Feature Image: Rachel Bach
NPLW Victoria players made their mark in the opening round of the 2016-17 W-League season.
There were promising debuts – particularly Kariah White’s cameo off the bench which drew plaudits, returns from injury, while others picked up where they left off from last year.
The aforementioned White, Selin Kuralay, Melissa and Adriana Taranto (all Galaxy United); Gulcan Koca and Rachel Alonso (Calder United), Lia Privitelli and Alex Natoli (Bulleen Lions); and Alex Cheal (South Melbourne) were the NPLW’s representatives for Victory, Tyla-Jay Vlajnic and Melina Ayres (Calder and Alamein respectively) featured for City, while Alamein FC shot-stopper Melissa Maizels lined up for Perth Glory in their 4-2 win over Western Sydney Wanderers.
At Coopers Stadium Melbourne Victory played out an entertaining 3-3 draw with Adelaide United, coming back three times from a deficit to earn a point, while Melbourne City commenced their title defence with a typically professional performance in a 1-0 win over Newcastle Jets at CB Smith Reserve.
White’s debut was the standout, with her second-half cameo providing the spark needed to lift Melbourne Victory to a share of the spoils.
With her introduction on the hour mark, she became one of three W-League debutants from the Victorian NPLW, alongside Lia Privitelli and Alex Cheal.
It took just three minutes on the park for the winger to make her mark, as she teed up Natasha Dowie with an inch-perfect cross from the right flank for a Victory equaliser.
She later showcased her technique with a delightful bit of skill to control an aerial ball and enjoyed a number of bursting run forwards past her defensive marker Georgia Campagnale.
We 👀 that touch @kidkariah! #ADLvMVC #wleague pic.twitter.com/f8BzYjdwus
— The Women’s Game (@TheWomensGame) November 6, 2016
Privitelli also made a tangible contribution as it was her final pass to Selin Kuralay that will be marked down as the assist.
Kuralay, of course, will get the plaudits, with the former Matilda’s turn and shot from distance the highlight of the contest.
The goal held particular sentiment for the midfielder who was felled with an ACL injury in last year’s corresponding opening round fixture.
Hopefully there is a better prognosis for Melissa Taranto, who exited the pitch after 10 minutes with what appeared to be a left knee injury.
Replacing her was her sister Adriana, who tried her best to craft out opportunities for her teammates, but her best moment came in the second half, when she crashed a shot into the upright.
There was a first ever W-league start for Alonso, and it came in her return to Adelaide – her former club.
She made way for White after having nearly created a goal of her own, with her cross for Dowie in the early stages of the second half seeing the Englishwoman graze the upright with her header.
It was a more difficult equation for the defenders, who were left exposed in the open, end-to-end nature of the game.
Natoli – playing just her third competitive game of football in six months – lined up in the centre of defence and was kept incredibly busy by the impressive Adriana Jones, but made a number of last ditch tackles in a solid enough showing.
Cheal, of South Melbourne, which is now an NPL club following a year in SL1, was utilised as a left back and showed her defensive nous on a number of occasions and put her physicallity to good use.
She looked comfortable on the ball and pushed forward when afforded the opportunity, although that did see her caught out of position on a few occasions as Adelaide sprung a direct attacking plan.
It was a turnover from Koca that resulted in Adelaide’s second goal as she lined up at right full-back for the Victory, but despite that, it was a serviceable performance from one of the Victory’s more experienced players, who saw plenty of the ball and completed a large number of passes.
At CB Smith Reserve, both Vlajnic and Ayres featured as late substitutes to help see out a 1-0 result.
It was a second W-League appearance from left-back Vlajnic who also featured in the first ever W-League Melbourne Derby, while Ayres chalked up her fifth appearance for the club.
Finally, there was a debut in Perth Glory colours for Melissa Maizels, who looks to have made the number one jersey her own for the 2016 season.
Despite conceding twice, Maizels looked assured in goals, highlighted by a reflex save off a deflected Joanne Burgess strike.