Melbourne City produced a strong second-half performance to claim a 5-1 victory against Bentleigh Greens at ctrl:cyber Pitch on Saturday afternoon.
After a tight first half, the girls lifted their intensity and quality after the break to secure a much-needed three points.
Team News
Head Coach Jorge Gero made one change to the starting XI ahead of the clash, with Ella Hamilton coming into the line-up.
Starting XI: 1. Dali Gorr Burchmore (GK), 4. Liliana Lamaj, 6. Keira Sarris, 8. Chelsea Biggs, 9. Kaya Jugovic, 10. Izabella Rako, 12. Mary Brown, 13. Maia Capitanio, 18. Ella Hamilton, 19. Jami Marandola, 24. Cornelia Los.
Substitutes: 26. Anastasia Kyriacou (GK), 5. Heidi Draai, 11. Sienna Calvanese, 14. Ellie Kirkby, 32. Eva Chopin, 40. Teah Kotsandis.
What happened?
We opened the match well, controlling possession from kick-off and building from the back. The midfield worked hard to win second balls early, allowing us to maintain pressure in Bentleigh’s half and transition effectively through the thirds.
The breakthrough came in the 15th minute from a set piece. A dangerous inswinging corner into the six-yard box caused confusion in the Bentleigh defence, with Kaya Jugovic reacting quickest to head home from close range and give us the lead.
Bentleigh responded before the interval, capitalising on an opportunity inside the penalty area to level the scores. Despite the setback, our backline remained composed in the closing stages of the half, with Keira Sarris producing a crucial interception to clear the danger and ensure we went into the break at 1-1.
City returned for the second half with renewed energy. The defensive line tightened, cutting out passing lanes and preventing Bentleigh from building momentum, which allowed us to regain control and dictate the tempo through midfield.
We created several promising moments through a mix of quick transitions and patient build-up, forcing the opposition goalkeeper into action and seeing a number of efforts go close.
The lead was restored in the 67th minute following a well-worked move. After circulating the ball across the backline, we switched play to stretch the defence, creating space centrally for Maia Capitanio, who finished calmly to make it 2-1.
Momentum remained firmly with us, and Jugovic soon added her second of the afternoon, timing her run well before lifting a composed finish over the goalkeeper to extend the advantage.
Our attacking combinations continued to flow, particularly down the left, with Chelsea Biggs heavily involved in the build-up to the fourth goal. Sharp interplay and movement saw the ball worked into the penalty area and finished to make it 4-1.
Fresh legs from the bench helped maintain the intensity, with Heidi Draai and Ellie Kirkby providing energy and composure in midfield. That pressure paid off in the 83rd minute when Jami Marandola finished off another well-constructed move inside the box to seal the 5-1 win.
We managed the final stages professionally, maintaining our defensive structure and limiting Bentleigh’s opportunities late in the contest.
It was an impressive second-half performance, built on defensive discipline, midfield control and clinical execution in the final third.
What’s next?
We’ll look to build on this result when we return to ctrl:cyber Pitch next Saturday, where we’ll take on Preston Lions on Saturday 25 April.
