Melbourne City took the spoils in the Round 4 headliner and Western Sydney Wanderers continue riding high at the top of the Westfield W-League ladder, but which stars made the Team of the Week?
Brisbane Roar kicked off the Round with a hard-fought triumph against Canberra United on Thursday night, and Newcastle Jets claimed three points on the road against Perth Glory.
We've reviewed the tape and crunched the numbers, so here is w-league.com.au's Round 4 Team of the Week.
Goalkeeper
Casey Dumont (Melbourne Victory)
The Victory shot-stopper was at it again on Saturday afternoon as she proved crucial to securing a share of the points in her side’s first home game of the season.
Dumont stood tall with six saves in a 1-1 draw against a relentless Western Sydney Wanderers side – with a number of her acrobatic stops worthy contenders for save of the week.
Her contribution was evidenced in the final play of the game when she made another sharp stop to deny Sam Staab’s volley deep in injury time.
An honourable mention goes to Brisbane Roar's Mackenzie Arnold – who assisted a goal and made a match-winning late save in the 2-1 win against Canberra United – but Dumont edges it.
Defenders
Ellie Carpenter (Melbourne City)
The meteoric rise of Ellie Carpenter continued in yet another fantastic showing from right back for City on the weekend.
Carpenter was in the thick of it all game; she had 108 touches, thirty more than the next best player in that category from either side.
Carpenter laid the all-important cross which ultimately fell to Milica Mijatović to hammer home the winning goal, but the 19-year-old made her impact felt in the defensive third as well laying four tackles, winning seven duels and making four clearances.
Lauren Barnes (Melbourne City)
Lauren Barnes was an unmovable force in defence against Sydney FC on Sunday afternoon.
Winning three of her four tackles and nine of her 11 duels, Barnes proved time and time again she simply was not to be beaten on as her and the City defensive unit kept an otherwise ruthless Sydney attack quiet.
Add five clearances and two interceptions to her game and Barnes displayed the performance of a complete defender in her side’s impressive win on the road.
Alexandra Huynh (Western Sydney Wanderers)
One of Wanderers foundation players, the centre back was given one of her sternest tests of her comeback campaign with the club as she successfully wrangled the Victory’s experienced attack.
She won every one of her four tackles and repeatedly partnered up with defensive partner Sam Staab to frustrate Victory on their home patch.
Her performance received bonus points for claiming an assist – playing a direct, long pass for Lynn Williams' second half equaliser.
Angela Beard (Melbourne Victory)
A hard-working effort from the Victory left back certainly caught the eye on a sunny afternoon in Morwell.
Beard won 9 of 12 tackles and 16 of her 18 duels to lead her side in all defensive categories in their draw with the Wanderers.
It was telling of her value that her only error of the contest led to the Wanderers only goal, but it didn’t take the shine off an otherwise outstanding showing.
Midfielders
Celia (Perth Glory)
The Spaniard announced herself in style on her Westfield W-League debut with a busy performance that was capped off with a coolly taken second half strike that offered her side hope of a fightback.
With her passing range and vision on show, the midfielder floated menacingly through the Glory formation throughout the match and looms as a possible catalyst for Bobby Despotovski’s side in coming weeks as they seek their first win of the season.
Tara Andrews (Newcastle Jets)
The attacking midfielder continued her bright start to the season with another strong showing for the Jets as they finally broke their Perth hoodoo.
After posing a constant threat in the first-half, Andrews struck moments into the second half with a goal that combined a classy finish with battling tenacity in the build-up.
It was a trait that shone bright throughout the game as she led her side with 17 duels, winning nine of them.
Hayley Raso (Brisbane Roar)
Coming into the match with a heavily-strapped hand Hayley Raso was in the wars in Brisbane Roar’s 2-1 win against Canberra, but her quality still shined through despite taking a rough fall on her shoulder and a few crunching tackles.
The Westfield Matilda showed her natural eye for goal, latching on to goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold’s long kick to head in Brisbane’s second, and her movement around the Canberra penalty area caused the Green Machine no end of problems.
It was an all-round classy display by the 25-year-old, creating three chances - one of them an assist for Tameka Yallop’s opener - and taking five shots at goal. Meanwhile, she won eight of 16 duels and added two tackles and an interception in defence.
Milica Mijatović (Melbourne City)
Milica Mijatović emerged as the hero of City’s 2-1 win over Champions Sydney FC after her damaging performance from the left flank on Sunday afternoon.
It was Mijatović’s lung-busting run which led to City’s early goal as she drove to the edge of the box and slid the ball to Emily van Egmond to tuck into the back of the net.
Then, after Sydney’s equaliser, Mijatović stepped up late in the game with an emphatic bomb off her left peg from the edge of the box which rattled the back of the net to haul her side back into the lead and seal the win for City.
Forwards
Lynn Williams (Western Sydney Wanderers)
With Golden Boot leader Kristen Hamilton having a quiet game for the Wanderers against Victory, Lynn Williams stepped up to earn her side a point and open her Westfield W-League account in a performance warning opponents of what’s to come.
Williams had an equal-high of four shots for the game – all inside the box – including her left-footed strike on the hour mark which brought her side back on level terms with the Victory.
The 2016 NWSL MVP and Golden Boot winner stepped up for the Wanderers to score in a tight game against the reigning Premiers with a goal that showcased the dribbling ability, speed and composure which could spell danger for all those who plan to defend her from this moment on.
Elise Thorsnes (Canberra United)
It’s often remarked that Elise Thorsnes is still getting up to speed after the short break between seasons in Europe and Australia. If the Norway international striker still has a few gears to go up, the Westfield W-League better watch out.
Thorsnes was engaged in an absorbing battle with Clare Polkinghorne at McKellar Park and she got the better of the Westfield Matilda when she slipped her marker but could not get enough on a header which flashed across Mackenzie Arnold’s goal in the first half.
The 31-year-old seized her moment in the 66th minute when she robbed Polkinghorne and lashed a rocket strike into the Roar net for her second goal in two Westfield W-League games.
She may not have ended up on the winning team this time around, but Thorsnes created enough havoc – taking four shots and making two chances – to make anyone believe she will soon be.
Round 5 fixtures
Melbourne City v Melbourne Victory
Venue: ADB Stadium
Kick-off: 7.30pm AEDT
Tickets
Perth Glory v Canberra United
Venue: Dorrien Gardens
Kick-off: 7.15pm local, 10.15pm AEDT
Tickets
Brisbane Roar v Adelaide United
Venue: Lions FC Stadium
Kick-off: 4.30pm local, 5.30pm AEDT
Tickets
Newcastle Jets v Sydney FC
Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium
Kick-off: 4pm AEDT
Tickets
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