These are the key talking points from Round 17 in the Liberty A-League.
If this past weekend proved anything, it’s that ladder positions mean nothing in the Liberty A-League.
The top three all lost in Round 17 as Wellington Phoenix, Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory all scored upset wins.
There was also a drought-ending triumph for the Reds in Adelaide.
With a lot to dissect, here are the key talking points from Round 17 of the Liberty A-League.
Victory coach’s battle cry after weekend of seized opportunity
For a number of weeks, teams outside the top four have been banging at the door, with Melbourne Victory the likeliest side to slide out of finals contention.
But at the end of Round 17, Victory head coach Jeff Hopkins was defiant:
“We’re not ready to be run down by anyone.”
Victory sealed a comfortable 2-0 win over Melbourne City on Monday afternoon in what was the final game of the round. And whilst Victory collected maximum points, all the teams around them faltered: League leaders Sydney FC lost to Wellington Phoenix, while second-placed Western United fell to Brisbane Roar.
Melbourne City are third, but now hold just a two-point advantage over Victory. Fifth-placed Canberra dropped points in a draw to Western Sydney, and Peth Glory sunk to seventh, behind Brisbane Roar, after defeat to Adelaide United.
Victory have created a much-needed buffer of five points between themselves and Canberra in fifth. The two sides meet in a blockbuster Round 18 clash this weekend.
“A derby win, obviously we can’t take that away,” a delighted Hopkins said after beating City 2-0. “That’s of massive importance to us. Whether it’s a game to get us into the finals or not, to beat City means everything to us. So that’s a huge bonus for us.
“But also, I think looking at the weekend and the results that have gone and everyone tripping up, or stumbling, it was really important that we then didn’t do the same.
“People have been sending us messages the last few weeks and we sent them a little bit of a message that we’re not ready to be run down by anyone.”
Do Sydney play down to their opponents?
Sydney FC missed a golden opportunity to create further separation atop the Liberty A-League standings on Saturday, when they were upset by bottom-placed Wellington Phoenix 1-0.
With Western United dropping points against Brisbane Roar, the Sky Blues had the chance to open up a three point gap, with two games in hand on Mark Torcaso’s side – but were unable to get the job done.
This wasn’t the first time Sydney had struggled against Wellington, having just edged past them a few weeks ago 1-0 but had beaten each of the other current top four sides in the league.
“They play down to their opposition and they’re playing down to the wooden spoon team today,” Dub Zone commentator Teo Pellizzeri said.
“This is probably what led to us maybe questioning Cortnee Vine’s form before that international break because again, she plays the occasion, she’s been ripper against the top teams, but has not been brilliant against the lower teams.”
Pellizzeri asked former Matilda Alicia Ferguson about how team can be more consistent throughout the season and not lose focus in games against lower teams on the table.
“I think, it’s just consistency and I think as a player and the more you mature as a player you become more consistent because you just focus on the process,” Ferguson said.
“So the process every single game, no matter what opposition you’re coming up against, has to be exactly the same and maybe there’s a mental side of it where yeah, of course there’s potentially a little bit of complacency towards the lower teams.
“But I think that does come with time and sometimes… you’re looking for other players. But if your whole team is just a level lower than that, you really need to try and gee them up.”
Wellington show more signs of improvement in upset victory
While it was a difficult afternoon at the office for Sydney FC, it was arguably the greatest in the history of Wellington Phoenix’s women’s side.
The Phoenix won only the fourth game in their existence on Saturday afternoon, but there has perhaps been none bigger than beating the reigning premiers on their home deck.
Kate Taylor’s first-half goal proved to be the difference as the Phoenix were able to hold on among mounting pressure to secure the incredible 1-0 win.
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“I think it’s absolutely awesome,” Phoenix match-winner Kate Taylor said on Dub Zone.
“Last time we played them it was so close and I think that we really… should have got it. But I think today it was special and I look around and there’s so many tired bodies and I think it just means so much to us.
“To beat them here at their home ground.. It’s not easy, and they’re a great team and so I think everyone’s super excited and can’t wait for the rest of the season.”
Natalie Lawrence’s side is now only a point off second-last Newcastle Jets as they look to avoid winning consecutive wooden spoons in their first two years in the Liberty A-League.
Canberra hand the power back to Victory in race for fourth
Canberra United missed a golden opportunity to really amp up the pressure on Melbourne Victory and take full control of their finals destiny on Sunday, with Victory compounding the pain by registering a Melbourne Derby triumph the following afternoon.
The side from the capital came into the contest three points off the pace and needed a win to go equal on the standings before Victory took the field in Monday’s Melbourne Derby.
However, Canberra couldn’t keep their magical run going for another week, as they were held to a 1-1 draw against Western Sydney Wanderers.
While not disastrous to their finals chances, it meant the power fell back to Victory heading into their clash with City, which Jeff Hopkins’ side took full advantage of with a comfortable 2-0 win over City at AAMI Park.
As a result, Canberra sit five points behind Victory on the table, but will take confidence given their rich run of form at McKellar Park.
However, that gap could be cut depending on if the appeal to reinstate their win over Sydney FC is successful. Nonetheless, next Saturday’s meeting is shaping up to be season defining for both teams.
Connors keeping Brisbane in finals hunt with incredible run of goalscoring form
Brisbane Roar aren’t going down without a fight.
Garrath McPherson’s side kept themselves in the hunt for a little while longer, coming away with an impressive 2-0 victory over second-placed Western United – with both goals coming courtesy of their in-form American striker.
Shea Connors has been on a tear in the last few weeks, scoring five goals in five games after a difficult start to the season – where she went goalless in her first ten.
Her first goal against Western was the pick of the bunch, getting on a long ball from gun midfielder Katrina Gorry before coolly lofting it over Hillary Beall to open the scoring.
Connors’ performance was all the more impressive, given the circumstances, after one of her teammates had passed away in the lead-up to the contest.
READ: How Brisbane rallied around Connors after difficult week – ‘The team is like family’
“As soon as you see Mini (Gorry) have a quick glance up at you and get our head back down, you get the afterburners on,” Ferguson said on Dub Zone.
“You know she’s going to put it into a perfect area for you which she did and using Shea’s pace there and… two fantastic finished there really composed, really impressed with both and after such a tough week for her personally.
“I’ve had something similar and while you think it’s really difficult to front up and actually play a football match, I always think a football pitch is my happy place and my safe place and it’s it’s where you can kind of switch off and just enjoy being in the moment.
“It’s wonderful for her and that she got the two goals and Brisbane got the win.”
The win almost three months in the making
The joys of winning.
Adelaide United hadn’t tasted the sweet elixir of victory in almost three months, but that 84-day drought finally came to an end on Saturday, when they came from behind to defeat Perth Glory 2-1 and end their nine-game winless run.
READ: Adelaide end nine-game winless drought with come-from-behind victory over Perth
It looked as if it was going to be more of the same for Adelaide when Hannah Blake opened the scoring just after half-time, but an own-goal from Morgan Aquino and Fiona Worts header helped turn the tide.
For much of this season, goals had been hard to come by for not only Adelaide, but for Worts – who has only scored two this campaign after winning both the Golden Boot and Julie Dolan medal last season.
But her timing, placement and finish had all the hallmarks of the same striker that dominated the Liberty A-League last season.
And the ball from Katie Bowler was just as impressive.
