Melbourne Victory vs Adelaide United – Shark Highlights | Ninja A-League 2024-25 | Semi-Final Leg Two
Alana Jancevski, who had previously never played a professional match in defence, found herself in a new role following the mid-season retirement of a Melbourne Victory legend. This unexpected shift has sparked a remarkable transformation in her football career.
Though it might not be a permanent change for the 22-year-old winger, Jancevski has excelled after being moved to left-back by Victory coach Jeff Hopkins. Her performance has been essential in a solid defensive unit, playing a key role in securing her team’s place in the 2025 Ninja A-League Grand Final.
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At the start of the 2024-25 season, the versatile Goad, a three-cap CommBank Matilda, was set to feature at left-back. However, her retirement at the close of 2024 left coach Hopkins without one of his most skilled and seasoned players for the remainder of the season.
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In response to the gap left by Goad, Hopkins turned to Jancevski, a move that has paid off tremendously.
After being awarded Network 10’s Isuzu UTE Player of the Match in Victory’s 3-1 victory over Adelaide United in the second leg of the Semi-Finals, Jancevski has thrived in her newfound role, delivering one of her best performances this season and helping her team reach the title showdown.
During Saturday’s match, Jancevski’s powerful first-half free-kick resulted in a rebound from Adelaide keeper Claudia Jenkins, which set the stage for Rachel Lowe to score, extending Victory’s lead to 4-1 on aggregate in the two-legged Semi-Final.
In the post-match interview, Jancevski shared that a supportive voice memo from Goad, her former teammate at Victory, was instrumental in helping her adapt to this unfamiliar position on the pitch.
“After my first game in that role, I reached out to her,” Jancevski told Network 10 following the 3-1 victory.
“I said, ‘Please help me! You’re the best player I’ve ever seen play there’. She responded with a lovely voice message.”
“If I can contribute even 1% like she did for the team, I’ll be glad to step into her shoes. We’d love to have her back as well!”
“Before this, I’d never played a professional game in defence,” Jancevski added. “My family, even my brother, is having a laugh seeing me play as a defender. I never imagined I’d be in this position, but I’m discovering that I have strengths that lend themselves to it. I’m just happy to contribute to the team.”
“It’s been a challenging transition, but as a footballer, you must be open to growth, learning, and doing whatever it takes for the team. I’ve been fortunate to learn from such a fantastic defensive group. With Kayla (Morrison), an excellent centre-back, (Claudia) Bunge, and Courtney (Newbon) behind me, it’s been an enjoyable experience, and I’ve loved incorporating my skills into this role.
“We’re in a Grand Final, so I couldn’t care less where I’m playing.”
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