A Holly McNamara masterclass has delivered Melbourne City a 3-1 grand final win over Wellington and with it, a record-equalling fifth A-League Women championship.
Matildas striker and league golden boot winner McNamara, 23, opened the scoring with a world-class long-range strike from the corner of the box in the 41st minute and added a second in the 43rd at AAMI Park on Saturday.
Fellow Matildas youngster Leticia McKenna scored a terrific long-range goal in the 49th minute before Phoenix striker Makala Woods scored in the 52nd.
With her heroics, McNamara delivered City a premiership-championship double in front of 7,174 fans and their first grand final win since the 2019-20 season, while denying Bev Priestman’s Phoenix their first title.
Michael Matricciani’s City draw level with Sydney FC on five championships and 10 ALW trophies overall.
City can yet claim a treble if they triumph in the Women’s Asian Champions League and depart for Suwon, South Korea on Sunday ahead of Wednesday’s semifinal against Japanese club Tokyo Verdy Beleza.
City should have scored in the fifth minute when Aideen Keane brilliantly slipped through Bryleeh Henry.
The winger could have shot first time but attempted to round Phoenix goalkeeper Victoria Esson and went to ground.
The incident was cleared by VAR — which was making its ALW debut.
On the half-hour mark, McKenna curled a dangerous free kick onto the bar.
McNamara had a goal disallowed for offside in the 38th minute but struck three minutes later.
Danielle Turner curled a super ball towards McNamara and the striker worked the ball to Keane, then received it back and beat Esson with a sensational curling strike.
Two minutes later, Shelby McMahon brilliantly released McNamara down the right and the City striker burst into the box and fired home her second goal.
McKenna snagged City’s third when she was given too much space on the edge of the box and curled the ball off the post into the top corner.
Wellington snatched a goal back when Emma Pijnenburg whipped a ball into the box and Mackenzie Anthony forced a save from Malena Mieres, but Woods tapped home the rebound.
From there, Mieres denied the Phoenix multiple times to preserve City’s lead.
AAP
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