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AAP
AAP
Anna Harrington

Gielnik scores wonder goal as Victory demolish WSW

Emily Gielnik has netted twice in the Victory's 4-0 ALW win over Western Sydney in Melbourne. (Rob Prezioso/AAP PHOTOS)

Striker Emily Gielnik has hit an extraordinary long-range goal amid a double to remind the Matildas of her quality while leading Melbourne Victory to a 4-0 win over Western Sydney.

Gielnik's wonderful long bomb in the 71st minute followed a 60th-minute bullet header, while winger McKenzie Weinert scored a brace herself - in the 21st and 63rd minutes - to end an eight-game scoring drought.

It was a statement win from Victory, who have struggled to click despite their quality and big names.

Victory leapfrog the Wanderers into fourth on the A-League Women table, just four points behind leaders Melbourne City

Gielnik missed last year's Women's World Cup through a series of ankle injuries, then suffered a calf strain early in her return to Victory.

A slow build into the season has paid dividends for the 31-year-old, who has four goals from her past five games.

While Gielnik's form spike has come slightly too early for selection for next week's Olympic qualifiers against Uzbekistan, the tall, speedy striker will surely come back into Matildas calculations.

Victory were on top from the opening minutes at the Home of the Matildas in Bundoora.

The hosts broke through when under pressure from Alex Chidiac, Wanderers goalkeeper Kaylie Collins dawdled on the ball and Weinert slid in to toe poke home

The Wanderers had a couple of good chances.

In the 26th minute, Danika Matos blasted over the bar while new Matildas call-up Sophie Harding turned a shot wide soon before half-time.

Their second goal arrived on the hour mark when Elise Kellond-Knight fizzed a wonderful corner towards Gielnik, who smashed home the header.

Three minutes later, Kellond-Knight picked out Kayla Morrison from another corner and the centre-back's header bounced on the goal line, where Weinert made it a certainty by nodding home under pressure.

Gielnik put an exclamation mark on the victory when she picked up a clearance just inside her own half, burst inside and, still level with the centre circle, brilliantly chipped Collins.

The Wanderers' night went from bad to worse when Malia Morris limped off with a lower leg injury in the dying moments.

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