A-League Women: Victory through, Brisbane notch first finals win since 2014

Melbourne Victory person booked a two-leg derby semi-final showdown aft an Ella O’Grady treble secured a 3-1 elimination last win implicit Canberra United.

Premiers Melbourne City present await the Jeff Hopkins-coached Victory aft they dominated Canberra connected Saturday afternoon.

The Victory conscionable scraped into the top six to play finals, but they person a strong pedigree successful large games and will fancy their chances of going each the way.

Experienced attacking midfielder Rachel Lowe got the visitors connected the committee successful the 21st infinitesimal with a poachers extremity aft a header by Claudia Bunge from a country was initially saved by Canberra goalkeeper Sally James.

Lowe’s backmost bottommost three minutes aboriginal was the catalyst for O’Grady to adhd a second. The 20-year-old Young Matildas powerhouse stormed into the container and with sheer tenacity ensured the shot ended up successful the backmost of the net.

James did well to prevention a changeable from Victory striker Holly Furphy, but the hosts scored astatine the different extremity connected 29 minutes. Defender Sasha Grove raced onto scraps successful midfield earlier guiding her changeable expertly beyond keeper Courtney Newbon.

Canberra had won some regular-season matches 3-1 against the Victory, but O’Grady extended the pb successful the 51st infinitesimal with a almighty header from an exquisite Furphy cross.

Victory came into the clash with an awesome grounds under long-time manager Hopkins, who was astatine the helm for back-to-back championships successful 2020-21 and 2021-22 and the 2018-19 premiership.

Canberra manager Antoni Jagarinec helmed the broadside to the finals past play successful his archetypal run successful charge. He did well again to take the club, still facing a shaky future, to third successful the regular season.

In the different game, Brisbane Roar won their archetypal last successful 12 years to dispatch Adelaide United 3-0 and publication a two-leg showdown with Wellington.

The Roar had mislaid their erstwhile 5 finals appearances since beating Canberra 2-1 distant successful February, 2014.

They could not beryllium denied connected Saturday, with attacking midfielder Kijah Stephenson scoring two superb second-half goals successful the elimination final.

Aimee Medwin added her third extremity successful arsenic galore matches successful the 83rd infinitesimal to seal the deal.

The Roar play the archetypal limb of their semi-final astatine location against the Phoenix.

Source: AAP