The Ninja A-League Finals continued at the weekend as the semi-final first legs began.
Premiers Melbourne City and regular season runners-up Wellington Phoenix entered the fray as they travelled for their respective first leg games.
Here’s how the first legs of the A-League semi-final round unfolded.
Melbourne Victory 0-1 Melbourne City
Premiers Melbourne City recorded a narrow 1-0 win over rivals Melbourne Victory thanks to Leticia McKenna’s free-kick.
Rachel Lowe’s spectacular ninth minute volley was well dealt with by City’s Malena Mieres who palmed the ball away.
City nearly took the lead with 20 minutes gone, but Leah Davidson’s near post header was pushed away by Courtney Newbon. They did take the lead just before the break though, when Newbon misjudged the flight of McKenna’s free-kick as it sailed into the back of the net.
Holly Furphy was denied by the advancing Mieres early in the second half. The Spaniard stood tall to stop the Victory player’s lob.
Holly McNamara saw appeals for a penalty waved away with an hour gone as City looked the most likely to grab the next goal. However, they couldn’t add to their tally and will take a one goal advantage into Saturday’s second leg.
Brisbane Roar 2-1 Wellington Phoenix
Brisbane will take a slender lead across the ditch for the second leg after coming out on top at Spencer Park.
Grace Jale gave the Phoenix a dream start as she put them ahead inside two minutes. She rose highest at the back post to head home Manaia Elliott’s corner.
Brisbane levelled through a corner of their own in the 14th minute as Momo Hayashi timed her run to perfection to power her header past Victoria Esson.
Ashlyn Miller was denied by the fingertips of Esson just after the half hour, with Brisbane threatening to take the game away from the Nix.
Esson superbly denied Bente Jansen early in the second half, swatting her shot over the bar.
Chances continued to come and go for the Roar, and with 18 minutes gone, they finally got their rewards. Daisy Brown took one touch to control Miller’s throw. Her second was to smash home past Esson to send the majority of the 3,849 crowd home happy.
Wellington know they’ll need to be better at Porirura Park on Sunday if they’re to make a first ever Grand Final.
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