A wonder-strike from Lucy Johnson wasn’t enough for a Sky Blues win but it secured a point for Sydney FC in a 1-1 draw against ladder leaders Melbourne City at Leichhardt Oval.
Sydney FC 1 (Johnson 29’) drew w. Melbourne City (McKenna 62’) 1
Moments That Mattered
16’ | DOS SANTOS HITS BAR – Indiana Dos Santos hits a thunderous left foot drive towards goal but it’s tipped onto the bar by Mieres and away.
29’ | JOHNSON STUNNING GOAL – Lucy Johnson hits a world-class strike from 30 yards into the top corner of the Melbourne City net.
45’ | DOS SANTOS HITS BAR AGAIN – Caspers finds Dos Santos free out wide on the left, she moves into the box, shifts the ball onto her right foot and smashes a shot off the bar again.
47’ | FANTASTIC FRANCO SAVE – Franco tips the ball past the post from Speckmaier’s right footed cross goal shot.
62’ | MCKENNA GOAL – A poor clearance falls to McNamara who squares the ball to McKenna to slide into an empty net.
Match Report: Sydney FC’s Lucy Johnson fired in a stunning right footed strike from 30 yards but it wasn’t enough to secure all three points as Melbourne City equalised in the second half to earn a 1-all draw.
It was the Sky Blues in the ascendancy from the beginning with Indiana Dos Santos being fed by Connors, just outside the box, to hit a rasping drive which the keeper Mieres tipped onto the bar.
The break through came just before the half hour mark when Connors again laid the ball off in the middle of the field, this time to Johnson who struck a goal of the season contender into the top left hand corner of Mieres’ net.
The Sky Blues were almost further ahead just before half time when Caspers found Dos Santos free on the left, but when she came back inside she could only watch her right footed shot smash off the bar again.
City made a change at half time and that brought them back into the game and were almost back on level terms immediately but for Franco’s low left hand save from Speckmaier.
They were level just after the hour mark when Franco’s clearance went to McNamara and she squared the ball to McKenna to finish from inside the box.
No more clear cut chances ensued and the game ended all square between top and bottom.
What They Said: Ante Juric:- “It’s a little bit disappointing because I thought we deserved to win, even though it was tight.
“I’m a kind of coach that looks at effort and attitude and if they do that every single week, I can’t say anything bad or negative because that’s so pleasing to see.
[On the goal] “It’s an error from a young kid who’ll learn from it. The last time we played City it went through the goalkeeper’s hands, so really City should count themselves lucky because we should have six points from them.
“They’ve done well to pick up those points, it’s just poor mistakes, but again, these girls are young, so I’m going to back them and they’ll get better.”
Natalie Tobin:- “I thought we performed well, and Lucy scored that cracking goal as we’d been working on our shooting a lot this week at training.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t put another one in the net and we conceded not an ideal goal.
“So it was disappointing but the fact we got one point and I think in terms of the run of results that we’ve had, hopefully it’s enough to break that and onwards and upwards from here.”
Lucy Johnson:- “It was such an amazing feeling to get a goal but unfortunately we didn’t get the win.
“It just opened up for me and I thought why not? It was the best feeling ever, I can’t even describe how it felt really!
“I’ve been feeling really good in training so it was good to see it come off today.”
Sydney FC: 30. Tahlia FRANCO (GK), 2. Margaux CHAUVET, 3. Faye BRYSON, 4. Tori TUMETH, 9. Shea CONNORS, 12. Nat TOBIN (C), 16. Jordan THOMPSON, 20. Princess IBINI, 21. Lucy JOHNSON (24. Caley TALLON-HENNIKER 81’), 22. Indiana DOS SANTOS, 26. Maddie CASPERS (15. Mackenzie HAWKESBY 58’).
Unused Subs: 1. Brianna EDWARDS (GK), 14. Abbey LEMON, 18. Amber LUCHTMEIJER.
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None.
Melbourne City FC: 24. Malena MIERES (GK), 5. Taylor OTTO, 6. Leticia McKENNA, 8. Alexia APOSTOLAKIS, 10. Rhianna POLLICINA (19. Lourdes BOSCH 45’), 13. Rebekah STOTT (C), 14. Laura HUGHES, 16. Karly ROESTBAKKEN (27. Tyla-Jay VLAJNIC 77’), 17. Mariana SPECKMAIER, 18. Leah DAVIDSON (12. Shellby McMAHON 60’), 22. Bryleeh HENRY (9. Holly MCNAMARA 60’).
Subs: 23. Melissa BARBIERI (GK).
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Venue: Leichhardt Oval
Attendance: 2,340
Referee: Rachel Mitchenson
