It is perhaps fitting that in the final match of rebel Female Football Round that it was Sam Kerr who hogged the spotlight.
The Big Blue may have been the fixture to watch during Westfield W-League Round 4 but it was Perth Glory’s match-up against Melbourne City at nib Stadium on Sunday evening that provided spectators with the most value for money.
REPORT: Glory dismantle City
And it was all down to the hometown hero.
The Westfield Matildas striker has lit up the world of women’s football over the past two years and her achievements often overshadow what she can do on the domestic stage in a purple jersey.
Sam Kerr and Rachel Hill. What a duo ?
?: @FOXFOOTBALL#PERvMCY #WLeague #FemaleFootballRound pic.twitter.com/d6tV0CTGzp
— Westfield W-League (@WLeague) November 25, 2018
Kerr played a staring role as her Glory side beat City 5-2, scoring and assisting twice to set her team on their way to a second successive victory.
The 25-year old was simply unplayable for her first goal, picking up the ball on the halfway line and setting off on a mazy run before unleashing a lethal finish that had international shot-stopper Lydia Williams clutching at straws.
Her second wasn’t nearly as spectacular but importantly she found a way to put the ball into the back of the net, her shot taking a wicked deflection off City defender Tyla-Jane Vlajnic.
The West Australian’s influence isn’t restricted to the scoresheet however as she turned provider for another two of her team’s goals.
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After putting Perth ahead, Kerr made a clever run and got on the end of a long ball before making a beeline towards goal and squaring it up for Rachel Hill to slide past Williams.
At 4-2 Kerr still wasn’t done, popping up in injury time to cut the ball back for Alyssa Mautz’s second.
The skipper could easily have had a hat-trick as well but the offside flag and a couple of near misses conspired to deny what would have been a perfect afternoon.
At the same venue they lost to City in the Grand Final two years ago, Glory look a totally different beast and the evolution of Kerr in that period has no doubt had an effect.
This impressive dismantling of the reigning Champions takes Glory into the top four and will mean there is no more flying under the radar for Bobby Despotovski’s side.
Good thing Kerr is made for the spotlight.
