Round 14 in the A-Leagues came to a close on Sunday, January 28 with three games on the agenda.
The was plenty of drama in the first game of the day as Wellington Phoenix snapped their four-game losing streak, despite being reduced to 10 players, as they defeated Canberra United 2-0 at Porirua Park.
Two goals from forward Mariana Speckmaier had the ‘Nix in a great position before a red-card to goalkeeper Rylee Foster threw a spanner in the works. However Wellington held off their opponents to seal a much-needed win in front of their own fans.
Meanwhile, Round 14 in the Liberty A-League wrapped up with a barnstorming F3 Derby at No.2 Sportsground as Newcastle Jets went down 2-0 at home to the Central Coast Mariners in a game which saw Matildas icon Kyah Simon make her long awaited return to competitive action after suffering an ACL injury in October 2022.
Finally, Macarthur FC and Perth Glory played out a thrilling 2-2 draw at Campbelltown Sports Stadium with Glory forward David Williams coming off the bench to rescue a point for Alen Stajcic’s side, scoring a 93rd minute equaliser after the Bulls had twice taken the lead.
SUNDAY RESULTS
LIBERTY A-LEAGUE
- Wellington Phoenix 2-0 Canberra United
- Newcastle Jets 0-2 Central Coast Mariners
ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE
- Macarthur FC 2-2 Perth Glory
LIBERTY A-LEAGUE
Wellington Phoenix 2-0 Canberra United
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A double from striker Mariana Speckmaier has fired Wellington Phoenix to a 2-0 win over Canberra United at Porirua Park in a game where goalkeeper Rylee Foster was also sent off for violent conduct.
A frenetic opening 20 minutes saw both sides threaten but it was Canberra’s own New Zealand international, Deven Jackson, who had the game’s best early chance but the midfielder blazed her shot over the bar after the ‘Nix had failed to clear from a corner.
Wellington thought they had the lead in the 27th minute after Rebecca Lake headed in from a corner however Kate Taylor was adjudged to have fouled keeper Chloe Lincoln in the build-up and the goal was chalked off.
The ‘Nix were the team in the ascendency though and the breakthrough came on the stroke of half time. After moving from the right flank over to the left, the lively Isabel Cox exchanged passes with Zoe McMeeken before releasing Mariana Speckmaier through on goal and the forward did the rest, slotting the ball past Lincoln to make it 1-0.
Not content with their one-goal lead, Wellington came flying out of the blocks to start the second half with Cox shooting narrowly over the bar while Annalie Longo then shot straight at the keeper but their second arrived in the 52nd minute. A brilliantly delivered corner from Hope Breslin was headed home by an unmarked Speckmaier at the back post.
The big flash point then occurred in the 67th minute when Phoenix keeper Rylee Foster was sent-off for an apparent elbow on Canberra sub Sofia Christopherson. Foster was seemingly trying to move her opponent out of the way while the away side were taking a corner but the referee deemed the action to be violent conduct and Foster was dismissed.
Incredibly, substitute keeper Brianna Edwards was then brought on in place of Macey Fraser and promptly saved Maria Rojas’ spotkick with her first touch in the game to keep the scoreline at 2-0 at Porirua Park.
On a day where she was largely subdued, the ever-dangerous Vesna Milivojevic wriggled her way through several challenges inside the Wellington box but blazed her shot over the bar as Canberra succumbed to an seventh loss of the campaign while victory sees Wellington snap their four-game losing streak.
Newcastle Jets 0-2 Central Coast Mariners
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Central Coast Mariners have claimed the bragging rights in the F3 Derby, defeating rivals Newcastle Jets 2-0 at No.2 Sportsground in a game which also saw Matilda Kyah Simon make her first appearance of the season.
Despite having defender Faye Bryson off the pitch receiving treatment with an ankle injury the Mariners took a dramatic lead in just the fourth minute; Chinese international Wurigumula slotting home her fifth goal of the season after a brilliant whipped delivery into the box from Rola Badawiya.
Captain Bianca Galic then rattled the woodwork in the 18th minute as the Mariners threatened to go 2-0 up while a minute later Sarina Bolden couldn’t convert from close range after strike partner Melina Ayres flashed a dangerous ball across the face of goal.
Ayres was then involved once again, this time in first half stoppage time, forcing goalkeeper Sarah Langman into a brilliant stop. The striker escaped her marker before stabbing the ball towards goal but Langman was on hand to provide the save to ensure the Mariners led 1-0 at the break.
The away side should have made it 2-0 five minutes after the restart but Paige Hayward spooned her shot over the bar from six metres out after Peta Trimis had dribbled her way past several challenges inside the box before picking out her teammate who was unmarked.
Hayward though did make up for that miss, bagging Central Coast’s second of the game in the 72nd minute. Emily Husband’s side worked the ball out of defence and up the field before substitute Tiarna Karambasis played a through ball into the path of Hayward who, having timed her run to perfection, slotted her shot past Jets keeper Isobel Nino to make it 2-0.
The Mariners’ day then got even better as Matildas legend Kyah Simon came off the bench in the closing stages of the game to make her first appearance of the Liberty A-League season, helping Emily Husband’s side seal all three points to move up to fifth on the ladder.
ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE
Macarthur FC 2-2 Perth Glory
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A stoppage time equaliser from David Williams has ensured Perth Glory head back to Western Australia with a point after they salvaged a 2-2 draw with Macarthur.
The home side started the better of the two teams and took the lead in the 9th minute with the in-form Ulises Davila finishing off one of the moves of the season.
Driving down the left, young winger Raphael Borges Rodrigues picked out the unmarked Valere Germain on the edge of the box who in turn played a brilliant first-time pass into the path of Davila, who dinked the ball past Oli Sail in the Perth goal to make it 1-0.
Clear-cut chances were then at a premium for the remainder of the first half but the Bulls will feel as though they should have gone into the break leading by two. A dreadful back pass from Mustafa Amini fell straight to Davila but, after good pressure from Sail, the Mexican laid the ball off to Raphael, who’s shot flew wide of the target.
Perth were inches away from pulling themselves level in the 56th minute but forward Luke Ivanovic could only thigh the ball past Filip Kurto’s far post after he connected with a whipped delivery into the box from Glory left back Riley Warland.
The away side did though claw their way back into the game in the 70th minute and it came from the spot. Marauding forward from right back, Glory defender John Koutroumbis had his ankles clipped inside the box by Kearyn Baccus allowing captain Mustafa Amini to cooly convert the penalty to make it 1-1.
The Bulls were then awarded a penalty of their own in the 79th minute after French import Valere Germain went down inside the box under pressure from former Macarthur defender Aleksandar Susnjar. Replays subsequently showed consistent shirt pulling from Susnjar and the penalty was confirmed by VAR before Germain stepped up to slam home his 7th league goal of the season.
But with five minutes added on there was still time for the Glory to find a late leveller and they did so care of David Williams’ excellent late strike. Picking the ball up on the edge of the box, Williams slalomed his into space before unleashing a fierce right-footed strike which flew across Filip Kurto and into the far corner to seal a vital point for Alen Stajcic’s side.
