A hat-trick from Emina Ekic has fired Melbourne City to an entertaining 5-3 win over Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park, solidifying their place atop the Liberty A-League standings heading into the new year.
City fell behind early after Mia Corbin opened the scoring for the visitors on Thursday evening, before Ekic struck with two goals in two minutes and Hannah Wilkinson added another to double to their advantage prior to half-time.
Ekic fired home her third either side of a Jenna McCormick header and a second from Corbin, but neither could spark a late fightback for the visitors, after Rhianna Pollicina put the result beyond doubt with a second-half penalty.
Dario Vidosic’s side now sit six points clear atop the standings heading into the remainder of the round, with the win ensuring they will be in first place at the start of the new year.
Meanwhile, Brisbane’s wait for a win has been extended to eight straight games, equalling their club’s record winless run in the Liberty A-League.
Brisbane started the stronger of the two teams. Tameka Yallop had two chances to open the scoring, having two shots saved by Lysianne Proulx, but the second needed to be cleared off the line by a desperate Naomi Chinnama.
Their solid start would be rewarded moments later, as Ayesha Norrie’s pass cut through the City defence, setting through Sharn Freier, who found an unmarked Corbin – whose first effort was blocked, before slamming home on the rebound
City responded well after going behind, pulling one back in the 20th minute. Hollie Palmer turned the ball over in her defensive half, essentially playing through Ekic, who cooly finished inside the box.
Ekic’s goal shifted the momentum firmly in City’s favour and only two minutes after her opener, the Bosnian international had her second.
Daniela Galic did brilliantly to break down the left flank, forcing a save from Roar keeper Jordan Silkowitz, but her parry landed at the feet of Ekic who made no mistake from close range to give her side the lead.
City continued to turn up the heat on their opponents and had a third in the 35th minute, after Wilkinson outmanoeuvred McCormick and knocked home Ekic’s corner to make it 3-1.
Despite falling two goals behind, Brisbane continued to cause problems and immediately after half-time, they were right back in the contest after Palmer’s corner was nodded into the back of the net by McCormick.
But Brisbane’s defensive frailties meant their mini-push was quickly curtailed, as Ekic broke through on the right-wing, brilliantly cut back onto her left foot to beat Teagan Thompson and fire home her hat-trick.
The drama wasn’t done there, as City’s insistence to play out from the back came back to bite them, with Yallop telegraphing doing well win the ball off Laura Hughes deep in their attacking half before playing through Corbin who scored her second of the game.
Once again, Brisbane’s mini fightback was quelled once moreafter Thompson brought Galic down inside the penalty area, giving City a spot-kick.
Pollicina stood up and buried the penalty, giving City their seventh win of the campaign.
The talking point
What an incredible game of football.
Both sides threw everything at each other throughout the contest as the momentum ebbed and flowed at AAMI Park.
City did well to weather the early storm from Brisbane and their attempted comebacks, as they twice cut into the deficit in the second-half. However, they did just enough to come away with all three points on Friday evening, responding each time they were under adversity with flying colours.
City boss Dario Vidosic was pleased the result, but believed they were far from their best.
“It was not the greatest game from us. I think we were uncharacteristically sloppy,” Vidosic said post-game.
“I recall more, maybe mistakes and, chances that we gave away now today than probably in the first nine rounds.
“We could probably say the the short turnaround from the Derby, Christmas in between those two days, So it’s hard to train, but look we were clinical today. We put them away at the right times, but we concede two goals inside the first five minutes of both halves and then some of the chances we gifted to them.
“I think it could have been a different result today as well. It could have been almost anything today. It could have been a 7-7 draw!
“It was one of those that we were happy to walk away with the win and we were putting our chances away and we need to fix things, but we’ll have a couple of days off now and then we’ve got a full week at least to prepare for the next game.”
Meanwhile, Roar boss Alex Smith said there were positives to take from the contest, especially their pressing, but bemoaned their defensive mistakes.
“Two of our goals from that (pressing), but three goals should be enough to win a game,” he said.
“I’m going to have to look at where we kind of failed on the defensive side of the ball, but again, could have scored a lot more as well.
“A couple of positives to take but disappointment is the overall feeling.”
The star
Emina Ekic is on fire at the moment.
The Melbourne City star took her tally to five goals in seven games this season, continuing her fine start to her second stint at the club.
Ekic’s goals showcased her full array of skills, firstly, cooly placing the ball past Jordan Silkowitz before an instinctual finish from inside the penalty box for the first, and the third was the best of the bunch, dribbling her way past Teagan Thompson and slamming it home after Silkowitz couldn’t deal with the effort on goal.
The Bosnian international’s arrival and ensuing run of form is exactly what the doctor ordered after losing Holly McNamara to a season ending knee injury, helping fill the sizeable gap left by the star attacker.
Vidosic, however, believes there’s still more for Ekic to give.
“I think a lot more,” he said.
“A lot of how we play is… if we for through the middle then we isolate our wingers, who are very good, she showed today so I mean, it’s just now developing and it’s about us giving them the chance that we get them in those dangerous areas where she can do her thing.
“We saw today and even in the Derby, once she’s inside that box, it’s very dangerous because she’s such a good dribbler and she’s a good finisher and if you make a mistake, if you bring her down, it’s a goal.
“So you have to be very alert and she’s got a lot of tricks though, that she’s shown now… but look we hope that not just her, but everyone continues to improve.”
What this means
Melbourne City head into the new year top of the Liberty A-League standings, after recording their seventh win of the campaign.
Dario Vidosic’s side have far and away the best attacking record in the league with 23 goals to their name after nine games, but have conceded 17 goals which would be of concern to the City boss.
They next head on the road to face Adelaide United on January 6.
Meanwhile, Brisbane’s wait for a win continues, having not claimed three point since their Round 2 win over Sydney FC.
Despite that, they remain only a point outside the top six, albeit the rest of the round is still yet to take place.
Up next is a home clash against Newcastle Jets on January 7.
