Melbourne City has taken another important step towards Round 1 of the Ninja A-League season with a behind-closed-doors hitout against Melbourne Victory on Saturday morning in Bundoora.
While the final 4-1 scoreline didn’t reflect the competitiveness of the contest, there were plenty of encouraging signs in City’s first proper hitout of pre-season.
Team News
Head Coach Michael Matricciani named a strong starting XI, featuring four players making their unofficial City debuts – Dan Turner, Deven Jackson, Aideen Keane and Chinaza Uchendu.
A pair of familiar faces from the club’s back-to-back Premiership-winning squad, Shelby McMahon and Leticia McKenna, were named among the substitutes, alongside several train-on players. A handful of contracted players missed the clash through minor niggles and managed workloads.
Starting XI: 24. Malena MIERES (GK), 8. Alexia APOSTOLAKIS, 13. Rebekah STOTT (C), 5. Taylor OTTO, 3. Dan TURNER, 18. Leah DAVIDSON, 14. Laura HUGHES, 11. Deven JACKSON, 21. Aideen KEANE, 9. Holly McNAMARA, 15. Chinaza UCHENDU.
Substitutes: 23. Melissa BARBIERI (GK), 6. Leticia McKENNA, 7. Danella BUTRUS, 12. Shelby McMAHON, 20. Caitlin KARIC, Chelsea BIGGS, Mala CAPITANO, Abigail CHESHIRE, Ella HAMILTON, Liliana LAMAJ, Hannah SKOTNICA, Briana ZDRAVKOVSKI.
Italics denote train-on players.
What happened
Victory struck early through Nikki Flannery, who found the opener in just the fourth minute after a quick attacking move. Blustery conditions in Bundoora paired with a tricky surface saw unpredictable ball movement, but City quickly settled and began to find their rhythm.
Dan Turner impressed early on her first appearance in City colours, combining strongly on the left flank with Deven Jackson, while a well-weighted pass from Turner later found Holly McNamara, whose flicked effort went just over the bar.
City continued to build momentum as the half progressed, with Leah Davidson earning a corner that led to a headed chance from McNamara, before Aideen Keane tested the keeper moments later.
Despite controlling large parts of the half, a late lapse saw Rachel Lowe double Victory’s lead just before the break.
Shelby McMahon replaced Laura Hughes at half-time as City continued to link up well in the attacking third, with positive passages involving McNamara and Jackson.
Not long after Leticia McKenna replaced Uchendu on the hour mark, Victory extended their advantage through Kennedy White, whose looping effort carried into the back of the net with the wind.
Wholesale changes followed for City as the coaching staff spread minutes across the entire matchday squad, with all of the remaining starters heading to the bench.
Victory added a fourth shortly after the mass substitutions, but City hit back almost immediately.
It was recently signed Danella Butrus driving down the right and cutting the ball back perfectly for McKenna, who finished calmly from close range.
Both sides traded possession through the closing stages, with the 4-1 scoreline remaining unchanged in challenging conditions.
What’s next?
City will play one more pre-season friendly ahead of Round 1, facing Adelaide United in another behind-closed-doors clash next week.
Attention will then turn to the season opener, as our City Women kick off their Ninja A-League campaign away to Sydney FC at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday 1 November.
