Melbourne City has claimed the first ever W-League Melbourne Derby, triumphing 2-1 at AAMI Park on Sunday afternoon.
Marianna Tabain broke the deadlock after half time, before captain Aivi Luik sealed the contest from the penalty spot in the 72nd minute, while Whitney Knight’s late strike acted as consolation for the visitors.
Victory looked to get on the front foot early, with Laura Spiranovic hassling the City defenders but unable to get a shot off on goal.
Up the other end, a Marianna Tabain corner wasn’t dealt with properly, but Tyla Jay Vlajnic couldn’t make the visitors pay, hitting a tame effort back at the keeper.
The first 20 minutes of the contest was a scrappy encounter as play regularly broke down in both sides’ attacking thirds.
The hosts started to get on the front foot and a neat combination between Stott, Goad, Tabain and Luik saw the latter’s shot desperately blocked before it could trouble Barbieri.
The biggest talking point of the half came in the 27th minute when a corner was met by youngster Melindaj Barbieri, whose shot seemed to have cleared the line before being headed away by Tyla Jay Vlajnic.
City almost rubbed salt into the wound via Alex Chidiac, whose strike fizzed past the far post.
Both sides exchanged efforts on target in the proceeding minutes, though neither Goad nor Spiranovic were able to trouble the keepers, while another Chidiac effort before the break once more missed the upright.
The hosts raced out of the blocks in the second half, scoring in the 49th minutes after a clinical passing move between Quigley, Jackson and Tabain ended with the latter tucking the ball past Barbieri.
It was almost two goals minutes later when the Victory custodian’s pass out the back was picked off by Chidiac, who crossed in to Quigley for a volley that flew over the bar.
The dangerous Chidiac was a regular threat up front and won a penalty after contact from Alex Natoli in the box – despite the defender’s protests – with Luik stepping up to dispatch the spot kick.
Whitney Knight came on late in the contest for Victory and made an immediate impact, hitting a cracking strike to halve the deficit in extra time.
The 2-1 result sees City record its their second successive win of the season, while Victory are still searching for their first points in 2015.
Melbourne City 2 (Tabain 49′, Luik [pen] 72′) defeated Melbourne Victory (Knight 90′) 0 at AAMI Park
Melbourne City: 20. Trudy Burke (GK), 18. Anisa Guajardo, 5. Laura Alleway, 13. Rebekah Stott, 15. Amy Jackson (12. Olivia Ellis 86′), 6. Aivi Luik, 17. Marianna Tabain, 16. Beattie Goad (25. Tessa Sernio 89′), 3. Alex Chidiac, 22. Hannah Brewer, 24. Racheal Quigley (14. Melina Ayres 82′)
Unused substitutes: 30. Kelsey Quinn (GK)
Melbourne Victory: 20. Melissa Barbieri (GK), 2. Alex Natoli, 3. Brooke Elby, 5. Briar Palmer, 6. Annabel Martin, 7. Enza Barilla, 8. Jamie Pollock (18. Jess Pitts 79′), 9. Laura Spiranovic, 11. MelindaJ Barbieri (12. Whitney Knight 68′), 13. Thea Slatyer, 15. Adriana Taranto (4. Melissa Taranto 33′)
Unused Substitutes: 1. Cassandra Dimovski (GK)