Canberra United have finished off their season of home games with a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Melbourne Victory.
They had a lot to play for in their final game at McKellar Park as they are just five points off Victory for a spot in the finals, and on top of that, their inaugural captain Ellie Brush announced her retirement after 15 years in the A-League.
Brush started in what was likely her last match at McKellar Park, and her side was boosted by the return of Young Matildas Sasha Grove and Chloe Lincoln.
The match kicked off under very hot conditions as it hit 31 degrees, but both teams came out determined from the start and moved the ball around well.
By the first drinks break the match remained locked with neither team managing a goal. Canberra got their looks in, with Hayley Taylor-Young going on two huge solo runs up the centre of the field.
With the points from this match potentially being the difference for who makes finals, both teams kept up the high intensity and were relentless in attack.
The scores remained locked into the second drinks break and up into half time when both teams began to tire.
Victory came out with an early scare, with the ball just rolling along their goal line and out of play. Canberra hit back with an attempt of their own when Vesna Milivojevic found Michelle Heyman on a run that also proved to be unsuccessful.
The visitors best shot came from Melina Ayres who brought the ball in to the top of her box and put through a powerful shot towards the goal but was unable to get past the last line in Lincoln.
The Canberra crowd began to get restless as Heyman and Brush tried in desperation to recreate their flying header attempts seen in previous weeks.
Canberra rolled their substitutions with immediate impact as Wu Chengshu threatened to score but created a corner kick opportunity. Off the kick, their other sub, Kennedy Faulknor, was able to finish off the good work and finally score the first goal of the match.
This snapped Victory into gear when just four minutes they managed to draw level thanks to Tiffany Eliadis’ hard work.
The match continued in an arm wrestle with neither team finding another goal.
Both teams will head to Melbourne for their next matches, with Canberra going up against ladder leader Western United as they contest a spot in the finals, while Victory play host to Brisbane Roar.
Canberra United 1 (Faulknor 72’)
Melbourne Victory 1 (Eliadis 88’)
Stadium: McKellar Park, Canberra
Referee: Rebecca Durcau
Assistant Referees: Lauren Hargrave and Emma Kocbek
Fourth Official: Bec Mackie
Canberra United: Chloe LINCOLN (GK), Ellie BRUSH (Chloe MIDDLETON 86’), Sasha GROVE, Holly MURRAY (Kennedy FAULKNOR 70’), Laura HUGHES (WU Chengshu 70’), Grace MAHER, Grace JALE, Hayley TAYLOR-YOUNG, Vesna MILIVOJEVIC, Nickoletta FLANNERY, Michelle HEYMAN (C)
Unused subs: Keely RICHARDS (GK), Grace TARANTO
Melbourne Victory: Casey DUMONT (GK), Melina AYRES, Beattie GOAD, Tiffany ELIADIS, Catherine ZIMMERMAN (Ava BRIEDIS 66’), Lia PRIVITELLI (Alana MURPHY 55’), Amy JACKSON (Maja MARKOVSKI 70’), Natalie TATHEM (Rosie CURTIS 79’), Kayla Ann MORRISON (C), Claudia BUNGE, Jessika NASH
Unused subs: Miranda TEMPLEMAN (GK)
Feature Image Credit: Canberra United
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