Melbourne City booked our place in the 2024 A-League Women’s Grand Final with a thumping 3-0 win over the Jets at home on Sunday afternoon.
Rhianna Pollicina, Hannah Wilkinson and Leticia McKenna were all on the scoresheet as we saw off an early Newcastle surge to progress to the decider 6-0 on aggregate.
Team News
Dario Vidosic made two changes to his starting line-up from the first leg.
Karly Roestbakken missed the fixture due to injury while Leticia McKenna moved to the bench, Julia Grosso and Hannah Wilkinson slotting back into the XI as a result.
Starting XI: 88. BÁRBARA, 22. Bryleeh HENRY, 5. Taylor OTTO, 13. Rebekah STOTT (C), 7. Julia GROSSO, 18. Leah DAVIDSON, 14. Laura HUGHES, 10. Rhianna POLLICINA, 17. Hannah WILKINSON, 11. Emina EKIC, 24. Daniela GALIC.
Substitutes: 23. Melissa BARBIERI (GK), 3. Naomi CHINNAMA, 6. Leticia McKENNA, 12. Shelby McMAHON, 20. Caitlin KARIC.
What happened?
Newcastle had the first chance of the game as they desperately searched to get one back, Lauren Allen chipping into the crossbar before Melina Ayers’ rebound header was cleared off the goal line by our skipper Rebekkah Stott.
The third-time effort from Sarina Bolden was captured by Barbara to keep out the Jets in a stunning display of last-line defending just moments into the contest.
Emina Ekic showed her skills on the ball not long after as we pushed forward on the counter, leaving her defender behind and only being stopped by a fouling tackle.
The Jets kept pushing to start their comeback with Ayers winning a series of corners, each repelled by our backline.
Fighting against the tide of 10 shots to none, we made the most of the first chance we created, Leah Davidson picking up the ball in our own half and driving forward to the box, going back to Daniella Galic who threaded through Rhianna Pollicina to thunder the first of the day into the back of the net to make it 4-0 on aggregate.
That goal would flick the team into gear and change the momentum of the match, our City Women getting past a shaky start to play the style of football we’re used to seeing.
Pollicina and Julia Grosso made the Jets keeper work, following on from Laura Hughes’ great work in midfield to play Wilkinson and Galic in with great chances as we peppered the goal time and time again to the half-time whistle.
Dario Vidosic made one change at half-time, bringing club legend Melissa Barbieri on in goal after Barbara came off after being ill for the last few days.
Flowing out of the blocks, it was Pollicina, Wilkinson and Galic who did everything right until the finish, coming close to putting the game to bed.
The tie was sealed though in the 67th minute when Ekic controlled a long ball from substitute Leticia McKenna, centring for Wilkinson to guide it past the keeper to mark her 50th City appearance with her 30th goal.
When it rains it pours for City as the pressure overflowed, no fewer than 5 players touching the ball inside the box as it passed around before Pollicina readied for super-sub-McKenna to smash home through traffic her first of the season to make it 3-0 on the day and 6-0 on aggregate.
What’s next?
We’re Grand Final bound at AAMI Park, with Sydney FC making the trip down to defend their title against our Premiers as we return to the biggest stage for the first time in four years.
Tickets will go on sale on Monday morning. Stay tuned to Club channels for all the latest!
