Welcome to Made With Mitre Moments, where aleagues.com.au brings you all the biggest talking points from each round of the 2024-25 Ninja A-League season.
Read on for all the biggest talking points from Round 15, thanks to Mitre.
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Beth Mason-Jones’ special interview after debut heroics
Sydney FC may have gone down 2-1 to Western United on Sunday afternoon at Leichhardt Oval, but it will be a day the club’s new goalkeeper Beth Mason-Jones will never forget.
Western moved up to fourth as goals from Chloe Logarzo and new Golden Boot leader Kahli Johnson either side of a Mackenzie Hawkesby strike sealed the result as Mason-Jones saved a penalty in her first A-Leagues match in six years, almost to the day.
MATCH REPORT: Golden Boot lader haunts old side as Western defeat Sydney FC
The Sky Blues only announced the arrival of their new shot-stopper on Friday.
On Sunday, she started between the sticks and produced a sharp stop to deny Matildas midfielder Logarzo from the spot.
The 27-year-old has previously made eight appearances for Melbourne Victory between 2016 and 2019, before spending a single season at Canberra United.
After her Sydney FC debut, Mason-Jones spoke candidly about falling out of love with football and her journey back to this moment
“It’s honestly amazing. I’ve got a bit of a tremor and I’ve got a bit more of a tremor in the last couple of days. I can’t really describe what it’s taken me to get here,” she told Network 10.
“I’m just really grateful to my NPL club Essendon Royals, they’ve really helped me find the love for the game again. I’m just so grateful that I’ve gotten this opportunity and I don’t take it lightly.
“Sydney is such a big club, they expect the best from us, we really tried to give 110% today, we just couldn’t get the result in the end.”
She added: “Yeah 100% (I lost my love for the game). With anything in life, there’s just so many ups and downs, mentally that really got to me. As a keeper, you’ve gotta be physically fit but you’ve gotta be mentally fit too. If you’re not loving the game, then why are you playing it?
“I’m just very grateful that I have found that love and had the right people and teammates around me to do what I do best and that is play football.
“I just have stripped everything back. I went back and played State 1 football after I was at Canberra United when I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. Just taking all that pressure away, not thinking about the outcome of the game but thinking about how I want to play it has really helped me get back to why I love football – and I did that at the right club.
“I’m really thankful to Essendon Royals and Vince Battiato for helping me refind that love and I’m just so grateful to be here. I’m really grateful to Ante and the staff, they’ve all made me feel so welcome.”
Melbourne City eye all-time Ninja A-League record
We’re 16 rounds into the Ninja A-League season and Melbourne City are yet to lose a game.
A 2-0 win over Newcastle Jets, thanks to goals from Holly McNamara and Laura Hughes, saw Michael Matricciani’s side break the club record for most matches undefeated (19), including three triumphs in the AFC Women’s Club Championship.
Now, they’ll have their eyes on smashing the Ninja A-League record, which currently stands at 18 matches, held jointly by Brisbane Roar (Nov 2008 – Nov 2009), Canberra United (Jan 2011 – Nov 2012) and City themselves (Oct 2015 – Dec 2016).
MATCH REPORT: Unbeaten leaders roll on with another win sealed by Matildas pair
To grab a share of the record, City will need to avoid defeat in this Saturday night’s Grand Final rematch against Sydney FC and against Canberra United on March 1.
To own it outright, they’ll need to also then get through their clash against Brisbane Roar on March 9 unscathed.
Fairytale return helps Wanderers break drought
Holly Caspers enjoyed a fairytale return from injury on Sunday afternoon as she came off the bench to score the 88th minute winner that sealed Western Sydney Wanderers’ 2-1 win over Brisbane Roar.
After almost three months on the sidelines, the 25-year-old midfielder made an instant impact as the Wanderers grabbed their first win since a 5-1 win over Western United in December – and just their second of the season.
MATCH REPORT: Super sub caps off memorable return as Wanderers beat Roar
Sienna Saveska continued her red-hot form with an early opener before Zara Kruger equalised in style from long-range with her first Roar goal, but it was substitute Caspers who had the final say.
“I feel ecstatic,” she told Network 10.
I’m happy we’ve won, but also (I) scored on a comeback, not everyone can do that. I feel very lucky that I was able to, my first return to the game wasn’t as great of a success so it’s great to get a really big win under our belt.
“I feel like every day I need to do a check in with the physio to make sure everything is good, but the toe is fine, knee is good, so hopefully all smooth sailing from here.”
With nine points now on the board, Wanderers are one point adrift of rivals Sydney FC in the race to avoid the wooden spoon.
Another special debut story at Wellington Phoenix
Wellington Phoenix handed a debut to 17-year-old academy product Ela Jerez as they held Melbourne Victory to a 1-1 draw at Porirua Park on Saturday.
A second minute goal from Maya McCutcheon – which also produced one of the great Ninja A-League goal celebrations – got the Phoenix off to a dream start, but the introduction of Nicki Flannery proved to be a game-changer for the Victory.
MATCH REPORT: Coaching masterstroke extends Victory’s unbeaten run
Substitute Flannery entered the match in the 60th minute and scored inside 60 seconds.
The Phoenix may feel unlucky not to have won the match, given they enjoyed more possession, shots and shots on target, but they did have a special moment to celebrate as Jerez emerged off the bench in the closing stages.
The teenager’s debut is a special story, after her entire family relocated to Wellington to allow her to join the club’s youth setup at the start of 2024.
By August, she’d signed her first pro deal and after celebrating her 17th birthday in December, she’s now got her first Ninja A-League appearance.
Adelaide United’s special season rolls on
Only undefeated Melbourne City have won more Ninja A-League matches in 2024-25 than Adelaide United, following the Reds 3-0 win over Perth Glory on Friday night.
All things considered, that is extraordinary.
Adelaide have now won as many games this season (9) as they did in the previous two seasons combined (five in 2022-23, four in 2023-24)!
MATCH REPORT: Awesome Adelaide set new club receord after cruising past Glory
Head coach Adrian Stenta deserves major credit for turning things around, with the returns of Fiona Worts and Matilda McNamara, plus the signing of US import Erin Healy paying off hugely for the club.
Healy scored twice against the Glory, taking her tally to five for the campaign, while Chelsie Dawber continued her superb run of form with yet another goal.
Adelaide now sit third in the ladder and will have one eye on a return to the finals.
Canberra honour their legends as one delivers on the pitch
It was a special weekend for Canberra United as the club honoured their legends with their Heritage Round, which saw in a 1-1 draw against Central Coast Mariners.
Club legends Sally Shipard, Caitlin Munoz and Ash Sykes were inducted into the Capital Football Hall of Fame, while the club also unveiled an all-time XI, as voted by fans.
MATCH REPORT: A-Leagues legend earns draw for in-form Canberra
Leading the line in that side was the Ninja A-League’s top scorer Michelle Heyman, who added another to her tally to cancel out Jade Pennock’s opener for the Mariners.
“This club means the world to me,” Heyman told Network 10.
“They’ve given me a place to grow as a footballer, the fans have been here since day one and for myself, every time I walk onto the pitch here at McKellar I try to give them everything that I’ve got.
“I think we’re very lucky here in Canberra because we’re the only club that has the fans that we do and I just feel very lucky to be a part of it.
“I hope even the Mariners understand how important today was for women’s football and just to see how far we’ve come since 2008.”
