The 2025-26 Ninja A-League season has reached its climax with just four teams remaining, and aleagues.com.au is your go-to source for all the details as we head into Week 2 of the Finals Series.
Keep reading to get the lowdown on everything essential ahead of this weekend’s Semi-Finals encounters.
Melbourne Victory v Melbourne City
Saturday, May 2 – AAMI Park – 5:00pm AEST
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City looking to rectify last season’s missteps and reach the Grand Final.
After facing a semi-final exit against Central Coast last year, premiers Melbourne City are determined to improve their fortunes this time around.
If there’s one outfit eager to thwart their ambitions, it’s Melbourne Victory.
Victory secured their place in the semi-finals with an emphatic 3-1 triumph over Canberra United last Saturday.
City’s captain, Rebekah Stott, understands that securing the Premier’s Plate doesn’t mean their work is finished.
“We accomplished our goal for the season by winning the Premiership, but now we enter the finals, which is an entirely different scenario.
“Our aim is to do what’s necessary to win that game.”
Stott further elaborated: “Last season, we faced a lot of pressure. This season, capturing the Premiership involved significant pressure as well, especially from the Champions League matches.
“We learn to handle that pressure, and I believe that experience can be leveraged in the upcoming final games.”
City has now clinched the Premiers Plate for an astonishing third consecutive season, with one of those being an undefeated league run.
Nevertheless, those Premiership titles have yet to culminate in Championship victories, and Stott believes this year must be different, particularly regarding City’s clubs ambitions.
“At City, we have all the resources we need. It’s not just about football; everything we do is of the highest quality—from gym sessions to team meetings—everyone knows their role here.
“Thus, it’s expected of us to perform well and claim titles. This level of responsibility and pressure is significant here at City.”
Melbourne Victory will enter this encounter as the underdogs, a tag they embrace after their performance against Canberra United.
Manager Jeff Hopkins was not just pleased with their play against Canberra, but also with their preparation leading up to it.
“There was an energy in our changing room that we hadn’t experienced all season, and they carried that onto the field. We weren’t going to be beaten today, that’s for sure,” commented Hopkins following the victory at McKellar Park.
“Rather than feeling nervous or apprehensive, we wanted to enjoy the game.”
“The girls played with confidence today; they weren’t afraid to demand the ball, and we work on that mentality.”
“Being thoroughly prepared instills confidence in both themselves and the team. If we believe our mindset and game plan are correct, they fully commit to our directives.”
In their previous encounters, Melbourne City managed to turn around a deficit to secure a 2-1 victory before Christmas, while their most recent match in February ended in a goalless draw.
Brisbane Roar v Wellington Phoenix
Sunday, May 3 – Spencer Park – 5:00pm AEST
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Phoenix prepare for their first-ever Ninja A-League finals appearance
Wellington’s entry into their inaugural finals series was nothing short of spectacular, finishing in second place and securing a direct passage to the semi-finals.
The advantage of qualifying directly meant that Wellington and their head coach, Bev Priestman, have enjoyed ample time to rest ahead of the semi-final first leg.
However, the downside of this extended break is that players haven’t competed since April 3.
“Honestly, hanging around has been torture,” revealed Priestman during a midweek press conference.
“Yet I feel once we identified our opponent, everything turned around.”
“Preparedness is a significant part of managing pressure, and we excel in preparing as a unit; we’ve undertaken extensive work on penalties, closing out games, and the various scenarios that could arise.
“Now it’s about focusing on the task at hand and polishing up a few aspects.”
“When we played a game recently, it was a bit disjointed because some players hadn’t played for three weeks due to injuries.”
“Overall, that game proved quite beneficial for us, and we’ve honed in on our objectives as we look towards next week, which is promising.”
Aside from their 2-2 draw with Auckland United, the Phoenix received good news this week as they announced key midfielder Grace Jale will remain for another season in the Ninja A-League.
Additionally, Wednesday marked Priestman’s 40th birthday, a celebration the entire team participated in.
“We had an enjoyable celebration this morning, and I certainly felt at the centre of it all!” laughed Priestman.
“It’s been a great week, and with the club awards last night, we’re looking to cap it off with three points this weekend, which would be the perfect birthday present.”
From an external perspective, the influence the English coach has had on the Phoenix this season is clear, steering them towards their inaugural finals appearance.
“She’s absolutely outstanding; she brings a unique character and plenty of personality,” stated Wellington joint top-scorer Brooke Nunn.
“Her intelligence and ability to bring out the best in players is remarkable. She’s both an excellent coach and a fantastic person, and her contributions to the Phoenix are evident in our achievements this season.
“We’ve got an amazing group of players, and you can see the potential within the team, along with an admirable winning mentality that’s great to be a part of.
“To secure second place and jump right into the semi-finals is an incredible feat for us.”
“We’re ready to take on anyone. It doesn’t matter who we face; we’re united and excited about how far we’ve come. We’re looking forward to the next challenge and aiming for the finals.”
Brisbane had their share of challenges throughout the season, but they’re peaking at the right moment, having recently secured a 3-0 victory over Adelaide in the elimination final.
“We’re most effective when pressing forward,” remarked Head Coach Alex Smith post-match against the Reds.
“We’ve developed into tough opposition while on the offence, and that shift in approach towards the end of the season seems to be benefiting our current form.”
“Wellington is a formidable opponent; they’ve invested significantly in their women’s program, so we expect a tough match ahead. However, based on our performance tonight, we don’t fear anyone.”
“It’s a challenge that we will embrace. We haven’t encountered a situation we couldn’t manage this year, and the upcoming semi-final will be no different. We’ll head into next weekend full of confidence.”
Brisbane has faced Wellington twice this season, failing to secure a victory, with their January matchup ending in a dramatic 2-2 draw and a subsequent 3-0 defeat in March.
Compiled by SportArena.au.
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