Treble-hunting Melbourne City have moved a step closer to the A-League Women premiership as they extended their record-breaking unbeaten streak to 20 matches with a 4-0 win over Brisbane Roar.
American defender Tyler Otto and Matildas striker Holly McNamara struck in each half to put City in control at Perry Park on Wednesday night before Bryleeh Henry and Mariana Speckmaier completed the rout.
McNamara’s 11th goal of the season drew her within one of golden boot leader Emily Gielnik before she was rested late in the match.
Fellow Matildas forward Tameka Yallop threatened several times for Brisbane but couldn’t find the back of the net.
City (46 points, 20 games played) lead Melbourne Victory (41 points, 19 games) and Adelaide United (39 points, 20 games) at the top of the table with just three rounds left to play.
Brisbane (25 points, 20 games) are clinging to sixth spot in a tight finals race ahead of Canberra United (24 points, 20 games), Wellington Phoenix (23 points, 20 games) and Perth Glory (22 points, 20 games).
The latest win kicked off a big week on the road for City, who will travel directly from Brisbane to New Zealand to play Wellington away at Porirua Park on Sunday.
It comes after Michael Matricciani’s side charged into the Women’s Asian Champions League semi-finals with a 3-0 win over Taiwanese club Taichung Blue Whale last weekend.
In Brisbane, Roar and City did battle in a match that was originally scheduled to be played on March 9 but was postponed because of Cyclone Alfred.
Yallop was gifted a brilliant chance to open the scoring in the first minute when she lapped up Karly Roestbakken’s poor back-pass and bore down on goal, but had her shot blocked by Otto.
McNamara forced a good save out of impressive Roar keeper Keeley Richards at the other end and the resulting corner led to a goal-mouth scramble, where Otto was on the spot to poke home the opener on the goal-line in the ninth minute.
Brisbane’s Evdokiya Popadinova was fortunate not to be shown a yellow card for a shove on Tyla-Jay Vlajnic, which drew the ire of McNamara.
It was City left-back Vlajnic who received the first booking minutes later for a heavy foul on Grace Kuilamu, the latter substituted out with an injury before half-time.
City doubled their advantage in the 70th minute when Brisbane’s Deborah-Anne de la Harpe failed to clear a long ball into the box and McNamara thrashed home a first-time strike.
Emily Pringle launched a long-range effort to force a save out of City keeper Malena Mieres, but it was one of few shots on target for the hosts.
Henry stole possession from Roar defender Isabela Hoyos Yanez in the 89th minute and calmly netted her chance.
Speckmaier rounded out the scoring when she nodded home Leticia McKenna’s cross in the fifth minute of stoppage time.