Melbourne City is poised for an unbeaten season in the Ninja A-League. In this article, aleagues.com.au explores the elements that make Michael Matricciani’s squad a formidable opponent.
Currently sitting at the top of the table, with an impressive record of 19 consecutive matches without a loss in the Ninja A-League, and advancing to the quarter-finals of the AFC Women’s Champions League, Melbourne City is certainly relishing this season.
But what is it that sets them apart? Here are some key factors contributing to City’s remarkable campaign.
Evolution, Not Revolution
Entering the current season following a 2023-24 Ninja A-League campaign where they claimed the Premiership on the final day, but narrowly missed out in the Grand Final, losing 1-0 to Sydney FC, Melbourne City has had a solid foundation to build upon.
The off-season saw head coach Dario Vidosic depart for the Women’s Super League in England, leading the club to appoint Michael Matricciani to guide them forward.
Honoured as WNPL Coach of the Year in 2018, Matricciani brought a wealth of coaching experience from South Australia and sought to strengthen the squad.
Despite the departures of top scorer Hannah Wilkinson, pacey winger Emina Ekic, and exciting talent Daniela Galic, City has managed to retain a significant part of the squad that almost achieved a double the previous season.
Key players like Taylor Otto, Laura Hughes, Karly Roestbakken, and Bryleeh Henry all signed new contracts, and captain Rebekah Stott remained committed to the club, providing a strong basis for continued success.
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Defensively, goalkeeper Malena Mieres joined from Spain’s La Liga Femenina, Young Matildas defender Alexia Apostolakis was acquired, and defender Tyla-Jay Vlajnic made a return to bolster the back line.
In attack, City added striker Mariana Speckmaier after a standout season with Wellington Phoenix and American Lourdes Bosch, who has made a significant impact in her first season in the Ninja A-League.
A Competitive Pre-Season
One factor that has benefited City heading into the new season was their participation in three competitive matches prior to the 2024-25 Ninja A-League season.
Through their success in securing a spot in the inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League, thanks to their 2023-24 Premiership victory, City dominated the group stage with three straight wins against Bam Khatoon of Iran, Thai team BGC Asian Scholars, and Kaya FC Iloilo from the Philippines.
They scored nine goals while conceding only one in those matches, displaying significant control and allowing them to implement Matricciani’s new tactical strategies.
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With their impressive start in the AFC Champions League, City followed up with three wins from their first five matches in their domestic campaign.
As a reward for their flawless group stage, they are now set to face Taiwanese side Taichung Blue Whale in the quarter-finals on March 23, where they will enter as overwhelming favourites.
The Return of a Genuine Star
The phrase ‘like a new signing’ is often bandied about in football, but the return of Holly McNamara to the Melbourne City setup has truly been game-changing.
After enduring a third anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in November 2023, the 22-year-old made her comeback approximately 390 days later, and she has certainly made her presence known.
Having made her return against Canberra United in Round 6, McNamara has since netted 10 goals in 12 appearances, including two hat-tricks. Her most recent effort aided City in making history in the Ninja A-League by winning against Adelaide United 4-3, securing their 19-game unbeaten streak.
A true standout in the Ninja A-League, McNamara currently shares the top position with Emily Gielnik in the race for the Golden Boot, each with 10 goals, and she was recently recalled to the Matildas squad for the SheBelieves Cup campaign in the United States.
Stat Attack
With an attacking front featuring McNamara, Speckmaier, and Pollicina, City have delivered impressive performances this season.
According to Opta statistics, City leads the league in goals scored (42) and overall possession (58.6%). They are also third in terms of ‘Big Chances’ created (43), and have hit the woodwork nine times, with Speckmaier accounting for four of those instances.
While McNamara has emerged as City’s primary scorer, her success has been greatly supported by her teammates.
American winger Bosch is leading the league in assists (7), with Pollicina closely behind her with five assists of her own.
Furthermore, City has scored more goals from outside the penalty area than any other team (12) and has also netted the highest number of goals from open play (33), with Adelaide United being the closest contender with 24.
However, Melbourne City’s defensive capabilities have also shone this season.
Despite having kept only five clean sheets this season, City boasts the highest tackle success rate in the league at 75.5% and has faced the fewest shots on target (72).
Interestingly, nearly half of the goals conceded this season have resulted from errors, with Opta Data indicating that nine of the 20 goals conceded belong to the category of ‘Errors leading to goals’.
Invincibles?
With just four matches left in the Ninja A-League, City is aiming for an unbeaten season.
In the history of the league, only three teams have completed a season without a single loss:
- Canberra United (2011-12) – P10, W7, D3
- Melbourne City (2015-16) – P12, W12
- Melbourne City (2019-20) – P12, W11, D1
If City manages to finish the regular season undefeated, they could claim that their achievement surpasses those prior, considering they will have played nearly double the number of matches while also juggling their Asian campaign.
To maintain an unbeaten record, they must overcome matches against Brisbane Roar (March 26), Wellington Phoenix (March 30), Newcastle Jets (April 11), and Perth Glory (April 18).
Stay tuned for updates.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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