Gun playmaker Rhianna Pollicina has steered Melbourne City to a 1-0 win over Adelaide United to keep it firmly in the A-League Women premiership race.
Pollicina’s lovely curling strike in the 54th minute proved the difference at AAMI Park, sending City four games unbeaten while extending Adelaide’s winless run to six.
City is second on 25 points behind Western United (27) and ahead of Sydney FC (21, but with two games in hand).
Fifth-placed Adelaide (13) remains five points behind fourth-placed Victory.
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Sunday night’s match was delayed by 45 minutes due to stoppages in the preceding men’s game caused by a serious leg injury to Adelaide United midfielder Juande.
It took time for both teams to find their way into the game, with the best chance of the first half coming when City’s Julia Grosso hit the bar in the 19th minute.
But nine minutes into the second half, City found its breakthrough.
Leticia McKenna worked the ball to Grosso and the winger slipped through Pollicina.
The attacking midfielder cut around Nanako Sasaki and cooly curled her fifth goal of the season around Annalee Grove.
City continued to press and Grove made a good save in the 68th minute to deny Pollicina a second.
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Adelaide was not happy when Maruschka Waldus was knocked down inside the box during a corner in the 81st minute but nothing came of it.
Hannah Wilkinson could have made it 2-0 when she got on the end of a lovely Chelsea Blissett cross in the 84th minute but the striker sent her athletic close-range volley over the bar.
Shortly after, Grove did brilliantly to stop youngster Daniela Galic from charging into goal.
Adelaide had a late chance when substitute Meisha Westland forced a save from Sally James, who was otherwise rarely troubled in goal.
City was without veteran keeper Melissa Barbieri, who is sidelined for eight weeks with a calf injury.
-AAP
