS THE BEST wANDERERS xi for Wellington clash?
Western Sydney’s wait for a win drags on for yet another week.
The Wanderers remain without a point and equal-bottom of the table after five games, with the latest in a string of defeats coming at hands of cross-town rivals Sydney FC – who dispatched of Kat Smith’s side 2-0 in the second Sydney Derby of the Liberty A-League season.
But going into this weekend, the Wanderers may not have a better chance to finally end their almost year-long wait for a win, when they travel across the ditch to take on fellow winless side Wellington Phoenix – in a battle of the two sides still stuck at the starters blocks.
Now it just remains to be seen what the Wanderers best XI is for this clash, with Smith making a number of changes in the second-half that helped even the ledger somewhat in the second-half.
Goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer was subbed at the break and replaced by Sham Khamis, who seemed to get the defence together – while Olivia Price had a positive impact in the second-half when she was brought on for Holly Caspers.
Further up the pitch, Cushla Rue had a promising impact up front, adding plenty of energy in the attacking third and tried to make things happen by running at the Sydney defence.
In fact, their best chance for the entire game came from her and Price linking up.
Considering the Wanderers have scored the equal lowest amount of goals this season (two), perhaps a start for Rue against her former side along with Price isn’t completely out of the question – while there’s every chance Khamis could retain her spot between the sticks.
Canberra’s wastefulness costs them dearly
Don’t let the 4-0 scoreline fool you, Canberra United had plenty of chances to make this a much-closer game than it could have been.
Despite being opened up in the back-half by Melbourne City’s clinical and classy front-line on December 23, Canberra could have made this a completely different contest if Michelle Heyman had buried a number of quality chances early in the piece.
First, with the scores still level, the veteran striker was denied by an incredible save from Sally James, who flew across the face of goal to deny Heyman’s header.
But later in the half, with Canberra now behind by a goal, Grace Jale set up an unmarked Heyman just inside the area who was unable to divert her effort on target which nine times out of ten she would have buried.
And towards the end of the contest, with the scoreline now 3-0 to City, Heyman again came inches away from pulling one back after getting on the end of a superb Vesna Milivojevic cross.
When it’s not your day, it’s just not your day and against a side like City, they will make you pay if you don’t take your chances.
Heyman and co will be looking to bounce back after back-to-back defeats on the road against Melbourne Victory on New Year’s Eve – and with Canberra now sitting seven points off fourth, it’s shaping as a crucial game in their season.
