Round 21 in the Liberty A-League began with three action-packed games on Saturday, with each result shaking up the top six in a dramatic start to the penultimate weekend of the regular season.
The action got underway with simultaneous 4pm AEDT kick-offs. Newcastle Jets hosted Melbourne Victory at No.2 Sportsground and snapped an eight-game losing streak against their Saturday rivals thanks to a dramatic brace to Melina Ayres which swung momentum in a 3-2 thriller.
Melbourne City faced Central Coast Mariners in the other 4pm fixture and cruised to a 3-0 win, to move to the top of the live table.
Western United travelled to face Western Sydney Wanderers in the final game of the day and a 3-1 win to the home side put the Wanderers in the box seat to wrap up a spot in the finals.
Early in the day, Melbourne Victory sat first on the live table when Rachel Lowe scored the opening goal of the afternoon. Victory led at that point, at roughly 4:15 in the Newcastle afternoon.
But less than two hours later they were fifth, after Newcastle’s comeback win and Melbourne City’s triumph over the Mariners.
Western Sydney proceeded to jump above Victory into fifth to leave Jeff Hopkins’ side in genuine danger of missing the six altogether; Victory play the red-hot Sydney FC in the final round of the season while the Jets face 11th-placed Adelaide.
Sadly for Wellington Phoenix, the Wanderers’ win over Western United knocked them out of finals contention. The ‘Nix now sit eight points behind sixth-placed Victory with two games to play.
Re-live the action from three games on Saturday below.
Newcastle Jets 3-2 Melbourne Victory
MATCH CENTRE: Click here for stats, highlights, video and more
Newcastle Jets are still alive in the finals hunt after a late brace to Melina Ayres sealed an incredible comeback 3-2 win for Newcastle Jets over Melbourne Victory at No.2 Sportsground on Saturday afternoon.
Victory led 2-1 after 80 minutes, with Rachel Lowe and Tori Hansen’s goals coming either side of Lauren Allan’s equaliser just before half-time.
But Ayres came off the bench to turn the tide against her former side, scoring two goals in the space of seven minutes to haul the Jets to a 3-2 win capped off by a stunning match-winning strike from the edge of the area into the top-left corner.
Three points against Victory brought the Jets level on 30 points with sixth-placed Western Sydney Wanderers, guaranteeing Newcastle’s fight for a spot in the finals would carry into the final round of the season.
Jets keeper Izzy Nino earned a straight red card for her role in a late fracas sparked by MelindaJ Barbieri and Emily Gielnik, and will miss her side’s final-round clash with Adelaide United.
FULL MATCH REPORT: Dramatic double from former Victory star saves Newcastle’s season
Melbourne City 3-0 Central Coast Mariners
MATCH CENTRE: Click here for stats, highlights, video and more
Melbourne City climbed to the top of the Liberty A-League table after a 3-0 win over fellow top-four contenders Central Coast Mariners on Saturday afternoon.
First-half goals to Hannah Wilkinson and Emina Ekic set City on course to victory; the Mariners were offered a way back into the contest shortly after half-time from the penalty spot but Matildas star Kyah Simon couldn’t convert as City kept their two-goal lead intact.
Taylor Otto tucked home City’s third and her second goal of the season to wrap up the three points late in the piece.
City now sit two points clear of Sydney FC on top of the table – but the Sky Blues now have two games in hand over their Victorian rivals, remaining firm favourites to claim the Premiers Plate by the end of the season.
FULL MATCH REPORT: Advantage City in Premiership race as new leaders beat top-four challengers Mariners
Western Sydney Wanderers 3-1 Western United
MATCH CENTRE: Click here for stats, highlights, video and more
Western Sydney Wanderers responded to major pressure in the hunt for finals by coming from behind to beat Premiership hopefuls Western United 3-1 on Saturday night.
Hannah Keane opened the scoring for United but Ella Buchanan’s equaliser before the break set the scene for Sophie Harding to bag a second-half brace and send the home side three points clear of Newcastle Jets on the Liberty A-League table – the only club now capable of breaking into the top six by the end of the season.
United could have taken top spot on the table with a win on the road on Saturday night but remain in third spot, three points off leaders Melbourne City.
Making matters worse for Western was an injury to star striker Keane in the second half; the American went down in agony in the second half and received treatment for more than 10 minutes before being stretchered off the pitch.
The nature of the injury is still unclear at full-time.
Western Sydney’s win over United put an end to Wellington Phoenix’s hopes of a finals berth; the New Zealand outfit now sit eight points outside of the top six with two games to play.
The Wanderers face Wellington Phoenix in the final round of the season as United prepare for another challenging task against fourth-placed Western United away from home.
FULL MATCH REPORT: Injury blow to star striker as Wanderers come from behind to put one foot in the finals
