Melbourne Victory have clinched their first Westfield W-League title with a 2-0 victory over Brisbane Roar at Lakeside Stadium on Sunday.
Melbourne Victory have clinched their first Westfield W-League title with a 2-0 victory over Brisbane Roar at Lakeside Stadium on Sunday.
Goals just before the half-time break to Lisa De Vanna and Lauren Barnes sealed the win for Victory as they avenged their loss to Sydney in last season’s decider.
The Roar were competing in their fifth W-League grand final and fought valiantly to the final whistle but could not get the break that would get them back into the match.
Jessica Fishlock was the recipient of the Player of the Grand Final award with a terrific display of enterprise and movement in attack, including assisting the opening goal.
Fishlock started brightly, setting up De Vanna’s shot on goal on nine minutes that forced a wonderful parried save from Roar’s FIFA Ballon d’Or winning-goalkeeper Nadine Angerer.
The Welsh attacker continued to trouble the Roar defence with her workrate and after jinking around a defender in the 17th minute, Fishlock’s cross-shot narrowly flashed wide of the post with a sliding De Vanna just failing to make contact on the ball.
Roar struggled to probe their way through a sturdy Victory defence but had a few long-range opportunities with Katrina Gorry shooting just over the bar and Tameka Butt directing her curling effort into the arms of goalkeeper Brianna Davey.
The home side’s pressure paid off on 38 minutes with Fishlock’s deft chipped pass falling into the path of De Vanna, who expertly controlled the ball and clinically finished past Angerer.
Victory doubled their lead three minutes later when Barnes met a Roar clearance with a looping volley from outside the area that dipped over the keeper.
Brisbane came out fired up in the second half and if it was not for a superb finger-tip save from Davey, Hayley Raso would have pulled a goal back.
However the Victory managed to absorb most of the Brisbane possession and spring their own attacks as Fishlock had a goalbound shot blocked in the six-yard box by a defender and Gulcan Koca headed narrowly wide after De Vanna’s pinpoint back post cross.
Victory nearly scored a third in the dying stages after 16-year-old forward Beattie Goad intercepted a misdirected backpass but could only strike her shot off the crossbar.
It is the first time that Victory have ever beaten Roar in a competitive W-League match and there was no better way to celebrate than by lifting the trophy.
Melbourne Victory 2 (De Vanna 38′, Barnes 41′)
Brisbane Roar 0
HT: 2-0
Melbourne Victory:1. Brianna DAVEY (GK), 3. Jessica HUMBLE, 4. Katie HOYLE (18. Emily HULBERT 78′), 7. Stephanie CATLEY (C), 10. Jessica FISHLOCK, 11. Lisa DE VANNA, 12. Jessica SAMUELSSON, 15. Emma CHECKER, 16. Beatrice GOAD (14. Enza BARILLA 90+2′), 17. Gulcan KOCA (21. Ella MASTRANTONIO 69′), 22. Lauren BARNES
Unused subs: 9. Caitlin FRIEND, 20. Cassandra DIMOVSKI (GK)
Yellow Card: MASTRANTONIO 72′, DE VANNA 90+1′
Brisbane Roar: 1. Nadine ANGERER (GK), 2. Laura ALLEWAY, 5. Brooke SPENCE, 7. Kim CARROLL, 8. Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT (C), 10. Katrina-Lee GORRY, 11. Vedrana POPOVIC (18. Sunny FRANCO 84′), 13. Tameka BUTT, 16. Hayley RASO, 17. Emily GIELNIK (9. Larissa CRUMMER 59′), 19. Ayesha NORRIE (6. Joanne BURGESS 46′)
Unused subs: 4. Claire POLKINGHORNE, 20. Kate STEWART (GK)
Yellow Card: KELLOND-KNIGHT 37′
Crowd @ Lakeside Stadium: 2,504
