Melbourne Victory

2022 - 3 - 19

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Matildas"

Matildas at Home: Grand final rematch set after Victory take ... (Matildas)

The A-League Women's grand final is set and a number of Commonwealth Bank Matildas will do battle after Melbourne Victory defeated Melbourne City 3-1.

Back then it was Cooney-Cross' 120th-minute olimpico that split the two sides. Victory will now fly to Sydney to take on the Sky Blues in a replay of last year's grand final. Melbourne City's back three of Emma Checker, Winonah Heatley, and Tori Tumeth had plenty to deal with in the opening stages of the clash with Victory's attack coming close on a number of occasions.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "ABC News"

Melbourne Victory has wind at its back as it sails into A-League ... (ABC News)

Returned striker Melina Ayres breathed new life into Melbourne Victory as the team swept past Melbourne City in Sunday's A-League Women preliminary final.

Ayres then streamed into the penalty area, and at the tightest angle of all her chances so far, slid the ball beneath a shell-shocked James. Indeed, Victory could have been 3-0 up by the time Ayres slid that ball beneath James for the opener. It was as if, walking out onto the field at AAMI Park, they had remembered the team they were supposed to be this season before a series of calamities — injuries, COVID outbreaks, seven games in 21 days — almost buffeted them off course. The midfielder swivelled and opened her hips, but James came tumbling out of goal and smothered Chidiac's shot. Eight City players stood between her and the goal, but through the wall of sky-blue mist, Ayres spotted Alex Chidiac making a slicing run into the box. But time is a luxury in football, and Ayres hadn't had much of it this season.

Explore the last week