Melbourne Victory have closed on sealing an A-League Women top-two berth and remain in contention for the premiership after Nickoletta Flannery’s double delivered a 2-1 win over third-placed Adelaide United.
The Victory (44 points) remain firmly in the hunt for the ALW premiership after drawing within two points of leaders Melbourne City (46) and five clear of Adelaide (39).
City, who face Wellington on Sunday, and the Victory each have three games left to play, while the Reds have two.
The top two get the first week of finals off, then host the second match of their two-legged semi-final.
Flannery looked set to deliver the win with a thumping strike in the 69th minute, before Dylan Holmes equalised from the penalty spot in the 86th minute.
But five minutes later, Flannery headed home to send the Victory into ecstasy.
Adelaide entered Saturday’s game three points behind their hosts and needing a win to realistically stay in the hunt for the premiership plate.
They suffered a blow before the game even started when goalkeeper Claudia Jenkins suffered an injury in the warm-up, with 16-year-old Ilona Melegh debuting as a late replacement.
The Pride Cup clash at AAMI Park shaped as the game of the round, but threatened to fizzle out to a 0-0 draw for much of the afternoon.
Then Jessica Young worked the ball out wide to Flannery, who cut onto her right and let rip from the edge of the box.
United earned the chance to equalise when Emily Gielnik needlessly handballed in the penalty box, with Holmes coolly converting the spot kick.
But Gielnik, overlooked for April’s Matildas squad, made amends when she burst down the right in added time and lifted a cross into a dangerous area for Flannery to thump home a header.
Later on Saturday, Perth Glory will host Canberra United.