Melbourne City defeat Canberra United 4-2 in a pulsating Westfield W-League encounter.
Melbourne City underlined their title credentials by defeating current Westfield W-League Champions Canberra United 4-2 in their Round 4 clash at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford. Goals from Marianna Tabain, Larissa Crummer, Aivi Luik and Kim Little plus a player of the match display from Jess Fishlock proved too much for United in a pulsating contest.
High-flying City took the lead in only the fifth minute with a goal simple in its execution. Lisa De Vanna helped create it with an inch-perfect through ball to Welsh maestro Fishlock. The midfielder may have been tempted to shoot herself but decided on the easy option and slipped a pass past the onrushing Lydia Williams to allow Tabain the simplest of tasks to slot in her fourth goal of the season.
It was double-delight for Melbourne six minutes later as they went further ahead with another straightforward goal. De Vanna was the architect again, slicing open the square United back-four to allow Crummer a clear run on goal. The Westfield W-League top scorer rounded Williams and rolled home her fifth of the campaign.
Canberra settled after that nervy opening and fought back into the match as Caitlin Munoz tested Trudy Burke with a long-range shot that the City custodian did well to clutch. The ‘keeper could do nothing in the 29th minute though as United pulled a goal back. Munoz played in Ashleigh Sykes and the forward picked her spot to bury her 18th Westfield W-League goal into the corner.
Stephanie Catley then hit the base of the post with a fantastic effort for Melbourne and Laura Alleway was wasteful when left free in front of goal, her header drifting wide, before De Vanna rattled the crossbar with a thumping drive that had Williams beaten as City upped the ante. And they got the third goal their performance deserved as Luik curled a stunner into the top corner close to half-time.
The Champions chances of getting back into the match were given a boost twelve minutes into the second half when De Vanna was given her marching orders for appearing to swing an arm, off the ball, at United captain Nicole Begg. With the player advantage it took Canberra three minutes to get back into it as Begg squared for Michelle Heyman to slot home from close range in off the far post.
But with United pushing for an equaliser, Melbourne hit them on the break and Scottish star Little clipped in the fourth, and deciding goal, to keep City’s 100% record alive.
Round 4
Sunday 8th November 2015
Canberra United 2 (Ashleigh Sykes 29’, Michelle Heyman 60’) Melbourne City 4 (Marianna Tabain 5’, Larissa Crummer 11’, Aivi Luik 41’, Kim Little 87’)
(Central Coast Stadium, Gosford)
Canberra United: 1. Lydia WILLIAMS, 3. Julia DE ANGELIS (8. Meg MCLAUGHLIN 68’), 4. Kendall FLETCHER, 6. Caitlin MUNOZ (16. Tegan RIDING 84’), 7. Ellie BRUSH, 11. Michelle HEYMAN, 13. Nicole BEGG, 14. Ashleigh SYKES, 15. Emma CHECKER, 17. Veronica PEREZ, 18. Rebecca KITING
Substitutes not used: 5. Jenna MCCORMICK, 20. Melissa MAIZELS
Melbourne City: 20. Trudy BURKE, 4. Jennifer BEATTIE, 5. Laura ALLEWAY, 6. Aivi LUIK, 7. Stephanie CATLEY, 8. Kim LITTLE 93. Alexandra CHIDIAC 90+2’), 9. Larissa CRUMMER (15. Amy JACKSON 81’), 10. Jessica FISHLOCK, 11. Lisa DE VANNA, 13. Rebekah STOTT, 17. Marianna TABAIN (16. Beatrice GOAD 63’)
Substitutes not used: 20. Erin HERD
Discipline: YELLOW CARDS: 6. Caitlin MUNOZ (Canberra United)
RED CARD: 11. Lisa DE VANNA (Melbourne City)
Referee: Lara LEE
Attendance: 1,233
