Maclaren breaks goals record as City beat Western United

Jamie Maclaren has scored a hat-trick to break Besart Berisha’s A-League Men goals record and lead Melbourne City to a 3-1 win over Western United that effectively ends their rivals’ finals hopes.

Maclaren bundled home his first goal at AAMI Park in the 13th minute before Dylan Pierias responded in the 38th.

The striker’s second goal, his 142nd in the league across 201 appearances for Perth, Brisbane and City, arrived in the 66th.

Jamie Maclaren scores a goal during round 25. Credit: Robert Cianflone, Getty

Socceroos striker Maclaren tapped home goal No.143 eight minutes later to surpass former Brisbane, Victory and United striker Berisha’s mark and seal victory for premiers City.

The 29-year-old is second in all-time Australian league goal scorers only to Damian Mori, who notched an extraordinary 240 goals in the NSL.

Maclaren has won three premier’s plates at City and was a part of their championship-winning squad in 2020-21, but has yet to play in a winning grand final.

With 23 goals this season, he is en route to a fourth consecutive golden boot and fifth overall.

Jamie Maclaren and City teammates celebrate. Credit: Robert Cianflone, Getty

City took the lead when Andrew Nabbout whipped in a pinpoint cross and Maclaren bundled a back-post past a helpless Jamie Young.

Dylan Pierias of Western United celebrates a goal.Credit: Robert Cianflone, Getty

United equalised when Nikolai Topor-Stanley launched a long cross-field ball into the area and Pierias pounced to sneak it past Tom Glover.

The defending champions should have taken the lead on the counter in the 56th minute but a casual Aleksandar Prijovic hit a shot straight at Glover.

Instead, City pounced.

Two minutes after entering the fray on his return from a hamstring injury, Mathew Leckie slipped through Maclaren to power home his record-equalling strike.

Retiring centre-back Topor-Stanley denied Maclaren his hat-trick with a reflexive block in the 73rd minute.

But barely seconds later, Richard van der Venne picked up the loose ball and fired a cross in for Leckie.

The Socceroos header forced a super Young save, but Maclaren pounced on the rebound and toe-poked a left-footed shot into the roof of the net to coolly complete his hat-trick and make history.

United were unable to mount a comeback, meaning their championship defence effectively ends in a whimper.

John Aloisi’s charges are only three points outside the top six but their poor goal difference (-14) has put paid to hopes of leapfrogging either Sydney FC or Wellington.

AAP

‘A big thing for all of us’: Sydney defeat Victory to secure spot in grand final

Marnie Vinall

Sydney FC will meet Western United in the A-League Women grand final after scrapping past Melbourne Victory with a last-ditch goal.

Sydney’s 1-0 win at Allianz Stadium on Saturday ended Victory’s hopes of playing for a third consecutive championship, while it will be the Sky Blues’ sixth consecutive grand final appearance, as they seek to claim the premiership-championship double.

Victory came into the match as reigning champions, while Sydney won their third consecutive premier’s plate this season.

Sydney FC are through to grand final. Credit: Getty

“In the back of our minds today was sort of getting redemption in finals for the last few years against Victory,” said Sydney defender Sarah Hunter. “So, that also felt so good because we have that history.”

The home side had a huge 25 shots on goal to just four from Victory and 19 crosses to six, but the game had a feeling of déjà vu to Sydney’s semi-final loss to Western United last week, as the premiers won the territory battle and played the game in their forward half, but couldn’t manage to score. Well, for the majority of the game.

Sydney landed the decisive blow in the 89th minute via the boot of Madison Haley, the ball having spilled from Victory’s star goalkeeper Casey Dumont, who was phenomenal all game.

Hunter said after starting well and building into the game, they were comfortable on the ball and knew a goal would eventually come, which kept them composed, even in and around the box.

She added the two high-pressured finals, including the semi-final loss against United, have provided a good run-up to the grand final.

“I think we’re going to learn a lot from that game [against United] and also this game as well,” she said. “It was kind of good to play this game because we had that high-pressure situation, how do we problem-solve and how do we get a win, essentially.”

The Sky Blues started to take control around the 30-minute mark, putting Victory’s defence under pressure. They created chances and peppered the goal but failed to find the back of the net as their opponents absorbed their advances.

Madison Haley of Sydney FC scores a goal. Credit: Getty

Sydney’s Charlie Rule was dangerous on the right flank, as was her teammate Princess Ibini on the left, along with Haley and Matildas star Cortnee Vine up front.

But Victory battened down the hatches with Beattie Goad, who was moved to left back due to Amy Jackson being suspended, captain Kayla Morrison and Dumont saving what could have been an avalanche.

Victory didn’t fire a single shot on goal in the first half, and their first corner came in the 84th minute.

Speaking at the half-time to Channel Ten, Dumont said her side were coughing up the ball too much, especially with sloppy passes, but that defensively they were working well behind the ball.

Kristy Fenton of Sydney FC and Ava Briedis of Victory contest the ball. Credit: Getty

She said for the second half they needed to “stay switched on and play our game”.

Unfortunately, much of that wasn’t seen as the visiting side were put on the back foot for much of the game as Sydney dominated.

The grand final rematch between two big clubs was played before pockets of fans in the stands, and the game was largely broadcast with a backdrop of empty seats.

For last week’s semi-final between Victory and Melbourne City, there was only a smattering of people at Casey Fields to watch the dramatic penalty shootout.

That game couldn’t be played at AAMI Park due to renovations ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, however Saturday’s game at Allianz Stadium was in the heart of Sydney.

Broadcast deals with Paramount+ and Ten have meant that no A-League Women’s matches have been shown on free to air, instead available online.

The Australian Professional Leagues can breathe a sigh of relief with Sydney advancing to what now won’t be an all-Victorian grand final, which will be held in the NSW capital.

Hunter said the A-League’s controversial decision to sell the next six men’s and women’s grand finals to Sydney in a contentious deal cut by the APL via Destination NSW gave her side extra incentive “because we didn’t want two Melbourne teams in a Sydney grand final”.

“When that announcement was made ... We were like it doesn’t really affect us because we’re going to be premiers anyway, and we’re going to earn that right to host the grand final,” said Hunter.

Sarah Hunter. Credit: Getty

In a decades-long tradition, domestic soccer previously granted the highest-placed team the right to host the A-League decider, which would have meant Western United’s home turf in Melbourne had Victory made it through and the deal not done.

Yet, the argument is moot with Sydney finishing top of the ladder, and securing their place in the decider.

Hunter added it will be a better spectacle with a home side involved, and that Sydney put in “so much work this season” to be able to be there.

“The pull is that you get to see your Sydney FC team play in the grand final... And no one has to stress that there’s two Melbourne teams, so I think the league’s probably happy for it, and we’re happy for it,” she said.

“I know what it’s like from last year, and it’s the best week ever and the best game. So to be just to be part of it is such a big thing for all of us.”