It was a game of two halves between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory, which saw the visitors grab a 2-1 win in the A-League curtain raiser at AAMI Park.
The hosts Victory struggled early to deal with the quality delivery supplied by Sky Blue Amy Harrison, who set up Leena Khamis and Jasmyne Spencer for first half strikes.
An early goal in the second term to MelindaJ Barbieri set up a grand stand finish, but the Victory weren’t able to go on with it despite the momentum shifting well and truly into their favour.
Sydney got off to a flying start through Khamis, who latched expertly onto a Harrison cross from the left, which tailed into the forward at the near post to tuck away.
Hayley Raso found herself front and centre for the majority of Victory’s half chances at goal in the first half, hitting the side netting on 13 minutes as well as seeing a couple of attempts blocked in the first 45.
Tiegen Allen released Nicola Bolger soon after with a raking ball from the deep, which forced Melissa Barbieri into her first proper save of the afternoon.
Matilda Alanna Kennedy saw her 20-yard free-kick blocked by Thea Slatyer before Harrison tested Barbieri again with a vicious strike from distance.
The 25-yard effort was parried forward by the veteran ex-Matilda into the path of American Jasmyne Spencer, who attempted to beat her on the rebound with a backwards flick.
Spencer displayed her predatory instincts once more on 22 minutes as she ghosted unopposed in at the near post to bundle in the easiest of finishes.
She had some horrid defending from the Victory to thank for Sydney’s second as both Slatyer and Barbieri let a cross from Harrison run through the area into the path of the marksman waiting at the far post.
A couple more half chances fell the way of Natasha Dowie and Raso as the Victory swapped from a 4-4-2 to their more accustomed 4-3-3 for the remainder of the half.
Sydney’s Princess Ibini was threatening through the first half, but struggled to apply a finish, scooping a couple of late efforts over the bar.
Victory came out of the rooms with fire in their belly, and dominated the opening stages of the contest, capitalising early with a wonder strike through Barbieri.
The 15-year-old’s second ever W-League goal was a product of her persistence, as she chased down her defensive marker before hitting a world-class effort across the face of goals.
Nairn then slid a pass down the left side for Dowie, who took a steadying touch before steering a shot towards the near post where a diving Betos denied her an equaliser.
Melissa Barbieri was kept on her toes on a number of occasions, rushing with confidence to claim the ball of the toes of the Sydney attackers on a number of occasions.
Her handling was superb throughout the contest; kept on her toes by a consistent stream of crosses from wide areas to deny Sydney a proper look in at goals.
Annabel Martin nearly supplied the equaliser on 77 minutes with a perfectly weighted cross to the far post to find Raso; the Matildas winger took a touch to kill the ball before striking narrowly wide of the right post.
She came close to running onto a Mel Taranto through ball soon after, but Betos was up to the task and met the ball with safe hands.
Raso made Betos work on 82 minutes with a well taken effort, which had the American stopper scrambling low to her left to deny the Victory forward.
The game finished with five minutes of extra time, which saw Melissa Barbieri float up into the attacking area for a sequence of late corners.
Betos was the hero in the dying moments, making a number of crucial saves to deny Dowie, who twice threatened with powerful headers towards goal.
Sydney escaped with the three points, but Victory left the contest in front of a healthy crowd with their pride in check after a strong second half showing.
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Melbourne Victory 1 (Barbieri 46’) defeated by Sydney FC 2 (Khamis 10’, Spencer 22’)
Melbourne Victory: 20. Melissa BARBIERI (GK, c), 2. Alex NATOLI (5. Briar PALMER 87’), 4. Melissa TARANTO (15. Adriana TARANTO 80’), 6. Annabel MARTIN, 7. Enza BARILLA (12. Whitney KNIGHT 80’), 10. Christine NAIRN, 11. MelindaJ BARBIERI, 13. Thea SLATYER, 16. Hayley RASO, 17. Gulcan KOCA, 27. Natasha DOWIE
Substitutes: 1. Cassandra DIMOVSKI (GK)
Yellow Card(s): M. Taranto 33’ Nairn 65’, Dowie 85’
Red Card(s): Nil
Sydney FC: 1. Michelle BETOS (GK), 5. Jasmine SPENCER, 6. Teresa POLIAS (c), 7. Nicola BOLGER (12. Olivia PRICE 80’), 8. Amy HARRISON (16. Hannah BACON 88’), 9. Princess IBINI-ISEI (4. Sunny FRANCO 87’), 11. Natalie TOBIN, 14. Alanna KENNEDY, 15. Teigen ALLEN, 17. Krah SIMON, 19. Leena KHAMIS
Substitutes: 18. Sham KHAMIS (GK)
Yellow Card(s): Allen 51’
Red Card(s): Nil