Re-live all the action across the Isuzu UTE A-League and Liberty A-League as Round 16 continued on Saturday.
FRIDAY RECAP: How all the action unfolded including a vintage Friday night at Coopers Stadium
In the Isuzu UTE A-League, leaders Wellington Phoenix defeated Western United 2-0 at Sky Stadium, Melbourne Victory’s unbeaten run came to an end via a 1-0 loss to Macarthur FC in a top-four battle at AAMI Park, three-time reigning premiers Melbourne City were thumped 5-1 by Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium, while Central Coast Mariners were shocked in a 3-1 loss to Sydney FC at Industree Group Stadium.
Over in the Liberty A-League, Melbourne Victory made the trip to Central Coast Mariners and drew 1-1 at Industree Group Stadium, league-leading Melbourne City went head-to-head with defending champions Sydney FC in a goalless draw at City Football Academy Field, and Canberra United were pegged back by a late wonder strike in a 2-2 draw with Perth Glory at Macedonia Park.
MATCHDAY AGENDA
Wellington Phoenix 2-0 Western United – Sky Stadium (Isuzu UTE A-League)
MATCH REPORT: League-leading Phoenix extend streak by soaring past Western after pre-game chaos
Wellington Phoenix ensured they will end Round 16 at the top of the Isuzu UTE A-League standings with a 2-0 victory over Western United.
High-flying Wellington could not be stopped at Sky Stadium, where the league leaders made it seven matches unbeaten thanks to a Nicholas Pennington strike and a James Donachie own goal on Saturday.
Pennington broke the deadlock in the third minute, then provided the header that debutant Donachie deflected into his own net in the 47th minute as the Phoenix stayed top, while lowly Western were left eight points adrift at the foot of the table.
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Central Coast Mariners 1-1 Melbourne Victory – Industre Group Stadium (Liberty A-League)
MATCH REPORT: Gielnik’s wonder-strike seals a point for Victory against Mariners
A stunning goal from Matildas forward Emily Gielnik has secured a point for Melbourne Victory after they drew 1-1 with Central Coast Mariners at Industree Group Stadium.
Emily Husband’s Mariners took the lead in the sixth minute through Peta Trimis and then had several opportunities to double their advantage but didn’t take them.
Gielnik secured a point for Victory in the 66th minute as she dribbled past two Mariners defenders before unleashing a powerful strike into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Central Coast goalkeeper Casey Dumont then produced three big saves in stoppage time to prevent former club Victory from snatching a late win as both sides left Industree Group Stadium with a point.
The result means the Mariners remain in seventh spot on the ladder, while Melbourne Victory move level on points with fourth placed Western Sydney Wanderers.
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Melbourne City 0-0 Sydney FC – City Football Academy Field (Liberty A-League)
MATCH REPORT: Veteran keeper stars as penalty save rescues a point for City in goalless draw with Sky Blues
Melbourne City goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri produced a stellar penalty save to deny Sydney FC star Princess Ibini a winning goal in the second half of a 0-0 draw on Saturday afternoon.
Ibini and Barbieri went face-to-face on numerous occasions throughout the battle between first (City) and third on the Liberty A-League table, but the 43-year-old came out on top time and again to keep her clean sheet intact.
Sydney needed a win to draw level on points with City at the top of the table but instead crept one point ahead of Western United into second, remaining one win behind the league-leaders after 16 rounds of the Liberty A-League season.
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Melbourne Victory 0-1 Macarthur FC – AAMI Park (Isuzu UTE A-League)
MATCH REPORT: Victory beaten! Undefeated run over as Kurto masterclass lifts Bulls amid penalty controversy
Macarthur FC snapped Melbourne Victory’s unbeaten record in the Isuzu UTE A-League thanks to Filip Kurto after the star goalkeeper saved a late Bruno Fornaroli penalty in controversial scenes.
Victory huffed and puffed, and had the chance to equalise with six minutes of regulation remaining after Jake Hollman had given in-form Macarthur a 21st-minute lead at AAMI Park on Saturday.
But Golden Boot leader Fornaroli saw his spot-kick kept out by Kurto, though the Victory star and the home supporters felt the ball had crossed the line as Macarthur weathered a second-half storm in Melbourne.
Victory had 29 shots and nine on target, compared to Macarthur’s six with one on target throughout the contest.
Kurto’s masterclass saw Macarthur rise up to third in the standings as they equalled their longest undefeated streak in the history of the Isuzu UTE A-League (seven games), while Victory dropped to fourth after tasting defeat for the first time in 2023-24 after a 15-match unbeaten run.
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Brisbane Roar 5-1 Melbourne City – Suncorp Stadium (Isuzu UTE A-League)
MATCH REPORT: Brisbane score FIVE in City demolition: ’It’s the Roar’s revenge!’
Four first-half goals sent Brisbane Roar en route to a thumping 5-1 win over Melbourne City at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday evening.
Thomas Waddingham scored his first two Isuzu UTE A-League goals on either side of half-time as Jay O’Shea, Keegan Jelacic and Kai Trewin – who also bagged his maiden league goal – all found the back of the net in a statement victory.
Brisbane were up 5-0 just seconds after half-time, with Terry Antonis coming off the bench to score a 73rd-minute consolation goal for City in Queensland.
City defeated Brisbane 8-1 on December 28 and early in the second half, the home side looked a genuine chance of overturning that horrendous deficit in just one game before the goals dried up at Suncorp Stadium.
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Central Coast Mariners 1-3 Sydney FC – Industree Group Stadium (Isuzu UTE A-League)
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A masterclass from Sydney FC midfielder Anthony Caceres has fired the Sky Blues to a 3-1 win over Central Coast, bringing the Mariners’ 12-game unbeaten run to an abrupt end.
Rhyan Grant headed the away side in front after just four minutes before Caceres then weaved his magic inside the box to fire the Sky Blues into a two-goal lead.
An own-goal from Mariners defender Dan Hall then left his team with a mountain to climb after just 20 minutes and it would, and should, have been 4-0 before half-time were it not for an horrendous miss from striker Patrick Wood.
Central Coast forward Angel Torres reduced the deficit to two early in the second half with a well-taken strike and while the Mariners did apply plenty of late pressure the Sky Blues kept things tight at the back to seal all three points.
Defeat for Mark Jackson’s side now leaves them five points behind league leaders Wellington Phoenix while the win moves Sydney FC into the top six.
MATCH REPORT: Mariners stunned as classy Caceres fires Sydney to statement win
Perth Glory 2-2 Canberra United – Macedonia Park (Liberty A-League)
MATCH REPORT: Dalton wonder-strike rescues late, late point for Perth as Heyman stars for Canberra again
A stunning strike from distance by midfielder Isobel Dalton rescued a last-gasp point for Perth Glory in an entertaining 2-2 draw with Canberra United on Saturday night.
Michelle Heyman scored her 11th goal of the season to open the scoring in the first half but Susan Phonsongkham brought the hosts level at Macedonia Park with a clinical finish. Heyman doubled her tally just before half-time and that’s how the score remained until stoppage time when Dalton found the top-left corner from outside the box to steal a point back for Perth.
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