Round 10 A-Leagues action kicked off at AAMI Park as Melbourne City completed the double over Brisbane Roar in a Thursday night doubleheader.
City’s Liberty A-League side got off to a flier seeing off Roar 5-3 in a thoroughly entertaining contest, before their Isuzu UTE A-League outfit smashed Brisbane 8-1 in the second game of tonight’s doubleheader.
ALOISI DEPARTS: Brisbane Roar announce departure of Head Coach Ross Aloisi
Melbourne City 5-3 Brisbane Roar (Liberty A-League) – AAMI Park
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MATCH REPORT: City star’s hat-trick powers league leaders to victory over Brisbane in eight-goal thriller
A hat-trick from Emina Ekic has fired Melbourne City to an entertaining 5-3 win over Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park, solidifying their place atop the Liberty A-League standings heading into the new year.
City fell behind early after Mia Corbin opened the scoring for the visitors on Thursday evening, before Ekic struck with two goals in two minutes and Hannah Wilkinson added another to double to their advantage prior to half-time.
Ekic fired home her third either side of a Jenna McCormick header and a second from Corbin, but neither could spark a late fightback for the visitors, after Rhianna Pollicina put the result beyond doubt with a second-half penalty.
Dario Vidosic’s side now sit six points clear atop the standings heading into the remainder of the round, with the win ensuring they will be in first place at the start of the new year.
Meanwhile, Brisbane’s wait for a win has been extended to eight straight games, equalling their club’s record winless run in the Liberty A-League.
Melbourne City 8-1 Brisbane Roar (Isuzu UTE A-League) – AAMI Park
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MATCH REPORT: Maclaren makes A-Leagues history as Melbourne City thump Brisbane Roar in record setting night
Jamie Maclaren became the first player in A-Leagues history to reach 150 career goals, firing home a hat-trick in Melbourne City’s comprehensive 8-1 victory over Brisbane Roar in a record setting night at AAMI Park.
Maclaren was back to his brilliant best on Thursday night, scoring a first-half brace – after Curtis Good’s opener – to reach the milestone in the 34th minute.
Leo Natel added two of his own in the second-half, either side of Maclaren completing his hat-trick with his 151st A-Leagues goal and 100th league goal in a City jersey, before Tolgay Arslan and Ben Mazzeo added one apiece to wrap up the victory.
16-year-old Rylan Brownlie pulled one back for the visitors amid City’s rampage, but his first Roar goal was merely a consolation as Brisbane fell to their first defeat under interim coach Luciano Trani and the largest in their club’s history.
City’s win is also the equal largest in Isuzu UTE A-League history, joining their 7-0 demolition of Melbourne Victory in April 2021, and Adelaide United’s 8-1 victory over North Queensland Fury (January 2011) and the Reds’ 7-0 win against Newcastle Jets (January 2015).
