Glory’s new-look Ninja A-League side produced a gallant performance in Sunday’s opening-round clash with Melbourne City, opening up a 2-0 lead before the reigning Premiers roared back to secure a 5-2 victory.
View full match highlights HERE
Kelli Brown marked her Glory debut in style by chipping the visitors ahead seven minutes in, before fellow-new arrival Miku Sunaga doubled the lead early in the second half with a similarly lofted effort.
But Rhianna Pollicina almost immediately halved the arrears and City never looked back from there as substitute Kathryn Harvey drew her side level within seconds of coming on.
Pollicina duly grabbed her second and the home side’s third, before Harvey also found the net again and Laura Hughes rounded out the scoring in stoppage-time.
The scoreline was harsh on a Glory side who looked the more dangerous throughout the first half and took a deserved lead into the break.
That opening goal was one to relish for Brown, the New Zealand forward picking up possession some 25m out, spotting home ‘keeper Malena Mieres off her line and slotting home a superb chip.
Sunaga’s goal five minutes after the restart also left Mieres clutching at thin air, the Japanese midfielder picking off an attempted pass across the top of the box from Karly Roestbakken to Alexia Apostolakis and finding the net with an inch-perfect strike.
But that second goal only seemed to fire up Michael Matricciani’s side who hit back within a minute as Miranda Templeman parried Leticia McKenna’s shot and Pollicina pounced to fire home the loose ball.
Ten minutes later it was 2-2, Harvey finding the net from point-blank range after the Glory defence had failed to clear a corner and City then hit the front for the first time via a stunning 20m curler from Pollicina.
Harvey’s opportunistic finish made it 4-2 with 72 minutes on the clock and right at the death, the impressive Pollicina added an assist to her two goals as her cross from the right was clipped home neatly by Hughes.
Match Details
Ninja A-League 2024/25 Season Round 1
Melbourne City 5 (Pollicina 53′, 69′, Harvey 63′, 73′, Hughes 90+4′) Perth Glory 2 (Brown 7′, Sunaga 51′)
Half-time: 0-1
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Sunday 3 November 2024
Attendance: 582
Referee: Rebecca Durcau
Melbourne City: 24. Malena MIERES (gk), 5. Taylor OTTO (c), 6. Leticia McKENNA (7. Kathryn HARVEY 61′), 8. Alexia APOSTOLAKIS, 10. Rhianna POLLICINA, 14. Laura HUGHES, 16. Karly ROESTBAKKEN, 17. Mariana SPECKMAIER (27. Tyla-Jay VLAJNIC 62′), 18. Leah DAVIDSON, 19. Lourdes BOSCH, 22. Bryleeh HENRY (15. Kiera MEYERS 90+4′)
Substitutes not used: 21. Isabella ACCARDO, 23. Melissa BARBIERI (gk)
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: 21.Miranda TEMPLEMAN (gk), 5.Grace JOHNSTON, 6.Tijan MCKENNA, 8.Georgia CASSIDY (22.Ischia BROOKING 85′), 9.Gabby HOLLAR, 11.Natalie TATHEM, 13.Naomi CHINNAMA (2.Mischa ANDERSON 74′), 14.Miku SUNAGA (19.Sarah O’DONOGHUE 70′), 23.Izzy DALTON (c), 26.Tanika LALA (17.Morgan ROBERTS 46′), 44.Kelli BROWN
Substitutes not used: 30.Jessica SKINNER (gk),
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
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