City dominate winless WSW, Mariners claim comeback win

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City dominate winless WSW, Mariners claim comeback win

Melbourne City have piled the pain on A-League Women strugglers Western Sydney with a 2-0 win, but their triumph has come at a cost.

The Wanderers suffered their fourth loss of the season after City’s Mariana Speckmaier struck true in the 45th minute, before Alexia Apostolakis added another at AAMI Park in wet conditions.

But a suspected left hamstring injury to Speckmaier put a damper on City’s win, given they were already without star midfielder Lourdes Bosch.

The Venezuelan international did not appear to suffer the injury as a result of contact, going to ground when she was outside of the contest in the 68th minute.

Later on Saturday, Central Coast claimed a come-from-behind 2-1 win over a Canberra ******* side missing star striker Michelle Heyman.

Western Sydney (no wins, one draw, four losses) are the only team yet to secure a win, while City go to the top of the table with a two-point buffer against the pack.

Adding to their woes, the Wanderers have again lost Holly Caspers to a right foot injury.

Caspers, in her first game since overcoming a knee injury, had played less than 10 minutes as a substitute before her foot caught the leg of City keeper Malena Mieres in the 84th minute.

Speckmaier, who was calling the shots for City before her injury, opened the scoring thanks to a quality pass from Kathryn Harvey.

With Western Sydney goalkeeper Shan Khamis off her line, the Venezuelan international outran Wanderers defender Ella Buchanan to find the back of the net.

Apostolakis added another for City when her 94th-minute free kick from outside the box deflected off the Wanderers wall and past Khamis.

Speckmaier almost opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Khamis mistakenly rolled the ball to her opponent.

Luckily for Khamis, Speckmaier’s attempt hit the crossbar and City forward Rhianna Pollicina’s follow-up went wide.

At Industree Group Stadium, Maja Markovski nailed a long-range shot to put Canberra ahead in the 38th minute, before Central Coast debutant Tiana Fuller drew scores level at 63 minutes.

Shay Evans then popped up five minutes later for the match-winner.

Central Coast should have opened the scoring when ***** Pennock earned an early penalty kick after she was fouled by Elizabeth Anton.

Instead, Pennock sent the ball straight to Canberra keeper Sally James in the 11th minute.

The win lifts Central Coast to third, while Canberra drop one spot to fifth.

Round five of the ALW continues on December 8 after the international window.

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