Our freshly crowned Premiers are back in action for the final time in the Ninja A-League regular season this Sunday, with Melbourne City travelling to Newcastle to face the Jets.
Riding high on the back of one of the most memorable days in Club history, Michael Matricciani’s squad will be looking to carry that momentum into the Hunter and finish the season on a strong note.
Here’s a look at what awaits this weekend.
Riding the wave
City heads into Sunday’s clash full of confidence and momentum following a remarkable afternoon last weekend that will live long in the memory.
Chinaza Uchendu’s dramatic 90th-minute winner secured progression to the AFC Women’s Champions League Semi Finals for the second consecutive season, sparking scenes of celebration at the Home of the Matildas.
As if that wasn’t enough, results elsewhere added to the occasion, with Wellington dropping points to confirm City as Premiers for a third straight season.
In doing so, City became the first team to achieve a three-peat in a full home and away Ninja A-League campaign, underlining the consistency and quality that have defined the squad across the season.
With silverware already secured and confidence at a high, City will be eager to maintain our strong form and take further momentum into the Finals series.
Opportunities open up
There will, however, be a different look to the City squad this weekend, with several key players unavailable.
Alexia Apostolakis, Danella Butrus and Shelby McMahon have all linked up with the Young Matildas ahead of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup, creating opportunities for others to step into the side.
McMahon’s absence in particular leaves a notable gap in midfield, though the experience of Leah Davidson shapes as a natural replacement after coming off the bench last Sunday.
City will also be without Holly McNamara (concussion) and Chinaza Uchendu (suspension) opening up some opportunities in attack for others within the squad to step up.
With top spot already secured and no change possible to our ladder position, Matricciani may look to utilise the depth of his squad and provide valuable minutes to emerging talent.
Should that be the case, players such as Izabella Rako, Kaya Jugovic and Keira Sarris could all be in line for opportunities as City balances maintaining rhythm with managing the squad ahead of Finals.
Finishing strong before the break
While there may be little riding on the result in terms of ladder implications, Sunday’s clash still presents an important opportunity for City to head into the Finals in strong form.
Following the conclusion of the regular season, the Ninja A-League will pause for a fortnight before the Finals Series begins. Having secured a direct path to the Semi Finals, City will then benefit from an additional week off, meaning an extended break between matches.
That makes this final outing all the more important, with the squad keen to maintain momentum and ensure it enters the decisive stage of the season with confidence and rhythm intact.
A professional performance in Newcastle would provide the ideal platform as City sets our sights on translating a historic regular season into Finals success.
Fixture Details
Ninja A-League: Round 22
Newcastle Jets v Melbourne City FC
Sunday 5 April, 4:00pm KO
Maitland Sports Ground
Live on 10 Play and Paramount+