Gielnik leads Brisbane’s stunning six-goal rout of Victory

Emily Gielnik scored a double as Brisbane Roar ignited their Westfield W-League season with a thumping 6-0 win over Melbourne Victory on Friday night.

Mariel Hecher and Sharn Freier scored their first competition goals, Westfield Matildas Tameka Yallop and Emily Gielnik found the net, and Winonah Heatley bundled one home in the dying stages as Brisbane tallied their first win of the campaign and equalled their biggest ever margin of victory.

Hecher broke the deadlock with a perfectly timed run and finish from Gielnik’s cross on 26 minutes before Yallop hit an outstanding long-range shot to double the advantage shortly before half time.

Polly Doran hit the crossbar for Victory as Jeff Hopkins’ team attempted to claw their way back into the contest but Freier stretched the deficit to three with her neatly struck maiden goal and Gielnik put the result beyond all doubt with a lovely header from Isobel Dalton’s corner, before completing a brace with a cool finish one on one.

Heatley was on hand to clean up the scraps after Dalton’s free kick came back off the crossbar as Roar put a run of four consecutive draws behind them and underlined their title credentials in emphatic style.

The result lifts Brisbane into third position on the ladder.

READ: Heyman reveals how life-changing 18 months sparked her remarkable comeback
READ: Beating City will ‘do us wonders’ in quest for first Finals appearance says Holmes

Key moments

With Brisbane struggling for groove in front of goal and Victory smarting from their stunning loss to City five days earlier, there was little surprise that the action was subdued early on. But the match did not need long to explode into life.

The ingenuity of Victory starlet Kyra Cooney-Cross nearly brought fans off their seat after executing a delightful turn before her deflected effort was palmed out by Roar keeper Georgina Worth.

Melina Ayres and Amy Jackson registered their interest for Victory, before the Roar and Gielnik seized control and put the hosts the driving seat. In something of a role reversal between the two Brisbane strikers, Gielnik whipped a dangerous low cross across the face of goal for Hecher to meet with a perfectly timed run and finish.

It was the Brazilian native’s first Westfield W-League goal, having plied her trade in the NPL QLD for Lions FC last season.

https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6225194969001

Suddenly, confidence was flowing for Goodship’s side. Gielnik slipped Yallop into a footrace with Gabriella Garton that the Victory keeper edged, before the Westfield Matildas midfielder cracked the crossbar with a looping effort that had Garton stranded.

Garton pulled off an outstanding save to deny Olivia Chance, but Yallop doubled the advantage from the resulting corner when she picked up Victory’s clearance, beat a defender and let fly with a vicious drive that swerved out of Garton’s reach and went in off the foot of the post.

Gielnik nearly made it three on the stroke of half time after Chance played her in down the right but dragged her effort across the face wide.

https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6225202203001

Smarting from a first half in which they conceded twice but were not comprehensively outplayed, Victory came out with more intent in the second and hit the crossbar through Doran after a great move involving Cooney-Cross and Amy Jackson.

Roar hit the crossbar themselves when Gielnik stooped to meet Dalton’s corner, before Freier killed off Victory momentum completely with her first Westfield W-League goal.

https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6225210866001

Brisbane had not lost a home game when winning at half time since the 2012/13 season, and they improved their imperious position when Gielnik headed Dalton’s corner into the back of the net, and again when the Australian international applied an unerring finish past Garton after she was sent through one on one.

Having only scored two goals prior to Friday’s kick off, Brisbane completed the six-goal rout with Heatley’s close range finish.

MORE: How to watch Westfield W-League Round 5
MORE: Team of the Week, presented by Bunnings Warehouse – Round 4