Sydney FC will meet Western United in the A-League Women grand final after scrapping past Melbourne Victory with a last-ditch goal.
The 1-0 win at Allianz Stadium on Saturday ended Victory’s hopes of playing for a third consecutive championship, while it will be the Sky Blues’ third grand final appearance in as many years, as they seek to claim the premiership-championship double.
Sydney FC are through to grand final. Credit: Getty
Victory came into the match as reigning champions, while Sydney won their third consecutive premier’s plate this season.
The home side had a huge 25 shots on goal to just four from Victory and 19 crosses to six, but the game had a feeling of déjà vu to Sydney’s semi-final loss to Western United last week, as the premiers won the territory battle and played the game in their forward half, but couldn’t manage to score. Well, for the majority of the game.
Sydney landed the decisive blow in the 89th minute via the boot of Madison Haley, the ball having spilled from Victory’s star goalkeeper Casey Dumont, who was phenomenal all game.
The Sky Blues started to take control around the 30-minute mark, putting Victory’s defence under pressure. They created chances and peppered the goal but failed to find the back of the net as their opponents absorbed their advances.
Madison Haley of Sydney FC scores a goal. Credit: Getty
Sydney’s Charlie Rule was dangerous on the right flank, as was her teammate Princess Ibini on the left, along with Haley and Matildas star Cortnee Vine up front.
But Victory battened down the hatches with Beattie Goad, moved to left back with Amy Jackson suspended, captain Kayla Morrison and Dumont saving what could have been an avalanche.
Victory didn’t fire a single shot on goal in the first half, and their first corner came in the 84th minute.
Speaking at the half-time to Channel Ten, Dumont said her side were coughing up the ball too much, especially with sloppy passes, but that defensively they were working well behind the ball.
Kristy Fenton of Sydney FC and Ava Briedis of Victory contest the ball. Credit: Getty
She said for the second half they needed to “stay switched on and play our game”.
Unfortunately, much of that wasn’t seen as the visiting side were put on the back foot for much of the game as Sydney dominated.
Result a boon for grand final location controversy
The Australian Professional Leagues can breathe a sigh of relief as the result meant it will not be an all-Victorian encounter in the grand final, which will be held in Sydney.
Last year, the A-League made the controversial decision to sell the next six men’s and women’s grand finals to Sydney in a contentious deal cut by the APL via Destination NSW.
Previously, in a decades-long tradition, domestic soccer granted the highest-placed team the right to host the A-League decider, which would have meant Western United’s home turf in Melbourne had Victory made it through and the deal not done.
A big game, but with barely a crowd
The grand final rematch between two big clubs was played before pockets of fans in the stands, and the game was largely broadcast with a backdrop of empty seats.
For last week’s semi-final between Victory and Melbourne City, there was only a smattering of people at Casey Fields to watch the dramatic penalty shootout.
That game couldn’t be played at AAMI Park due to renovations ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, however Saturday’s game at Allianz Stadium was in the heart of Sydney.
Broadcast deals with Paramount+ and Ten have meant that no A-League Women’s matches have been shown on free to air, instead available online.
