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 20, thanks to Mitre.
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Why Newcastle are ‘disappointed’ after stoppage-time loss: ‘Hurt our season’
There are late wins, and then there is Melbourne Victory’s last-gasp triumph over Newcastle Jets on Friday night, which was not without controversy.
Sheridan Gallagher’s 92nd-minute strike had seen the Jets complete a three-goal turnaround in Melbourne before Victory captain Morrison broke the hearts of the visitors with the last kick of the match while Newcastle’s Sophia Hoban was down on the ground.
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“It was a roller-coaster for sure. The second half felt like that the whole time. A lot of transition,” Victory goalkeeper Alana Jancevski told Paramount+.
“It was hard to cop that goal late and a big part of our team is never being beaten. It’s a big part of our mentality and why we can close out games.”
Victory ended the weekend within two points of rivals Melbourne City and Jancevski added: “You have to take it game by game. If we can bring the football we played in the first 40 minutes of the game. Just keep that mentality and keep fighting, and keep staying together.
“We’re a great side and if we can keep that together, we’re unstoppable.”
While high-flying Victory celebrated, there was a lot of frustration in the Newcastle camp.
Victory had raced out to a 3-0 lead inside 22 minutes thanks to Emily Gielnik’s quick-fire double, including the opening goal after just 53 seconds as she moved clear atop the Golden Boot charts with 12 goals.
But two goals in quick succession prior to half-time turned the contest on its head as the Jets – who carried a three-game winning streak into the fixture – were suddenly within one goal of Victory.
The Jets did complete the comeback in the second minute of stoppage time, however, the 2023-24 Semi-Finalists came unstuck in the final moment, much to their frustration.
“The ball went out and everyone kind of stopped,” Newcastle’s Cassidy Davis told Paramount+.
“Ready to take a goal-kick and then the ref called it a goal. Just talking to the refs, they said it went out so I don’t understand why they gave it a goal. We’re pretty disappointed.”
Asked if he had anything to do with the potential foul on Hoban, Davis replied: “Look, I think ball out and a foul.
“I can’t say much more than we’re frustrated with that last call because our season’s on the line and we dug really deep today, and to get a call like that, it’s disappointing and hurt our season a little bit.”
Phoenix left with ‘cup finals’ after Mariners blow
Wellington Phoenix’s chances of finals football are still alive but fading following Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at home to Central Coast Mariners.
MATCH REPORT: Mariners end winless run in style with vital victory over top-six rivals
“We came into the game and it was going to be a six-pointer obviously at what point we are in the season and how close the ladder is,” Mariners head coach Emily Husband told reporters.
“So proud of the girls for turning up and putting on such a gutsy performance.”
The Phoenix are running out of time to secure a Finals Series berth, with matches against Melbourne City, Canberra United and Western United to come.
Wellington are winless in four games (L3 D1), while they have only won one of their past home fixtures.
“I don’t know if it’s completely over but it obviously means we’ve got to win the next three games in a row to stand any chance,” head coach Paul Temple told media post-match.
“We’re down to must-wins and cup finals now.
“We’ll keep going until it’s mathematically impossible. We’ll keep going until we can’t go anymore.
“We won’t be resting people or rotating people. It’ll be the strongest team, get out there and try to win the games.”
Sky Blues end five-year hoodoo in the capital
Not since 2020 had Sydney FC celebrated a win over Canberra United at McKellar Park, but that all changed over the weekend.
Before Saturday’s 1-0 triumph, you had to go all the way back to January 2020 for Sydney’s last win in the nation’s capital. On that day, Ante Juric’s side were 4-0 victors thanks to goals from Remy Siemsen, Veronica Latsko, Chloe Logarzo and Sofia Huerta.
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In Round 20 of this season, Mackenzie Hawkesby was the hero with her 78th minute goal to lead the two-time reigning champions to a narrow victory.
With back-to-back wins, the Sky Blues are still 11th but suddenly only six points adrift of the top six with three games remaining.
“At the moment we’re just trying to get three points every week and I haven’t actually won here in my five years at Sydney FC, so it feels good to win down here. It’s always hard to play here,” Hawkesby said.
“Every week we’re fighting for our pride, individually we want to do well.
“We are Sydney FC. We’re a massive club, we have a really rich history, so it is important to win.
“They are a great team and really hard to beat down here. They have a great fan base so it’s huge to win here. I’m thrilled to beat them here.”
‘One of the best moments ever’ that will be on ‘replay’
Izzy Foletta’s post-game interview perfectly summed up Perth Glory’s chaotic night at the Sam Kerr Football Centre.
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The 25-year-old defender’s second career A-Leagues goal and first since 2022-23 was one to remember as in-form Perth – who are unbeaten in three matches while they have only lost one of their past five – closed to within three points of sixth-placed Brisbane Roar.
“Definitely one of the best moments ever,” Foletta told Paramount+ when asked about the goal.
“It was a hard game coming into it, wasn’t the prettiest game but running in for the corner and scoring, insane.
“Words can’t describe how good that feels.”
“I’ll get it on replay all night tonight,” she laughed.
High-flying Adelaide’s big belief: ‘Potential to create something special’
Adelaide overturned a second-half deficit as the third-placed Reds ended the round four points behind reigning premiers Melbourne City, who have a game in hand following their AFC Women’s Champions League quarter-final win.
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The Reds have only tasted defeat once in their past 13 fixtures.
“We hope that regardless of the result, the way we try and play our football will be entertaining enough,” said head coach Adrian Stenta.
“At times we were good today, and at times we weren’t at the level we’d like—but this team is worth watching and has the potential to create something special for the club and the city.”
A crowd of more than 3,500 fans were in attendance at Coopers Stadium to watch Adelaide hand Brisbane a third consecutive loss, while the Roar are winless in five matches.
“The atmosphere at Coopers is the best in the country,” said Stenta. “We’ve been out at clubs this week visiting juniors and seniors across the WNPL and WSL.
“We’d love to see those future stars in the stands supporting us—it really lifts us to another level.”
