Former Melbourne Victory midfielder Monnique Kofoed came back to haunt her old side by scoring Perth Glory’s Westfield W-League winner at AAMI Park.
Former Melbourne Victory midfielder Monnique Kofoed came back to haunt her old side by scoring Perth Glory’s Westfield W-League winner at AAMI Park.
The 20-year-old tucked away the game’s only goal in the 83rd minute to give the Glory a hard-fought 1-0 success that entrenches their place in the WWL top four.
Kofoed, who came on as a second-half substitute, was the lone player to get past teenage Victory goalkeeper Brianna Davey, who justified her inclusion in the starting line-up at the expense of captain Melissa Barbieri.
The official word on Barbieri, the Matilda’s custodian, was she was rested, but there is no doubt that Victory have a promising talent in Davey, who at 15, impressed between the sticks.
She denied Australian internationals Kate Gill and Samantha Kerr with two quality saves during the second-half as both sides pressed for a winner, following an even first-half.
Victory will lament that they didn’t at least come away with a point, conceding not only that late goal, but wasted a guilt edge opportunity just five minutes into the second stanza.
Industrious striker Jodie Taylor worked tirelessly for the 90 minutes, but her game was spoiled by an inability to finish when presented with a golden one-on-one opportunity thanks to Ashley Browne’s magnificent through ball.
Winger Browne is another player with a bright future, producing a number of searching runs down the right flank and provided a telling link between Victory’s midfielders and forwards.
Doing likewise for Perth was Matilda Collette McCallum, who proved the most dangerous player going forward, while skipper Tanya Oxtoby marshalled the troops strongly at the back.
Melbourne’s defence was solid apart from the one breach, with central defender Maika Rutyer-Hooley and left-back Marlies Oostdam impressing, as did midfielder Louisa Bisby.
The loss leaves Victory languishing second-last with four points from five games, with Perth moving to nine points from six matches and sitting nicely in fourth place.
