Summary
So, it’s a fourth championship in five seasons for Melbourne City - the team that has changed the face of the domestic competition since their arrival.
Steph Catley is awarded the player of the match - and fair reward too for her rampaging runs down City’s left.
Sydney FC’s incredible ever-present skipper Teresa Polias with a heart-tugging speech. “This group of girls - I will lose beside you a thousand times, if that’s what it takes.” Before reverting to the mandatory football catch cry of “We go again next season”.
Steph Catley is her bubbly, effusive self. “It was such a fun game today”. A sentiment not shared presumably by at least half of the players on the pitch.
And after a curious handshake-free ceremony that includes players picking up their own medals off a tressle table, finally City lift the trophy.
And on the balance of the season nobody can say it’s not well-deserved.
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So many incredible talking points. Did I just hear that correctly - is that a 7th W-League title for Aivi Luik?! Not bad for a competition that’s only been running eleven seasons.
It’s an elated Kyah Simon talking post-game. “I missed most of last season, so to come back, win a title, play undefeated, it’s a dream come true”.
Both she and Steph Catley congratulate their opponents Sydney on a hard-fought game. You have to say, as a neutral, they were unfortunate not to get something from that game. At the very least you would have loved to see the pedigree City side be forced to go out and really win the contest.
But, that’s finals football - sometimes just one moment, one error, can be the difference.
Full-time: Melbourne City 1-0 Sydney FC
And there’s the whistle! Melbourne City have won their fourth W-League championship.
The Sydney FC players slump to the ground - they gave their absolute all, and many would say they were hugely unfortunate to lose in this manner.
City won’t mind - there players run to hug one another and the bench celebrates. Last year’s blemish is forgotten - City are champions once again!
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90 + 3 min: Sayer with it in midfield, but she has her pocket picked by Van Egmond, and the scattering of home supporters sound their appreciation as Williams dives on a loose ball and soaks up vital seconds.
90 + 1 min: Oh my, it’s almost a second for City, as Mijatovic closes down Bledsoe, but the ricochet rolls just past the post. What a hammer blow that could have been.
Sydney FC push Alanna Kennedy up front - they’re throwing everything at this.
89 min: City win repeat throw ins and they’re in no hurry as they take the sting out of the game.
And the board comes up - we’ll have four added minutes. Is there one last flourish for Sydney FC?
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87 min: They’re throwing everything at this, Sydney FC - terrific heart given the mismatch, at least on paper in terms of experience, between these two squads.
Ibini finds Huerta inside the box, but her touch is poor and the defence steps in to clear.
84 min: Final roll of the dice from Sydney, as Hawkesby comes on for Ray, and Watt replaces Simon for City.
Six minutes plus added time to make a name. Can either of these print their names in light?
82 min: Brilliant work from Kennedy and Brush who cover as Carpenter breaks free after a fine ball from Simon. The first closes down the flying fullback, the latter anticipates the cutback ball and clears.
80 min: Save! Was that the match?! Huerta with a terrific stepover to free up Princess Ibini inside the box. She drills her shot across Williams, but Australia’s No 1 gets a strong hand to it and saves. Massive stop from the City custodian.
79 min: Kennedy plays a booming crossfield ball to look for Latsko but it just runs out of field. City in no hurry with the restart to the frustration of the Sydney FC bench.
76 min: A lengthy delay and chat as we stop for a drop ball, but Sydney FC players are perplexed at the non-award of what appeared an obvious offside.
Anywho, we play on. Still a lot of spike and feeling out there - so many born competitors in both sides, they won’t go quietly today, Sydney FC.
73 min: Amy Sayer comes on for Nat Tobin in the Sydney FC midfield. Another underrated showing from the veteran sky blue. Up against players the like of Van Egmond, Kinga and Luik, but she hasn’t looked out of place. What can the youngster add to the contest.
69 min: A few signs that this one is just starting to get stretched - a really crucial 5-10 minutes ahead; if Sydney can pinch one here it really could be game on, but conversely, this might be where City put the game to bed.
Clare Lawrence has written in:
Sydney started strong but have faded since conceding that goal. Two seriously unlucky moments with Bledsoe’s mistake and the uncalled penalty and now is when you would really love to have Logarzo and Foord walking out in sky blue. Sydney will need to score first to have any hope of coming back.
Don’t disagree with that assessment, Clare. You can’t look backwards but given how little game time they’ve seen respectively in the UK Super League, you’d love to have seen those two Matildas playing for Sydney today.
67 min: A first sub for City - it’s Mijatovic on for Kinga. They’re not taking the foot off the pedal, a striker for a midfielder. Many would try and shut up shop, but you have to respect the attacking instincts.
65 min: Luik with a good win in midfield - she’s not billed as one of the stars of this side, but her work is critical to City’s end product.
Carpenter is increasingly coming into her own as bodies tire. Sydney FC have kept her pretty well marshalled, but she flashes a shot/cross just past Bledsoe’s post. Another warning shot across the bows.
62 min: Ante Juric looks to make his first change, as Princess Ibini gets stripped and ready to enter the fray. It’s Siemsen off, to some raised eyebrows. The joint-golden boot trots off, she won’t add to her tally tonight.
60 min: A break in play as Agnew receives treatment. She and Simon went down in the box with City players screaming for a penalty. Replays suggest it was a fair challenge, with the striker caught between two defenders fighting for the ball.
57 min: Simon springs the offside trap - it’s a huge chance one-on-one, but she drags her shot wide! A big let off for Sydney FC - can they use that as a morale booster to find the equaliser? Their final could have been over then and there.
55 min: Carpenter and Agnew come together, and it’s a free kick to the Sydney FC left back. Kennedy with a poor giveaway at the back, but she covers her error with a good foot in.
There are tackles flying in everywhere out there - there may be hardly any crowd due to the coronavirus regulations but it’s certainly not a friendly.
52 min: Van Egmond and Catley play a short corner and it’s the skipper who curls it in, but it’s headed cleared by Taylor Ray. She’s been good in the heart of midfield, the FC youngster, and Sydney clear their lines.
49 min: Off the line! What a chance that was - Sydney FC get one-on-one with Williams, who gets a vital hand to the lofted shot to slow it down, before Carpenter recovers to clear with the goal gaping!
Not sure who got the shot away - I think it was Latsko? Could she have made more of that, the American? Credit the keeping, and then the recovery from Carpenter though.
47 min: Words from City’s coach just after the break - Rado Vidosic wants to see his side moving the ball quicker and playing with more width to get round this Sydney FC press. He gives credit to his opponents, but remains confident his side can see it out from here.
Second half!
45 min: And we’re away - the final 45 minutes of the W-League season - unless we head to an unprecedented extra-time and/or penalty shootout.
So, your thoughts on that opening half? Where is it being won and lost? And who could be a potential X-factor in the second stanza?
Half-time: Melbourne City 1-0 Sydney FC
And there’s the whistle. Sydney FC harried and hurried, but it’s two significant slices of fortune that see the undefeated regular-season side Melbourne City take a narrow lead at the break.
An unfortunate goalkeeping error from Bledsoe gifted City the opener, before Steph Catley was fortunate not to concede a penalty after the ball appeared to strike her hand inside the box.
It’s still in the balance this one, but you’d imagine Sydney have to score next to be any chance from here.
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45 min: Just the one minute of added time, but some concern as the City skipper Catley stays down. Not too clear what the injury is, perhaps a whack on the schnozz. She appears to be up and moving freely again now.
42 min: Ray steps in and wins it in midfield before Siemsen releases Huerta who forces a fine save out of Williams.
She hasn’t been overly tested, the Matildas’ No 1, but she had to be on her mettle there to deny the former Mexican, now American, international.
39 min: Kinga is finding plenty of the ball at the base of midfield, as she starts another good passage of play for City.
Another coming together between Huerta and Carpenter. We’ve spoken a lot about Carpenter’s youth over the years but she’s also pretty tenacious. Plenty of robust stuff going on out there.
36 min: Interesting! Catley looks to take a ball in the face in the box, but replays suggest it was an outstretched arm! No VAR in the W-League, but you’d have to say - they were fortunate not to concede a penalty there, the premiers.
Neither Melbourne City nor Sydney FC have conceded a penalty this season in the league, but that really should have been the first. Huge reprieve - and fortune favours the table-toppers once again.
33 min: They’re struggling to play it out, Sydney. When they do win it they’re not finding teammates to feet, as they increasingly look long.
Another close call - it’s Simon who throws a boot at it, and has that rattled off the crossbar! It has. A really dangerous patch for the visitors - they cannot afford to go two down; City simply wouldn’t let a lead like that slip.
30 min: City with it at the back, looking to build some passages of sustained possession. Sydney are still pressing well, nipping in and not allowing Melbourne too much time on the ball, as Brush steps in and clears upfield.
City then find Emslie free in the box and Bledsoe goes a long way to saving her blushes there - that’s a huge one-on-one save!
26 min: A well-worked move from City sees Barnes feed Van Egmond who tests Bledsoe with a sharp flat strike. Better from the ‘keeper, who will be grateful for that solid touch.
They’re starting to see plenty of the ball down their left-hand side, Melbourne City - Sydney may have kept Carpenter quite so far, but it’s the skipper Catley that’s really posing problems.
23 min: A fierce coming together between Latsko and Carpenter who thunder in to win it. It’s deemed a freekick to Sydney FC, but City get to the cross first and look to launch a swift counter attack.
20 min: A real sucker punch for Ante Juric’s side - they didn’t deserve that on the balance of play - and it’s not like a team like Melbourne City need any extra help. A real test of character of now for Sydney FC.
Goal! Melbourne City 1-0 Sydney FC (Catley)
15 min: Ach! I’d just given Bledsoe the pump up, but it’s an awful goalkeeping error. Catley plays a fine one-two with Van Egmond and receives the ball at the edge of the box. She drives a decent strike straight at the Sydney FC shotstopper, but she’s got her hands all wrong, and it spills in! What an awful moment for the on-loan Washington Spirit star.
12 min: A ball in from City’s right, but it’s too long for Simon in the middle, Bledsoe happily sees it out for a goal kick.
After a good first ten from the visitors, it’s City that are starting to get their feet on the ball, as Catley darts in from the left to the delight of the small smuggled-in home supporters.
9 min: As you’d expect in a final a relatively tight opening offering. Sydney are pressing high and hard, snapping at the heels of the City playmakers, and they’ve earned a freekick in an attacking situation.
Huerta looks to float it in, but its Emma Checker who gets to it first with the head, and clears.
6 min: Van Egmond looks for Emslie down the left, but she’s just offside and play comes back. So much experience between Kennedy and Brush at the back for Sydney FC and they’ve got that one exactly right.
4 min: An early touch for Sydney’s ‘keeper Bledsoe. What a gem in the competition she’s been over the seasons. Could there be a decisive contribution from her in today’s final?
Kickoff!
1 min: It’s Sydney FC in an unfamiliar white strip, with the home side winning the right to wear the sky blue that’s customary to both teams.
An early opportunity for Latsko - one of Sydney’s US imports - but she blazes a shot/cross deep over Williams’ goal.
Okay! We’re not a million miles away from kickoff - the players are out on the pitch, going through some last warm ups. Can’t wait.
Unsurprisingly, it is Melbourne City that dominate the head-to-head in recent years: you have to go back to 2017 for the last time Sydney FC stopped this Rolls Royce machine.
They’re on a 15-game unbeaten streak in the league, too - but you just never know in one-off finals matches. All the pressure will have been on City this week, Sydney know they’ll be up against it.
A goal to Remy Siemsen could send her to outright top in the golden boot race - I wonder if that figures in the back of the Sydney FC striker’s thinking?
I can’t stop looking at the City XI, phwaor.
Seven Matildas, a Scottish, Kiwi and 100-cap former Japanese international superstar. And then they’ve got players like Dobson and Mijatovic to come off the bench. Absolute fire.
For Sydney FC there’s still plenty to like in a squad that’s strong enough that there’s no room for rising stars Shay Evans or Julia Vignes even on the bench. A huge day for young midfielder Taylor Ray you’d imagine, while Canadian import Lindsay Agnew has a tremendous task on her hands to try and stop the rampaging Ellie Carpenter down Sydney’s left.
But - without further ado - to team news!
Here’s how the home side, Melbourne City, will line up:
Our team for today's #WLeagueGF is in! 💪 pic.twitter.com/iyl33JmTKt
— Melbourne City FC 🏙️ (@MelbourneCity) March 21, 2020
And the visitors, Sydney FC:
LINEUP | Here’s now your Sky Blues shape up for today’s @WLeague Grand Final!
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) March 21, 2020
Unchanged from last week’s Semi-Final win 👍#SydneyIsSkyBlue #WeAreChampions #WLeagueGF pic.twitter.com/z5gJzEbREM
So, a slightly unusual W-League final awaits us. Given the context of the coronavirus it will officially be a behind-closed-doors events at AAMI Park, but the word is the governing body has allowed a handful of tickets for players for their immediate family. Presuming they all sit five seats apart, you imagine.
It’s a strange vibe for what should be a day of celebration. Melbourne City were disappointing last season, failing to make the finals after three consecutive championships, but “Rado’s revolution” has paid dividends in coach Rado Vidosic’s second season at the helm - some of the football City have played this campaign has been scintillating; it’s hard to see where opposite number Ante Juric can find weakness.
Scottish international Claire Emslie has been imperious this season for the home side, but she has told the BBC how tricky the off-field circumstances have made preparations.
“This week has been a bit crazy. It’s mixed emotions really. The last two days have been really stressful off the pitch because obviously countries are going into lockdown.
“We’ve got a few internationals so are we going to get home? Will we be stuck in Australia? Where are we going to live? All that sort of thing is going through players’ heads.”
Hi all. Best of season to thee and thine - I hope this finds you well, wherever around the world you’re following our coverage today.
Are you a Thorns tragic from west coast USA, still remembering the glory days of Steph Catley tearing it up alongside Vero Boquete, Tobin Heath, Christine Sinclair and Alex Morgan? Get in touch, we’d love to hear from you - via twitter or email.
I want to hear predictions, reminiscences; hell - send us some fan pics of you with EvE, Kyah, Alanna Kennedy etc.
Preamble
They’ve competed in seven of the eleven W-League finals, and as the winners of the last four championships there’s little doubt that these are the two powerhouses of the Australian domestic game.
With the late-season raiding of the W-League by overseas leagues though this still looms as a mismatch, such has been the form of Melbourne City this season the loss of players like Caitlin Foord and Chloe Logarzo comes as a huge blow to Sydney FC as they look to defend their title.
Stopping City’s Matildas-laden squad is the starting point - Emily van Egmond has been scoring for fun, Ellie Carpenter is arguably the hottest property in the league, and Kyah Simon has made a big comeback to the top of her game this season after a run of injuries.
Still, there’s plenty of experience in Sydney FC’s line up, whose back five (including ‘keeper) remain imposing, and it could be a game tailor made for Princess Ibini or Remy Siemsen to make a name for themselves.
Plenty to look forward to in this one - the big dance - the 2020 W-League grand final.
