Round Two provided a lot of entertainment, the return of some Matildas and internationals, some tight games and one goallapalooza in the A-League Women.

A-League Women Round Two 

  • Melbourne Victory remain first in the ladder with Brisbane Roar and Canberra United last.
  • Both derbies did not disappoint, with a winner coming out of each match.
  • Wellington's Ava Pritchard scored the Phoenix's first women's franchise goal.

More A-League Women's news can be found on The Women's Game.

The second round of play saw a total of 15 goals scored, including six in one match.  For the second week in a row Remy Siemsen found the back of the net for Sydney FC, this time scoring a brace.  She currently leads the A-League in goals scored.  Her teammate Mackenzie Hawkesby and Jets Marie Dølvik Markussen lead in assists, with two apiece. 

Below is a game by game review of the week.  Here is the A-League Women's ladder after Round 2:

Position Club MP W D L GF GA GD Its
1 Melbourne Victory 2 2 0 0 7 2 5 6
2 Sydney FC 2 2 0 0 5 1 4 6
3 Perth Glory 2 2 0 0 3 1 2 6
4 Newcastle Jets 2 1 0 1 6 4 2 3
5 Melbourne City 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3
6 Adelaide United 2 1 0 1 3 6 -3 3
7 Western Sydney Wanderers 2 0 1 1 0 2 -2 1
8 Wellington Phoenix 2 0 1 1 1 5 -4 1
9 Brisbane Roar 2 0 0 2 1 3 -2 0
10 Canberra United 2 0 0 2 1 3 -2 0

Newcastle Jets 5-1 Wellington Phoenix

Newcastle Jets: G. Boric, H. Brewer, K. Fenton (A. Brodigan 55'), E. Van Egmond, E. Eddy, C. Davis, T. King, T. Andrews (J. House 68'), M. Dølvik Markussen (S. Harding 72'), S. Franco (L. Allan 68'), L. Johnson.

Wellington Phoenix:  L. Alfeld, S. Vosper, M. Barry, Z. McMeeken (A. Martin 80'), C. Knott, G. Wisnewski, I. Gomez (T. Walker 79'), K. Taylor, G. Jale (A. Whinham 70'), J. Jasnos (T. Kramer 63'), A. Pritchard.

Phoenix impressed many in the first round, holding off Wanderers to a draw in their inaugural A-League Women's match. Jets lost to Sydney FC by a scoreline of 3-1.  Tiana Jaber picked up a red card during the match, off a second jellow, and was unavailable for this match.

Jets were bolstered though by the return of Matildas' Emily Van Egmond, who transferred to the club from Orlando Pride and signed a short term contract.  She made an immediate impact for her hometown team.

The match was always going to be an uphill battle for Wellington, with eight of Phoenix's starting eleven being just eighteen years old.   This proved to be true with the Kiwi club often overrun, ultimately conceding five goals. 

The opening goal of the game came from Jets Kristy Fenton, whose shrot from outside the box seemed unintentional but chipped Wellington keeper Lily Alfeld to make it 1-0. Newcastle fans then got treated to an offensive onslaught during the second half.  

In the 56th minute Marie Dølvik Markussen put in a shot from to top of the box to make it 2-0.  Jets' all-time leading scorer Tara Andrews then made it 3-0 off a header from a Van Egmond corner in the 61rst minute.

Andrews then got her second of the match a minute later.  A long range Van Egmond lob found Dølvik who passed it to Andrews who made it 4-0. Jets then made it 5-0 in the 73rd courtesy of Sophie Harding, a good team goal that was aided by poor Phoenix defending.

Wellington did get a consolation goal in the 81rst minute.  It was a historic one, the first for the franchise.  Ava Pritchard was able to deflect the ball off a Wellington corner to make it 5-1, the final scoreline.

The win left Newcastle Jets in fourth place in the A-League while Wellington fell to eight. 

Brisbane Roar 0-1 Perth Glory

Brisbane Roar: G. Worth, J. Rankin, J. Rasschaert, A. Haffenden, C. Clough, A. Norrie, A. Margraf (M. McElligott 84'), N. Stamatopoulos (K. Gorry 55'), L. Crummer, S. Connors, M. Hecher.

Perth Glory: M. Aquino, K. Carroll (S. Cain 61'), M. Jans, S. Carroll (D. De la harpe 61'), E. Anton, N. Rigby, S. Sakalis (A. Jancevski 55'), S. Lawrence, H. Lowry, L. De Vanna (S. Phonsongkham 45'), G. Craine. 

For the second week in a row Perth Glory faced Brisbane Roar.  The match was a deja vue of last week's fixture, with Glory robbing Roar of any points with a late goal winner again. 

During the hot and humid evening in Brisbane, a number of players suffered cramps throughout the match.  Matildas legend Lisa De Vanna was forced off during the first half, much to the worry of Glory fans.  The club confirmed at the half she had herself experienced a cramp and did not expect long term issues.

Outside of the meteorological conditions, the match was largely in Brisbane Roar's control with the home side outpossesing and outshooting their guests.  However, the Queenslanders only truly tested Glory's net a handful of times during the game including several strong tries from Anna Margraf.

The visitors were lucky to not have a penalty given against them in the 79th minute.  Roar's Mariel Hecher was shoved off the ball by Danish international Mie Leth Jans in the Glory's 18 yard box and fell to the ground. The Dane's push was not called though. 

Glory for their part also had a number of close chances on goal, with interventions from Roar's Jessie Rasschaert and keeper Georgie Worth required to keep the scoreline at 0-0.  For the second week in a row Glory chose to keep their win until late, scoring the only goal of the match in the 86th minute.

Substitute Alana Jancevski got hold of a headed away corner.  Her volley bounced off the ground and flew over the head of Worth into the net.  Glory tried to equalize in the dying minutes to no avail.

Roar are now in ninth place but are equal on goal difference and points with last place Canberra United.  The second win propelled Perth Glory to third in the ladder.

Western Sydney Wanderers 0-2 Sydney FC

Western Sydney Wanderers: S. Langman, D. Matos, C. Cooper, C. Hunt, E. Halloway, I. Habuda (B. Henry 46'), O. Price (M. Steinmetz 73'), B. Galic, T. Collister (R. Galea 63'), L. Copus-Brown (A. Apostolakis 90'), S. Gallagher.

Sydney FC: J. Whyman, N. Tobin, A. Green (C. Rule 78'), J. Nash, C. Mclean, S. Hunter (R. Lowe 61'), T. Ray, M. Hawkesby, C. Vine (P. Satchell 78'), P. Ibini, R. Siemsen ( M. Stanic-Floody 86').

Western Sydney Wanderers' entered round two with one point in hand.  The team had been held to a nil-nil draw by a young inexperienced Wellington Phoenix in the opening match of the season.  Sydney for their part beat Newcastle Jets 3-1 in their first game.

This Round two game would turn out to be a match between and in form Sydney FC and a Western Sydney that are still trying to find their feet. The first chance at goal came from Sarah Hunter whose free kick from outside the box was stopped by Wanderers keeper Sarah Langman, formally Willacy. 

Sydney FC kept circling Wanderer's goals finding their first of the evening in the 18th minute.  It was a nice team goal which started with an Ally Green interception in the Blues' half and finished with a Remy Siemsen tap-in to make it 1-0. 

Siemsen's then doubled her side's lead early in the second half.  Receiving the ball just inside Wanderer's penalty half, she made a lovely 180 turn and hit a great strike into the top corner of the net.

A give-away by Sydney FC led to Wanderer's best chance of the second half, with a Libby Copus-Brown cross finding the head of Bryleeh Henry.  The newly capped Matilda's header did not have the accuracy and the ball went wide. 

The game ended as it was in the 48th minute, 2-0 to Sydney FC.  They are in second place behind Melbourne Victory on goal difference. Western Sydney Wanderers drop one place to seventh.

Melbourne City 1-2 Melbourne Victory

Melbourne City: Melissa Barbieri, R. Stott (M. Westland 66') E. Checker, T. Vlajnić (L. McKenna 72'), K. Torpey (D. Malone 76'), W. Heatley, T. Tumeth, L. Davidson, H. Wilkinson, R. Pollina (N. Thomas-Chinnama 72'), H. McNamara.

Melbourne Victory: C. Dumont, C. Bunge, C. Nevin, A. Jackson, A. Chidiac (M. Markovski 93'), Mindy Barbieri (E. Robers 88'), P. Doran, C. Zimmerman, L. Privitelli, K. Cooney-Cross, H. Withers (L. Williams 62')

Both sides entered the match with wins in Round One.  Melbourne City were able to claim the three points with an 80th minute goal against Canberra United. Melbourne Victory opened their season with a 5-1 drubbing of Adelaide United. 

The Victory win last week did come at the cost of their captain Kayla Morrison who tore her ACL and will be out for the remainder of the season.  

However, the club did strengthen during the week signing Matilda Alex Chidiac, goalkeeper Sophia Varley, Alana Murphy and American international Lynn Williams.  Their two star signings made immediate contributions in the Melbourne Derby. 

The first half though was largely sky blue, with City controlling their play better and comfortably defending against their cross-town rivals.  Their best chance of the half started due to smart play from City's goalie Melissa Barbieri.

The former Matildas' keeper came out of her box to stop an attack and passed it to striker Hannah Wilkinson in the Victory half in what could have been the assist of the year. The Kiwi striker then attempted to chip Casey Dumont but her shot was off target. 

City took the lead just before both teams entered the locker room off a Victory mistake.  A free kick was given from about ten yards away from Victory's penalty area and taken by Tyla-Jay Vlajnic. Victory defender Amy Jackson attempt to defend the dangerous ball but instead headed it past Dumont into her own net.

Tactical changes by Victory after the half, including the bringing on of Williams for Harriet Withers in the 62nd minute, saw the team gain more control of the game.  Victory got their equalizer three minutes after William's introduction when Chidiac picked up the ball just inside the City half, beat two players, passed it to Catherine Zimmerman who slotted it across Barbieri and made it 1-1.

Five minutes later Victory's Polly Doran beat Vlajnic on the wing and crossed it into the box.  Zimmerman got a foot on it and flicked it back to her American compatriot.  All Williams had to do was flick it in to give Victory the 2-1 lead.

In the 88th minute Wilkinson passed the ball to Holly McNamara who was tackled outside the box by Jackson.  The denial of a goalscoring opportunity saw the Victory defender red carded. City captain Checker had two chances to equalize in the dying minutes of the match, but was unsuccessful.

Victory finish the week remaining top of the ladder while City tumble down to fifth place.

Adelaide United 2-1 Canberra United

Adelaide United: A. Grove, I. Hodgson, M. McNamara, E. Tonkin, E. Hodgson, E. Stanbury (R. Omiya 90'), N. Sasaki, E. Condon (G. Beaumont 96'), C. Dawber (E. Murray 77'), F. Worts, P Hayward (N. Brough 96').

Canberra United: K. Richards. K. Røstbakken, L. Keir, A. Haran, E. Ilijoski, M. Robinne (H. Caspers), G. Maher, L. Hughes, M. Heyman, C. Middleton (A. Sykes 46'), C. Washington

The final match of the round was between Adelaide United and Canberra United.  Both Uniteds lost in their opening match, with Adelaide falling 5-1 to Melbourne Victory and registering its biggest defeat in nearly four years.  Canberra was robbed of a point in the closing minutes of the game when Melbourne City scored to make it 1-0.

Canberra would once again be cursed with a late goal defeat in this meeting against Adelaide.  The visitors were without Allira Tobin, who was rested again, but had American Chelsee Washington and last year's Julie Dolan Medal winner Michelle Heyman up front.

It was this duo that combined to open the scoring in the 16th minute of play. Washington picked up the ball in her own half, ran it forward before passing it to Heyman who capitalized and scored. It was Canberra's first goal of this A-League Women's campaign.

However, Canberra's lead did not last long.  Adelaide's Fiona Worts tried an attempt on goal.  It was blocked and deflected by Canberra keeper Keeley Richards only to be picked up by the Reds' Nanako Sasaki who rocked it in from just outside the box.

Both sides stayed level well into the second half, with the game looking like it would end in a 1-1 draw.  The Reds' decided otherwise.  In the 93rd minute of the match Sasaki picked up the ball and lobbed it over the Canberra defence to Emily Condon. The midfielder controlled it and slotted it past Richards to give Adelaide a 2-1 win and three points. 

Adelaide has now moved to sixth position with Canberra United dropping to last in the A-League Women's ladder, a place they technically share with Brisbane Roar who are equal on goal difference and points.

All clubs return next weekend with five matches scheduled from Friday to Sunday.

PLUS...

Young Matilda Galabadaarachchi's Celtic FC Cup Glory

A second Australian won a cup last Sunday in the United Kingdom. Jacynta Galabadaarachchi's Celtic FC beat cross-town rivals Glasgow FC to win the Scottish Women's Premier League Cup.

PLUS...

Kerr drops pitch invader, Montemurro halts Chelsea, Tamplin starts in Champions League

Three Australians featured in the first day of matchday 5 of UEFA Women's Champions League group stage for Juventus, Chelsea and Servette Chênois including Matildas captain Sam Kerr.

The full A-League Women's schedule can be found using this link.