Matildas World Cup star Cortnee Vine scored her second goal of the season to rescue a point for Sydney FC in a 1-1 draw with Brisbane Roar at Leichhardt Oval on Friday night.
Vine lined up against Matildas teammate Tameka Yallop in the Liberty A-League clash, and both players had chances to bag all three points for their respective sides after Ashlee Brodigan’s stunning opener for the Roar and Vine’s equaliser late in the first half.
A point for each side helped neither Sydney or Brisbane strengthen their grip on a top-six spot; the Roar sit eighth after nine games and the Sky Blues sixth, with further games on Saturday capable of pushing both teams further down the Liberty A-League table.
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Sky Blues midfielder Zara Kruger had an early chance for her first A-Leagues goal, but Roar keeper Jordan Silkowitz stood tall to make the save.
Sydney continued to search for the opener, with Vine combining with Fiona Worts down the right wing; Vine fed Worts who took a smart touch with her back to goal and shooting on the spin, with a deflection sending the ball just wide of the mark.
But it was Brisbane who struck the first blow of the game, with former Newcastle Jets forward Brodigan rifling a strike from distance past a diving Jada Whyman into the bottom-right corner.
The opening goal put the visitors on the front foot, and Jenna McCormick threatened twice to double Brisbane’s lead, showing dangerous aerial presence but failing to put a 20th-minute header on target.
The Roar looked set to take a one-goal lead into half-time until Vine struck just minutes before the break.
The Matildas star bagged her second goal in as many games after a sensational piece of wing play from full-back Kirsty Fenton, who gathered the ball out wide, chopped past her marker and fizzed a delivery past four Brisbane bodies to find Vine in the six-yard box to finish.
The second half began with a flurry, as Vine and Matildas teammate Yallop went close with chances down either end in quick succession.
Yallop had the first chance, striking from the edge of the box and calling Whyman into a save. Sydney then launched a counter attack, with Vine driving down the right wing and floating a cross over the bar and onto the roof of the net.
As the game wore on, Vine’s impact grew stronger and the Sydney winger should have doubled her tally for the game just before the hour mark, but blasted off target.
Brisbane thought they had a late second when Shay Hollman bundled a Whyman spillage into her own net – but thankfully for Sydney, a foul was picked out among the scrimmage. Bonnie Davies applied body pressure on Whyman which led to the drop, and the referee’s whistle spared Hollman’s blushes.
The star
On Friday night under lights, Cortnee Vine put together her best performance of the season to date.
The Sky Blues winger was back in the starting lineup for the first time since October and looked back up to full speed at Leichhardt Oval.
Vine did show signs of rustiness in the final third, with a number of shots and attempted crosses just missing the mark, but her second goal in three games since returning from a hamstring injury suffered on Matildas duty will give Sky Blues coach Ante Juric plenty of confidence in her ability to influence his side’s fortunes as the season rolls on.
“She’s obviously our key going forward,” Juric said post-game.
“We created a lot of chances today – we just need to execute those chances she creates, and maybe even her finishing touch.
“A little bit of rust, she’s only just come back but she’s a big inclusion for us.”
The talking point
Brisbane Roar took a point away from Leichhardt Oval – but it could have been more if not for a controversial late incident that denied the visitors a second goal.
Shay Hollman put the ball into her own net after a collision between Brisbane’s Bonnie Davies and Sydney keeper Jada Whyman that forced the Sydney keeper to drop the ball in the goal mouth.
The referee’s whistle drew an instant halt to Brisbane’s celebrations as Sydney survived a late scare, going on to take a point form the 1-1 draw.
