These are the key talking points from all the action in Round 8 of the Liberty A-League.
Emily van Egmond signed off from her Newcastle Jets stint in style over the weekend, while Perth Glory’s goalkeeper starred in a showdown with the defending champions in Western Australia.
A Western Sydney Wanderers star reinforced her Golden Boot credentials as Central Coast Mariners impressed against a Championship hopeful.
With a lot to dissect, here are the key talking points from Round 8 of the Liberty A-League.
Jets tasked with filling Matilda’s void
She may only have been back in the Liberty A-League for a four-game stint but Matildas legend Emily van Egmond has left a huge mark on the Newcastle Jets.
The 139-cap Australia international was at her masterful best against Western United on Sunday, contributing a goal and an assist as the Jets soared to see off their opponents in what was a thrilling encounter in Newcastle.
The question now stands: How do the Jets fill the void left by van Egmond?
“I think it’s just learning,” said Matildas legend Lydia Williams on Dub Zone.
“There’s a Matilda that’s been playing with you so it’s like, how quickly can you take in the information that she’s giving and the playing style and also the coaching points of Gary (van Egmond).
“They’ve been on a roll since she’s been in the team and it’s just maintaining that. They’re in a good head space so if you’re confident and in good form it’s very easy to continue that.”
Van Egmond departs Newcastle having scored three goals in four games whilst also providing three assists during that time.
MATCH REPORT: Van Egmond stars in final game as Newcastle defeat Western United in six-goal classic
But if an external solution can’t be found then an internal solution to the van Egmond conundrum could well be found in the form of recent signing Sarina Bolden.
The Philippines international put on a brilliant display against Western United, both with and without the ball, and it could well be that her ability to drop deep and get involved in build-up play – as seen with her excellent assist for the opening goal – plus the fact she’s now scored three goals in her first three games for the club could mean the former Western Sydney striker is the player to help the Jets solidify their spot in the top six.
Glory keeper ‘growing into the player she can be’
If not for Morgan Aquino, Perth Glory’s 0-0 with Sydney FC could have easily ended in favour of the Sky Blues.
The Glory goalkeeper was immense at Macedonia Park, with a great save in the opening minutes denying Fiona Worts and setting the tone for her rock solid performance.
MATCH REPORT: Glory return to Liberty A-League summit after draw with the Champions
Aquino made nine saves against Sydney FC to keep her clean sheet intact and help her team to a share of the points.
Post-game, Glory coach Alex Epakis was glowing in praise for his young goalkeeper, who he believes is beginning to fill her potential.
“Morgan is really growing into the player she can be,” he said.
“She’s having a really great season and she’s making some important saves. Tonight was a big test for her and she certainly dealt with it.”
Hard-to-beat Wanderers on the up as Harding’s red-hot form continues
It may have taken them a little while to get going this season but Western Sydney Wanderers are certainly a team on the up.
Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Brisbane may not have been their best performance of the season but despite being a clear second-best in the first half, Robbie Hooker’s side came out firing after the break and will probably feel as though on another day they would have returned home with all three points.
But crucially, it’s a new found defensive resilience that has clearly been key to their upturn in form with Hooker’s team conceding just one goal in their last three games – a far cry from their early season defensive displays where they conceded 10 goals in their opening four matches.
MATCH REPORT: Western Sydney star continues Golden Boot pursuit in hard-earned draw against Roar
Not only have they managed to tighten up at the back, they’ve also worked out a way to get the best out of star striker Sophie Harding.
The 24-year-old now has six goals in seven matches this campaign, leaving her joint-second in the race for this season’s Golden Boot.
“You also appreciate that you’ve got a coach and a team that are playing to your strengths and you’re fitting into that system as well.” remarked former Matilda Alicia Ferguson when discussing Harding on Dub Zone.
“I think that gives her confidence and then when you’re seeing the fruits of that labour then it all just makes things a lot easier to continue that momentum.”
‘Best and worst’ of Wellington on show
They may have enjoyed their best ever start a Liberty A-League season but Wellington Phoenix coach Paul Temple was far from impressed with the Jekyll and Hyde nature of their 2-1 loss to Adelaide United.
“We were fantastic in the first half,” said a frustrated Temple at full time.
“We created enough clear opportunities to probably win two games of football and we obviously didn’t take those opportunities. We should have been out of sight.”
The ‘Nix dominated all aspects of the first half at Marden Sports Complex against an Adelaide United seemingly bereft of any confidence having not picked up a league win since March.
However in the second stanza it was a completely different contest as the Reds came out firing and ultimately turned the game on its head thanks to late goals from Emily Condon and Nanako Sasaki.
MATCH REPORT: Sasaki stuns Wellington to secure Adelaide’s first win of the season
“We just couldn’t put any passages of play together. They were a lot better in the second half, putting us under pressure and winning the ball off us in midfield.
“It was one of those games where you saw the best and the worst of us.”
The statistics completely back up Temple’s assessment of the game as the ‘Nix went from having the lion’s share of possession and dominating the shot count to the complete opposite.
In fact in the second half, Adrian Stenta’s Adelaide United had more possession, took more shots, forced more corners, played more passes in the opposition half and won more of their duels.
“It’s part of our process,” reflected Temple. “We’ve just got to learn now about when teams come after us how we can keep that belief and play through teams under pressure.
“We just didn’t have the belief in what we were doing and sticking to what we’ve been training all this time.”
Temple also revealed he hasn’t and doesn’t feel the need to speak to goalkeeper Rylee Foster about the nature of Adelaide’s winning goal, believing his number one lost sight of the ball in the afternoon sun.
“She understands, she knows, she’s pretty gutted about it I think,” said Temple. “It’s one of those things but we don’t want to use that as an excuse. Players might make individual mistakes but we’re a team, we’ve got to wear those and do that collectively.
“Collectively we just weren’t as good as we should have been in the second half. We’re going to have to learn from that, come back and be better for it.”
The ‘Nix will get the chance to make amends for the their third loss of the season when they face Newcastle Jets at home on December 23 before rounding out the year away to Sydney FC.
Mariners show their mettle against title challengers
They may have walked away from Industree Group Stadium with just a point following their draw against Melbourne City but the Mariners are a team seemingly growing week-by-week under Emily Husband.
The home side sat deep in the early stages, forgoing possession of the ball in favour of adopting a lower block in a move some would have seen as being overly cautious.
However Husband’s side were merely sizing up the visitors, like a boxer studying their opponent before landing their chosen shot.
The first 15 minutes passed without any real danger from City but from then on, the Mariners were more than a match for Dario Vidosic’s side.
Led by the excellent Isabel Gomez, the Mariners scrapped for every ball in midfield, comfortably winning more duels and pouncing on any loose pass before getting the ball forward.
MATCH REPORT: Stott’s stunner seals a point for Melbourne City against Central Coast Mariners
Winger Rola Badawiya’s pace proved to be a real outlet for the Mariners and while some of her runs may not have paid off in the first half, in the second they paid dividends.
Bianca Galic intercepted a Melbourne City pass in the midfield before laying the ball off to her teammate Gomez, who had already spotted Badawiya setting off into space. The finish was exquisite, the plan worked to perfection.
City grew into the game late on and secured themselves a point care of Rebekah Stott’s brilliant curling effort but if these 90 minutes in Gosford proved anything, it’s that Husband’s side are more than a match for any side in the competition this season.
Their record so far of two wins, two draws and three losses indicates a side still learning under their new head coach in what is their first season back in the league since exiting the competition in 2009.
But with the likes of Wurigumala, Gomez and Badawiya playing like they are and the returning Matilda Kyah Simon still to feature, the Mariners will be a lot of fun to watch for the remainder of the campaign.
Victory coach believes Okino has more in the tank after taking her tally to three
Kurea Okino is starting to find her feet in the Liberty A-League and it’s showing on the scoreboard.
The NPLW Victoria Golden Boot winner made it three goals in three straight games, as Melbourne Victory defeated Canberra United 2-0 at AAMI Park. Okino started slowly in her opening five games at the club, failing to score from her first 22 attempts on goal, but has now found some rhythm in front of goal.
MATCH REPORT: Dynamic duo strike again as Victory extend unbeaten run in comfortable win over Canberra
Her strong performances are all the more important given Emily Gielnik is on the way back from injury, creating healthy competition for places.
But being a key player hasn’t always equated to walking back into the starting lineup – case in point being Emma Checker as she is stuck behind Tori Hansen despite returning from injury.
Victory coach Jeff Hopkins sung Okino’s praises post-game, but noted he still wants to see more from the striker.
“It’s taken a bit of time to get her up to speed and there’s still parts of her game that really need to be better,” he said post-game.
“But what you ask for from your number nine is goals and she’s starting to find the back of the net now, which I’m very, very happy with and obviously, she’s happy as well that she’s starting to hit the back of the net.
“I think those first few weeks, again lots of lots of good things about her game, but strikers want to score goals, and so I think the the more it happens, the more confidence she gets and the better the other parts of her game get as well.”
