Matildas hopeful Remy Siemsen may have to make do with a spot on Sydney FC's bench for a while yet after American import Madison Haley stole the show in a 4-0 A-League Women win over the Brisbane Roar.
Haley was a class above on Saturday, becoming Sydney's first female player to score a goal at Allianz Stadium and leaving Sky Blues head coach Ante Juric with a selection headache and an embarrassment of riches in the final third.
She grabbed a first-half double as Sydney put together their third consecutive win to move up to third, behind league leaders Melbourne City and Western United by virtue of their inferior goal difference.
Four-cap international Siemsen is only just a few weeks back from a stint with Swedish side AIK but has yet to start in the ALW in her three games since returning to Australia.
She enjoyed a 15-minute cameo, coming on for Haley towards the end of the game and she made that time count by setting up Sarah Hunter for Sydney's third and then notching her own effort in the 93rd minute.
Haley made her intent known early on when she fired a Mackenzine Hawkesby corner onto the post after just six minutes and enjoyed a fruitful combination with wingers Princess Ibini and Cortnee Vine.
The Roar were restricted to chances on the break with Hollie Palmer and Shea Connors unable to convert when they cut the Sky Blues open in transition.
Their failure to capitalise on those brief moments came to cost them when Sydney broke down the right flank.
Ibini whipped in a low cross-cum-pass which Hawkesby allowed to run towards Haley, with the American firing past Roar goalkeeper Hensley Hancuff in the 33rd minute.
The 23-year-old striker wasn't done there, adding a second just before halftime.
Haley shrugged off a Jamilla Rankin challenge near the byline before turning to put a well-weighted dink over the head of Hancuff to make it 2-0 at the break.
Haley was taken off while hunting for her hat-trick, with Siemsen replacing her for a 15-minute stint at the end.
She laid back a deft pass for Hunter to fire in from close range in the 91st minute before adding her own name to the scoresheet.
