<\/p>\n
Perth Glory have delivered one of the turnarounds of the season to stun Melbourne City 4-3 in a hectic goalfest and send the A-League Women’s finals race down to the wire.<\/p>\n
Midfielder Rhianna Pollicina’s goal in the 33rd minute on Sunday looked set to deliver City a 1-0 win in Perth to seal their finals berth. Instead, they could yet miss out altogether.<\/p>\n
The Glory started boom striker Cyera Hintzen on the bench after she dealt with a knee issue during the week but Perth exploded to life when she was introduced in the 59th minute.<\/p>\n
The striker had a hand in two goals and scored one herself to breathe life into Perth’s finals hopes.<\/p>\n
Sadie Lawrence and Hannah Blake struck in the 70th and 71st minutes to give the Glory a 2-1 lead, before Hannah Wilkinson equalised in the 72nd.<\/p>\n
Hana Lowry and Hintzen’s strikes in the 81st and 87th minutes gave the Glory a 4-2 lead, before City full-back Julia Grosso’s 91st-minute goal made for a show-stopping finish.<\/p>\n
“That performance, it’s a nice picture of actually how the whole season’s gone,” Perth coach Alex Epakis said.<\/p>\n
“We started slow, like we did in that match, we looked a little bit down and out, and then we found a way to overcome what we needed to, to get the result.<\/p>\n
“That’s how we’re going (in the) season as well. We started slow, we’ve had a nice little run of form, we’re going to finish strong.<\/p>\n
“Where that leaves us, we don’t know.”<\/p>\n
City had 30 shots and nine on target to Perth’s seven shots (four on target).<\/p>\n
Only Western United (36 points) and Sydney FC (34) are locked in for finals, with four clubs in the hunt for the final two spots.<\/p>\n
Dario Vidosic’s City (29 points) sit just ahead of fourth-placed Victory and fifth-placed Canberra (28 points apiece).<\/p>\n
Perth (25 points) have a game in hand on all three, facing Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar away in their final two matches. They will remain on the east coast all week.<\/p>\n
Victory travel to face Wellington while City host Canberra.<\/p>\n
“In the first half we were unbelievable. We completely dominated,” Vidosic said.<\/p>\n
“We had numerous great chances, we could have easily been 3-0 or 4-0 up at half-time but but that’s football, if you don’t take the chances.<\/p>\n
“We knew the day today – Kim Carroll’s last home game before retirement, Perth fighting for finals football to keep their hopes alive, the crowd gets into it and I think we shied away from that.<\/p>\n
“It sets up another blockbuster now for us at home against Canberra – we must win to get into the finals.”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n