Melbourne City was forced to settle for a point in our first home game of the 2026/27 Ninja A-League season, drawing 1-1 with Newcastle Jets at ctrl:cyber Pitch on Saturday afternoon.
City created chance after chance throughout the contest and deservedly led at half-time through Cortnee Vine, who finished a brilliant Melina Ayres through ball shortly before the break.
But despite continuing to push for a second, the Jets found an equaliser through Natasha Prior in the second half.
Team News
Michael Matricciani stuck with an unchanged XI from City’s final AFC Women’s Champions League Group Stage match, trusting the same group of players who got the job done against Beijing Jingtan.
Princess Ibini missed out through illness, while Dan Turner was given a little longer to recover from the foot injury which has seen her miss the opening games of the season.
Starting XI: 24. Malena MIERES (GK), 5. Aimee MEDWIN, 13. Rebekah STOTT (C), 8. Momo HAYASHI, 16. Karly ROESTBAKKEN, 22. Taylor RAY, 12. Shelby McMAHON, 11. Deven JACKSON, 21. Aideen KEANE, 9. Cortnee VINE, 14. Melina AYRES.
Substitutes: 23. Melissa BARBIERI (GK), 10. Avaani PRAKASH, 15. Tully HEATLEY, 17. Kaya JUGOVIC, 20. Kelli McGROARTY, 26. Izabella RAKO, 27. Chelsea BIGGS.
What happened?
City settled quickly into our first home fixture of the season, enjoying plenty of possession and beginning to build pressure around the Newcastle penalty area.
After the Jets had an early sight at goal, Ayres began to find plenty of space in and around the box, while Aideen Keane was also looking dangerous as City started to take control of proceedings.
The visitors briefly threatened midway through the half, but City soon resumed our pressure.
Karly Roestbakken came agonisingly close to opening the scoring in the 25th minute, seeing a long-range strike crash back off the crossbar after being teed up by Vine.
Vine then went close herself, forcing Henninger into a save from the left side of the box, before Rebekah Stott sent an effort over the crossbar from a corner.
Henninger was quickly becoming the Jets’ busiest player.
The Newcastle goalkeeper twice denied Ayres as City continued to probe, first keeping out an effort after an Aimee Medwin cross before doing enough to prevent another strike from range.
Deven Jackson also saw a couple of efforts blocked as City continued to pile on the pressure.
Eventually, the breakthrough arrived three minutes before the break.
Ayres picked out Vine with a perfectly weighted through ball, allowing the winger to take the ball in her stride before drilling a composed right-footed finish beyond Henninger and into the back of the net.
It was an excellent team goal and a deserved reward for City’s dominance, sending us into the sheds 1-0 ahead.
There was no let-up after the restart.
Shelby McMahon, Jackson and Ayres all had opportunities within the opening seven minutes of the second half, with Ayres again getting on the end of a dangerous Medwin delivery.
The second goal wouldn’t come, though, and Newcastle began to find their way back into the contest.
The Jets made two changes just after the hour mark and started to enjoy more of the ball, with a couple of efforts from distance signalling that the momentum was beginning to shift.
Newcastle’s pressure eventually told in the 69th minute.
After McMahon was booked for a foul, Mieres did well to keep out a long-range strike from the free kick, but from the second phase, Prior found the bottom corner to bring the Jets level.
City immediately went searching for a response.
Kelli McGroarty was introduced for Jackson and quickly made an impact, forcing Henninger into another save after being played in by Ayres.
Avaani Prakash then entered the contest in the 83rd minute and almost made an instant impact of her own, delivering a dangerous cross that found Hayashi at close range.
The Japanese midfielder’s header looked destined for the back of the net, but Henninger somehow kept it out.
Prakash had two further efforts blocked in the closing stages, while Henninger produced another save to deny Ayres as City continued to push for a winner – which would ultimately never come.
It was a frustrating result given the chances City created, but there were plenty of positive signs from our first home outing of the new campaign.
What’s next?
One game for City remains before the international break, with our City Women set to travel to Brisbane to face the Roar next Saturday evening.
Our next home game comes in a little over a month’s time, when we face Melbourne Victory in a Christmas Derby doubleheader at AAMI Park.
