Agnew stars as Roar claim 2-0 win over Victory at home

Brisbane Roar FC secured three points with a 2-0 win over Melbourne Victory at Gioca Stadium on Saturday in the Ninja A-League Women. Both goals came in the first half: Agnew broke the deadlock before turning provider for Markovski in first-half stoppage time. Victory had plenty of the ball and pushed hard after the break, but the Roar defended with resolve to keep a clean sheet and see out the result.

First half

Melbourne Victory had the better of the early exchanges at Gioca Stadium, with Sophie Harding twice testing the Roar inside the opening minutes. Chloe Lincoln was equal to the second effort, saving Harding’s shot from outside the box.

The visitors kept pressing through the middle part of the half, with Skye Leach, Anna Sutter and Holly Furphy all looking to test Lincoln from range. Lincoln saved from Sutter in the 16th minute, and the Roar’s back line kept the rest of those efforts off target or blocked.

Roar then began to find their way into the game. Murphy Agnew had a shot blocked from Katrina Guillou’s pass in the 30th minute, and Guillou sent a long-range effort just wide soon after.

Agnew broke the deadlock in the 36th minute, picking up the ball and curling a left-footed shot from outside the box into the bottom left corner. It was a clinical finish from the hosts against the run of play, and the Roar led 1-0.

Victory kept coming, with Angela Beard going close in the 39th minute and Lincoln saving from Sutter before the break. In first-half stoppage time, Agnew turned provider, crossing for Maja Markovski to head into the bottom left corner and make it 2-0 at the break.

Second half

Melbourne Victory made a double change at the break, with Ella O’Grady and Alana Jančevski coming on, and the visitors had the bulk of the ball from the restart. Jančevski tested Chloe Lincoln with a left-footed shot from outside the box in the 51st minute, and Lincoln saved it low to her right.

Sophie Harding’s header from an Alicia Woods cross was blocked in the 55th minute as the visitors kept pushing. Johno Clemente responded with two changes in quick succession, Kijah Stephenson replacing Natalie Tathem and Daisy Brown replacing goalscorer Maja Markovski.

Victory sent on Nickoletta Flannery for Harding in the 61st minute and kept coming, but the Roar back three of Isabel Hodgson, Hali Long and Rosie Curtis held firm. Daisy Brown nearly added to the lead from outside the box in the 70th minute, her shot from a Murphy Agnew pass missing to the right.

Abby Smothers replaced Lily Punch in the 73rd minute, and Flannery headed just wide soon after. Sienna Saveska was booked for a foul in the 77th minute, then saw a long-range effort kept out by Lincoln before making way for Sienna Techera, while Stephenson forced a save from Ayana Aoyagi at the other end.

Holly Furphy headed over from a corner and the Roar threw bodies in the way of Jančevski and Flannery as Victory pressed. Five minutes of added time were announced, Emily Roach replaced Agnew in stoppage time, and the Roar blocked and defended their way to the final whistle to secure a 2-0 win.

Full time

Three points and a clean sheet at Gioca Stadium make this a well-earned win for Brisbane Roar. The Roar took their chances in the first half, with Murphy Agnew involved in both goals, and then showed real discipline to protect the 2-0 lead after the break. The back line stayed organised, Chloe Lincoln was steady in goal, and Johno Clemente’s changes helped the Roar manage the second half and see out the result.

The numbers show how the win was built. Roar finished with 43.1% possession and seven shots to Victory’s 23, three of them on target, while Lincoln made five saves to keep the visitors out. It was a resilient defensive performance, backed up by sharp finishing when it mattered. The result also adds to the Roar’s record against Melbourne Victory, which now stands at 18 wins to 8 with 8 draws, and Roar will look to build on the way they defended and finished in this one.

Match details

Next match

Up next, Roar are back on the road to face Canberra United FC at McKellar Park on Sunday, 15 November (3:00pm local KO), looking to build on this win and push towards the top six.