An Emily Gielnik double fired second-placed Melbourne Victory to a 2-0 win over Central Coast Mariners in Sunday’s Ninja A-League showdown at the Home of the Matildas.
Victory opened the scoring in just the 10th minute as CommBank Matildas star Gielnik raced on to a defence-splitting pass and did the rest; coolly slotting the ball beyond Mariners goalkeeper Sarah Langman to make it 1-0.
The win for Victory helps them consolidate second spot on the ladder as they secured a fourth win in six matches to move seven points behind rivals Melbourne City.
As for the Mariners, Emily Husband’s side suffered a first defeat in five matches but remain in sixth spot on the ladder – one point clear of Canberra United.
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The Mariners almost took the lead inside the opening 90 seconds of the contest as Jade Pennock was put through on goal by Brooke Nunn, however the English forward’s low shot was well saved by Newbon.
Unperturbed by that early scare, Victory began to flex their muscles and took the lead in just the 10th minute.
Collecting the ball in the middle of the park Alanna Murphy sidestepped the Mariners’ midfield before releasing Gielnik through on goal and the Matilda did the rest; dispatching the ball beyond Langman and into the back of the net for her 8th goal of the campaign.
Now in search of the equaliser the Mariners had several half-chances and got into some dangerous positions but couldn’t find the back of the net and they were soon in trouble at the other end.
With Rachel Lowe brought down by Seaman inside the box, the Victory had the chance to make it 2-0 from the spot before the break however Golden Boot leader Gielnik then blazed the spotkick over the bar.
The Victory striker wouldn’t be sad for long though as her side did double their lead before the half was out and Gielnik had her second of the game.
The Mariners defence initially dealt with an in-swinging corner into the box however the ball fell straight to Chidiac and the midfielder duly sent a volley back towards goal which was poked home by Gielnik to make it 2-0.
Annalise Rasmussen then almost halved the deficit right before the whistle for half-time was blown but her thumping shot crashed back off the bar and away to safety.
Both sides had chances in the second-half as Victory looked to wrap up the win while the Mariners desperately searched for an unlikely point.
Substitute Tiarna Fuller went close for the away side but her low effort was scrambled round the post by Newbon while the keeper then pulled off a brilliant diving save to parry away a Pennock short from inside the box.
