Bottom-ranked Canberra United have stunned table-topping Melbourne City with a 3-1 ALW win at McKellar Park.
Two first-half goals in two minutes on Sunday built the hosts the foundation of what was easily their biggest win of the campaign.
Captain Michelle Heyman was everywhere for United and finished with a goal and an assist, her 37th-minute strike setting them on course for the upset result.
Canberra boss Njegosh Popovich was almost lost for words after his side claimed just their third win of the season against the league’s best team.
“What can you say? You beat the top team like that, the benchmark of the competition for such a long period of time, that's where we all want to be,” he said.
“It's a different level. For us to be able to beat them today was fantastic and I couldn't be more proud of the girls. They stuck to their guns.
“That is our benchmark … to beat the top team like that, you shouldn’t be worried about anybody else in the competition.”
Heyman wouldn’t be denied on a solo counter-attack and curled the ball home past Melissa Barbieri, before midfielder Mary Stanic-Floody struck from the edge of the box when the ball fell to her after a Nicki Flannery cross.
Winger Flannery sealed the points on 75 minutes, sliding in at the back post for an easy tap-in after a delightful cross from Heyman.
The only disappointing moment for United was a second-half stoppage time goal for City defender Taylor Otto that cost them their first clean sheet of the season.
Their streak of conceding a goal is up to 14 games.
The defeat adds to City’s mid-season form slump, with the club now having lost three times in four outings.
Hannah Wilkinson had their best chance to score in the first half but fired her shot straight at the chest of Canberra keeper Chloe Lincoln.
City rarely threatened in the second half until Otto bundle home their late corner.
In Sunday’s other contest, Newcastle saw off Wellington 3-2 at home at the No.2 Sportsground.
A 65th-minute goal from in-form striker Sarina Bolden separated the sides, with the Philippines international gathering the ball on the turn and curling it into the top corner in a moment of sheer class.
Mariana Speckmaier gave the visitors a lead inside four minutes with a bullocking finish from close range, in what was the Venezuelan’s fourth goal in three games.
The Jets pulled level before the break via 18-year-old Zoe Karipidis, when her cross beat everyone and found the back of the net.
Her teammate Libby Copus-Brown had got the Jets their lead back on 50 minutes through a scorcher that clipped the underside of the crossbar from the edge of the box.
But only seven minutes later, the Phoenix's Isabel Cox levelled things at 2-2.
The result lifted the Jets above the Phoenix into eighth on the ALW table.
