A brilliant 19-minute hat-trick from Young Matilda Daniela Galic has helped Melbourne City cruise to an emphatic 5-0 win over Adelaide United.
It took the away side just 15-minutes to make their mark in Adelaide as Galic scored her first of the afternoon before she then made it two from close range after some excellent work from Kaitlyn Torpey.
With Adelaide on the ropes City showed no mercy as Galic crossed for Torpey to bag their third from close range before a slick move saw Torpey turn assister once more as Galic sealed her hat-trick with an emphatic finish.
Hannah Wilkinson then bagged her fifth goal of the afternoon in the 84th minute to complete the rout and seal City’s third consecutive win.
The result temporarily moves Melbourne City six points clear ahead of second-placed Perth Glory while Adelaide’s seventh defeat of the season means they sit just one point ahead of bottom side Canberra United.
The away side exerted their dominance early on at Marden Sports Complex and would have taken an early lead were it not for a fantastic save from Reds keeper Annalee Grove.
Naomi Chinnama clipped a perfect ball over the the top of the Adelaide defence and into the path of Galic but the 17-year-old’s fierce shot from inside the box was brilliantly tipped round the post by Grove.
However, City would soon break the deadlock in South Australia and this time Galic wouldn’t be denied.
Peeling off the left touchline, Julia Grosso drove towards the edge of the box before threading a ball into the path of Galic, who timed her run in-behind the defence to perfection before curling her shot into the far corner.
Wilkinson then spurned a brilliant chance to make it two, blazing her shot wide of goal when played in one-on-one with Grove but City soon made their dominance count and it was Galic at the double.
Captain Rebekah Stott drove a long ball forward into the path of a galloping Torpey who raced towards goal before squaring the ball into the path of Galic who couldn’t miss from three meters out.
Four minutes later it was all over for Adelaide and this time it was Galic who turned provider.
Given far too much time and space on the left edge of the box, the 17-year old sent a teasing ball across the face of the Reds goal which was easily turned home by an unmarked Torpey at the far post.
However things would get worse for Adelaide and it was the devastating combination of Torpey and Galic which did the damage once again.
After winning the ball back in the middle of the park City surged towards the Reds goal as Wilkinson and Torpey combined with some clinical one-touch play before sending Galic through one-on-one with the keeper and the young starlet sealed her hat-trick in style.
With the game now gone Adelaide looked sharper in the second half and began to ask questions of the City defence but never really troubled Lysianne Proulx.
However, New Zealand international Wilkinson put the rubber stamp on the game in the 84th minute, curling home City’s fifth of the afternoon to seal an emphatic 5-0 win.
The talking point
Daniela Galic’s 34th-minute goal not only sealed her hat-trick but it also sealed her spot in the history books as well.
Aged 17 years and 203 days, Galic’s hat-trick makes her the second youngest player after Tara Andrews to score a hat-trick in the Liberty A-League and the Young Matilda’s performance in this game will live long in the memory.
The star
Who else? Daniela Galic.
The midfielder will receive plenty of plaudits in the aftermath of this game, and rightly so, given the all-round nature of her display.
Her three goals showcased her technical ability, the timing of her runs and her composure in front of goal while her assist for Kaitlyn Torpey was sublime.
Add to that her excellent work ethic and her ability to find space time and time again, this was truly an outstanding display from a player with a very bright future.
What it means
City’s dominant first half display meant they could ease off the accelerator after the break as they opened up a six-point gap over second placed Perth, who play on Sunday evening.
Next up for Dario Vidosic’s side is a Unite Round clash against Western Sydney Wanderers at CommBank Stadium.
As for Adelaide, they avoid dropping to the bottom of the ladder following Canberra’s 3-3 draw with Newcastle but Adrian Stenta’s side know they will need to put in a much better display in Unite Round when they face the division’s bottom side at Leichardt Oval on January 13.
