The first few days of 2017 saw plenty of Westfield W-League action. Eight teams took to the field and continued to shake up the standings, with the Melbourne Victory earning themselves three points to start the new year and Sydney FC stomping out Canberra United to widen the gap between first and second on the table.
Dowie hat trick helps Victory to three points
In the new year’s first W-League match, the Melbourne Victory were able to come out and make a statement against home side Brisbane Roar. It was goalkeeper Bianca Henninger’s first match back since her knee injury earlier in the season. The Victory were able to take control of the match from the start with Laura Spiranovic scoring a goal in the 18th minute. Brisbane didn’t make it easy for them, and the majority of the half was spent going back and forth until the home team was able to find the back of the net via Amy Chapman. Victory’s Natasha Dowie answered two minutes later in the 45th minute with a close range goal to give her team the lead.
Dowie continued to bring the heat for the Victory, scoring two more goals in the second half to give her team the win and herself the hat trick. Her second goal came in the 71st minute, where she slotted the ball into the bottom left corner. Her third and final goal came in the dying minutes of second half stoppage, hitting home another close range shot to earn her team the three points.
Next week the Victory will take on Perth Glory while Brisbane host the Western Sydney Wanderers.
Perth Glory and Newcastle Jets unable to find a winner
The Newcastle Jets found themselves at a draw after a full 90 for the second game in a row. It was a game that often went back and forth between the two teams. In the 35th minute the Jets committed a bad foul in the box, but Perth Glory’s Vanessa DiBernardo was unable to put it away and the score remained 0-0. Not much action would happen the rest of the half, but Jets’ Jenna Kingsley would open the second half with a goal in the 46th minute to give them the lead. Perth answered in the 69th minute, when star Sam Kerr score for the home side.
Perth will host the Melbourne Victory next week and the Newcastle Jets will have a bye-week.
Melbourne City and Adelaide United play for a draw
Once again, Adelaide United plays to a draw for the second week in a row. Melbourne City still is unable to find their rhythm after dominating at the start of season. City’s Jess Fishlock scored the opening goal in the 25th minute off a free kick that went right into the top right corner. The visitors didn’t have a response for City until late in the second half, when Racheal Quigley headed a ball past the keeper in the 70th minute.
Melbourne City travel to Sydney FC next week and Adelaide United travels to Canberra United.
Sydney FC demolishes Canberra United
In the last match of the weekend, Sydney FC once again eagerly took the field and made a statement in their home stadium. Canberra gave up a free kick in the 15th minute when Yukari Kinga earned a yellow, and Sydney capitalized with Nicola Bolger hitting it right into goal. Ten minutes later, Remy Siesman put another away to give Sydney the two-goal lead. Canberra’s Haley Raso and Sydney’s Alanna Kennedy would both earn yellows for fouls in the first half, where Sydney remained on top.
Things quickly picked up in the early minutes of the second half, and Sydney FC couldn’t be stopped. Kyah Simon scored in the 52nd minute followed by Remy Seisman again in the 56th to have Sydney up 4-0. Lisa de Vanna would make her W-League return in the 59th minute, entering the match for Canberra. Only moments later, Kennedy earned a second yellow card for a foul. She was sent off and Sydney played with 10, but not before Kinga’s free kick gave Canberra a goal back to lessen the goal deficit. It wasn’t enough, as Sydney’s newcomer Francisca Ordega score another for Sydney and Leena Khamis would finish it off, scoring in the 80th minute to give a final score of 6-1. Sydney FC now sits at first place with 21 points, a full four points ahead of second place.
Sydney FC hosts Melbourne City next week while Canberra hosts Adelaide United.
The full schedule can be found on the W-League website.