This is how a bumper Saturday night in the A-Leagues played out. Watch the highlights from all seven matches below!
Western United 2-1 Central Coast Mariners (Liberty A-League Women)
The first ever meeting between Western United and Central Coast Mariners in the Liberty A-League got off to an absolute flyer with two goals inside the opening six minutes!
Jaclyn Sawicki opened the scoring for Western in the second minute, before her strike was cancelled out by Rola Badiwiya. Although, Kat Smith’s side were able to hit the front again in the first half as Hannah Keane continued her purple patch with another well-taken finish.
MINUTE-BY-MINUTE DETAILS: Click here to go to the Match Centre
It proved the winner, despite Kyah Simon coming off the bench and hitting the post for the Mariners, handing Western their third straight victory and closing the gap on league leaders Melbourne City to just three points.
Western United 2-2 Sydney FC (Isuzu UTE A-League Men)
Max Burgess’ effort hit the hand of Kane Vidmar, which saw a VAR check and subsequently a spot kick awarded, which was dispatched by Fabio Gomes.
MINUTE-BY-MINUTE DETAILS: Click here to go to the Match Centre
Soon after, Sydney young gun Jake Girdwood-Reich doubled the lead with his first ever Isuzu UTE A-League goal, before an almost instant response from Western with Noah Botic finding the bottom corner to get his side back into the game.
Western drew level in the second half through Ben Garuccio to set up an epic climax to the match, which ultimately saw the points split.
When all was said and done, it felt like a fair result.
This game also saw a substitution which created an incredible piece of Australian football history.
Adelaide United 2-1 Western Sydney Wanderers (Liberty A-League Women)
Adelaide United pulled off a major upset in the Liberty A-League as they scored an 85th minute winner to stun Western Sydney Wanderers at Coopers Stadium.
MINUTE-BY-MINUTE DETAILS: Click here to go to the Match Centre
An errant swing of the arm from Hannah Blake into the face of Vicky Bruce saw Western Sydney Wanderers open the scoring on the cusp of half-time as the spot kick was coolly converted by Amy Harrison.
However, Blake sealed redemption when she equalised in the 71st minute.
There was to be a final twist in the tale as substitute Chrissy Panagaris sparked huge celebrations in Adelaide as she scored what proved to be the winner in the final few minutes.
Newcastle Jets 1-1 Melbourne Victory (Isuzu UTE A-League Men)
A rare goal from Roderick Miranda handed Melbourne Victory a lead over Newcastle Jets in the 20th minute, before drama struck at McDonald Jones Stadium.
However, Stamatelopoulos wasn’t done yet!
MINUTE-BY-MINUTE DETAILS: Click here to go to the Match Centre
Just when it looked like the Victory were set to claim all three points, the Newcastle talisman headed home Lucas Mauragis’ pinpoint cross in the 88th minute to see the points split.
Incredibly, this was Melbourne Victory’s fourth draw on the trot… a feat they’ve now achieved twice this term – and it means they miss out on the opportunity to leapfrog Wellington Phoenix into top spot on the Isuzu UTE ladder.
Meanwhile, the Jets sit 10th, with 17 points from 16 matches.
Brisbane Roar 1-2 Melbourne Victory (Liberty A-League Women)
Melbourne Victory took an early lead over Brisbane Roar thanks to Emma Checker, but Matildas star Tameka Yallop levelled the scores later in the first half.
MATCH-BY-MATCH DETAILS: Click here to go to the Match Centre
However, as has been the case a lot recently, Victory star Rachel Lowe had her say in the second half, stepping up to convert a penalty in the 77th minute to restore the visitors’ lead heading into the final minutes of the match.
The visitors held on to claim a 2-1 victory that takes them up to fifth in the Liberty A-League ladder, while the Roar are struggling, sitting in 10th.
Sydney FC 3-1 Perth Glory (Liberty A-League Women)
Two goals and an assist from Cortnee Vine saw Sydney FC seal an impressive 3-1 win over Perth Glory.
Teen sensation Maddie Caspers produced another superb finish for Sydney FC to open the scoring. The 16-year-old’s reputation is growing with each passing week in the Liberty A-League.
MINUTE-BY-MINUTE DETAILS: Click here to go to the Match Centre
Sydney were dominating and looked like doubling their lead when Indiana Dos Santos earned a penalty, but Glory goalkeeper Morgan Aquino came up with a phenomenal save to deny Princess Ibini from the spot.
Soon after it was game on as Quinley Quezada scored with Perth’s first shot of the match.
Never out of the spotlight for long, Matildas star Cortnee Vine restored Sydney’s lead in the second half, showing all her speed and composure as she scored a beautiful goal in the 59th minute.
‘ABSOLUTELY CRAZY’: Image sends message to Liberty A-League after Matilda’s masterclass
In the 85th minute, it was Vine again, as the winger was set away by a glorious Indiana Dos Santos pass, before rounding the keeper and putting the game beyond doubt.
Tony Gustavsson will like what he saw from the Matildas star here, with Vine finishing the match with two goals and an assist in a performance which will put the rest of the Liberty A-League on notice – and will do her chances of selection for Olympic qualifiers against Uzbekistan no harm.
Adelaide United 0-4 Central Coast Mariners (Isuzu UTE A-League Men)
Christian Theoharous took 25 matches to score his first Isuzu UTE A-League goal for Central Coast Mariners, but it didn’t take him long to add another, making it two in three games with a well-taken finish to open the scoring against Adelaide United.
Then, Angel Torres produced another moment of magic, curling a wonderful strike past James Delianov into the top corner on the cusp of half-time to make it 2-0.
MINUTE-BY-MINUTE DETAILS: Click here to go to the Match Centre
Only four minutes later, the Mariners star did it again, finding the top corner to heap the pain on Adelaide on their own turf.
Carl Veart’s side stemmed the flow in the second half, until the 90th minute, when substitute Bailey Brandtman flew into the area and drew a foul from Giueseppe Bovalina. Striker Jing Reec stepped up to convert from the spot, completing a perfect night for the Mariners.
The last time these sides met, Adelaide won 3-0 back in October. But on this occasion, Mark Jackson’s men reigned supreme, turning the tables in emphatic fashion.
There can be no doubting that the Mariner are the form side in the Isuzu UTE A-League right now.
