Young striker Holly McNamara celebrates Matildas call up with hat-trick as Melbourne City thrash Western United

Holly McNamara celebrated her inclusion in the Matildas squad with a first-half hat-trick, helping Melbourne City secure a dominant 5-1 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers and solidify their lead in the A-League Women.

The 22-year-old standout attacker, McNamara, was named in the Australian squad on Tuesday for the upcoming SheBelieves Cup, which includes matches against Japan, the United States, and Colombia. This marks McNamara's first return to the national team in two years, and her third overall, after recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, having previously made three appearances for Australia.

In the match, McNamara opened the scoring in the 3rd minute, but Chloe Logarzo, the Western Sydney Wanderers captain who was surprisingly left out of the national team, equalized with a stunning long-range strike in the 26th minute. However, McNamara responded by tapping in a rebound in the 36th minute and then completed her hat-trick two minutes later with a clever chip. She was substituted in the 57th minute due to a suspected cramp. She has now scored six goals and provided one assist this season, with Melbourne City holding a five-point lead over second-placed Melbourne Victory.

Rhianna Pollicina assisted on two of McNamara's goals and then added one of her own in the 59th minute, before Lourdes Bosch sealed the victory in the 71st minute, ensuring Melbourne City's first win over their cross-town rivals. However, there were concerns for Western Sydney Wanderers midfielder Melissa Taranto, who suffered a potentially serious injury before Pollicina's goal.

McNamara's comeback is a heartwarming story of perseverance. As she said in an interview with Paramount Plus in November, discussing her recovery from yet another ACL injury: "It takes time, a lot of time. Finding the right balance, getting all the data that I need. There are a million things that go into it." Melbourne City will travel to face the Newcastle Jets on Saturday, while Western Sydney Wanderers, who are currently sixth in the standings, will be away against Sydney FC on Sunday.