Summary
Thank you very much for joining me tonight. Sydney FC very worthy winners of the A-League Women premiership-championship double.
It’s been a superb end to the domestic season, and a perfect entrée to the Women’s World Cup on these shores at the end of July. I hope you join me back here for all that action as Australia and the Matildas dare to dream.
See you then.
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Tobin then takes the trophy of its pedestal and jogs over to her teammates, raising the championship to the sky as fireworks and confetti turn Parramatta Stadium into a blizzard of colour.
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) April 30, 2023
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Nat Tobin, in her 100th appearance for Sydney FC, is the last onto the dais. As the victorious skipper, she commiserates Western United, thanks her team’s sponsors, members, and active supporters, before reflecting on the relief of winning a grand final after three consecutive defeats.
Madison Haley Player of the Match
The 24-year-old American was too hot to handle up front for the Sky Blues. She scored twice, created countless opportunities for teammates, and worked tirelessly leading the line.
First up are the referees. Casey Reibelt had a good game, but on another day she could easily have sent off Vine before the game was sealed – and not awarded the penalty for Sydney’s third.
No Danny Townsend among the party, by the way. No suits at all from APL on stage.
Time for the presentation.
Rachel Lowe, who has superb in midfield, talked about how that aspect of the game was Sydney’s primary focus, the Sky Blues were determined not to be bullied in the middle of the park as they had been earlier in the finals against WUFC.
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Sydney’s players are having their moments on TV, all of them talking about the satisfaction after losing the previous three grand finals.
𝐖𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 pic.twitter.com/z9kzV6s11g
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) April 30, 2023
Here’s the first take match report, hot off the press. More to come from Joey Lynch at Commbank Stadium:
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That was a comprehensive 90-minute demolition job from Sydney FC.
Full-time: Western United 0-4 Sydney FC
The premiers are now the champions!
90+3 mins: This must be excruciating for Western united now. Blow the whistle ref!
90+2' | Substitution 🔀
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) April 30, 2023
➡️ Deborah-Anne de la Harpe
⬅️ Charlie Rule#SydneyIsSkyBlue | #WUNvSYD | 🔵 4-0 🟢
GOAL! Western United 0-4 Sydney FC
Into added time and Haley bags her second of the night with a scruffy finish in a goalmouth scramble after Beall saved the first effort but could do nothing with the rebound. Ibini created the first opportunity cutting in and crossing from the left. That’s the cherry on the icing on the cake for Sydney FC.
89 mins: That’s the final action of the night for Cortnee Vine, who, along with Mackenzie Hawkesby, is replaced. On comes Indiana Dos Santos, at 15, the youngest ever A-League grand finalist.
88' | Double Substitution 🔀
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) April 30, 2023
➡️ Indiana Dos Santos & Rola Badawiya
⬅️ Mackenzie Hawkesby & Cortnee Vine#SydneyIsSkyBlue | #WUNvSYD | 🔵 3-0 🟢
88 mins: Beall saves again, this time from Ibini, then there’s another scare as Vine tears down the right but WUFC smuggle the ball clear.
87 mins: The excellent Hawkesby has had plenty of opportunities to add a goal to her couple of assists but she can’t execute the lob when through in behind the WUFC defence with Beall way off her line.
85 mins: Rule one-twos her way to the edge of the box but her shot is charged down. Sydney FC are relentless.
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84 mins: This is good.
𝗘𝗧𝗖𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗠𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗢 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 ✍️ pic.twitter.com/5BJqH7vvaR
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) April 30, 2023
82 mins: It’s all petering out very limply for Western United, miles from home, surrounded by Sydney FC supporters.
80 mins: Jaber replaces the cramp-stricken Johnson for WUFC.
79 mins: More Sky Blue pressure around the Western United box. They’re not giving their opponents a sniff. WUFC will do well to keep the scoreline as it is in the final ten minutes.
Lowe comes off for Hollman to get a taste of a grand final victory.
77 mins: Haley would be my player of the match I reckon, although the list of contenders is long and even.
75 mins: Sydney continue to string passes together in the middle and final third with Lowe, Fenton, Hawkesby, Ibini and Vine all busy running off the magnificent Haley.
73 mins: Another Hawkesby corner, another Sydney header – Rule this time – but it’s harmlessly over the bar.
70 mins: Apologies, I just found myself distracted wading through Twitter suggesting most of the 9,500 fans inside the ground today had free tickets.
68 mins: Haley has been outstanding today and once again she’s too strong for WUFC, holding the ball up and releasing Vine down the right. The speedster tears down the flank, cuts in, but instead of heading for goal she looks for the cutback and Western United clear. Hannah Keane tries to turn the momentum single handedly and runs with the ball at the Sydney defence and almost carves her way through before McLean executes a textbook one-on-one tackle.
66 mins: It’s an ALW record crowd in Parramatta today, with over 9,000 making the trip to western Sydney.
65 mins: The scoreline does not flatter Sydney FC who have bossed this game from the opening whistle and looked the only team in it this half. However, that was a curious, soft penalty.
GOAL! Western United 0-3 Sydney FC (Ibini, 63)
Ibini drills the spot-kick low into the left corner. Beall doesn’t even dive. Game over.
Penalty! (Sydney FC)
Tremendous skill from the increasingly influential Ibini. She drives between two players, into the box, lays off to Haley but the chance goes begging. Then, out of nowhere, the whistle blows for a penalty! Replays suggest it was for an obstruction of the Sydney winger on her way into the box, but it was far from conclusive. WUFC are furious.
62 mins: It’s all got a bit scrappy with bodies flying everywhere in midfield and passes going astray from both sets of players.
60 mins: Western United have finally found a foothold in this half.
57 mins: Beall again denies Vine! Superb forward play with her back to goal by Haley, laying the ball off for Vine on the run with her left foot but it’s straight at the keeper. Haley, Ibini, and Vine have all been dangerous this half for Sydney. They’ve just lacked a final touch.
56 mins: They’ve been on the back foot all half but WUFC are gifted a free-kick in a dangerous area after Rule nudges Keane in the back as she accepts a long ball. This is a great shooting opportunity, but Taranto’s effort lacks the menace to beat Whyman.
55 mins: Now Beall denies Vine three times! The first is a block after a superb Hawkesby through-ball. The second great positioning after Vine retrieved the loose ball. Then the third a smother at the forward’s feet from the second phase. Western United hanging on.
We make an early change in the second half.
— Western United FC 🏆 (@wufcofficial) April 30, 2023
𝗢𝗡: M.Taranto
𝗢𝗙𝗙: Steer#WUNvSYD
54 mins: Still the Sky Blues keep pushing for a third. Lowe, who has been superb this half, is the latest to test Beall but her swivelled shot is straight at the WUFC keeper.
52 mins: Hmmmm, should Vine be off? An underhit backpass to Beall ends with the Matildas flyer collecting the WUFC keeper. Already booked for something similar in the first half, Vine is a little fortunate not to see another yellow, and a red.
51 mins: Hawkesby has a golden opportunity to seal the game but she belts her first-time effort from 8 metres wildly over the bar. The chance arrived after the second long spell of Sydney pressure on the edge of WUFC’s box with Ibini, Lowe, Haley, and Hawkesby all to the fore.
50 mins: Just as in the first half, Sydney are refusing Western United any time in possession. It’s hard to see where one goal will come from, let alone two.
48 mins: Sydney FC pick up where they left off with Princess Ibini orchestrating a beautiful move that ends with the forward just overhitting her through-ball for Hawkesby allowing Beall to gather.
46 mins: We’re back underway in Parramatta. Can Western United turn it around?
Sydney FC were the better of the two sides in that opening half and head to the break ahead thanks to two set-piece goals. Their dominance stems from their pressure without the ball all over the ground, while in Vine and Haley they have a pair of top class forwards.
Western United grew into the match after a slow start and forced Whyman into a couple of vital saves, but only Keane has looked like causing the Sky Blues any problems. If there’s to be a comeback it looks like it’s going to have to arrive off her boot.
Half-time: Western United 0-2 Sydney FC
The premiers are on course for the double at the break.
45 + 6 mins: Sydney now camped in WUFC’s half pinging the ball from one side to the other before three Americans collide near the penalty spot with Beall doing superbly to claim a long punt ahead of Haley and Cummings.
45 + 4 mins: Lowe does well on a number of occasions, winning the ball back for Sydney, turning smartly to create space, then keeping play moving with smart passes while teammates fail with Hollywood balls.
45 + 2 mins: Sydney continue to work the ball neatly down the right, but Vine is not relishing any contact. She’s doing well holding onto half-time and a full inspection of that left ankle injury.
45 mins: Another Hawkesby effort fails to trouble the scoreboard. This time her left-footed snapshot is easily saved by Beall after strong centre-forward play from Haley.
Seven minutes of injury time!
44 mins: Hawkesby has a good shooting opportunity on the left edge of the box but Cummings gets in the way. Fenton’s industry and Haley’s class created the chance.
43 mins: Vine goes on one of her mazy runs, but as she loses control she pulls up very gingerly, and she does not look happy with the world. This could be a major blow for Sydney FC, and potentially the Matildas.
41 mins: End-to-end now in Parramatta with Western United finally able to find a way through Sydney’s midfield. Now they need to figure out a route beyond Whyman, who’s save a couple of minutes ago was out of the top drawer.
38 mins: Keane is clearly the danger for Wester United, and she engineers a snapshot on the turn of the WUFC box that is deflected off the boot and saved by Whyman. That precedes a magnificent save by the Sydney shotstopper, raising a palm to repel a fierce drive from eight metres out. Western United have sprung to life!
36 mins: … and the second is not far behind! Whyman again has to be alert to dive low to her left to tip away a glancing effort from Keane that was destined for the far corner.
35 mins: The third yellow card of the day is administered to Sydney’s Rule for a wild boot to the face of Steer. There was no malice intended as she looked to control a high ball, but it was deserving of a booking. From the free-kick Sydney survive two goalmouth scrambles! The first sees Keane denied by a forest of legs, the second saved by Whyman following a deflection from a Cummings drive. The first scare for the Sky Blues.
33 mins: Sydney FC continue to force turnovers at will.
31 mins: There’s a lengthy delay while Cummings is assessed. Vine takes the opportunity to get her left ankle strapped following her earlier injury.
30 mins: No. Cummings wins the aerial battle this time, and accepts a nod to the nut from Tobin for her troubles.
29 mins: Vine is so dangerous. Despite being double-teamed she still backs herself to get to the byline on the right, and she earns a corner. Can Sydney make it three from three from this part of the field?
27 mins: Sydney’s pressure is unrelenting. WUFC are being denied time on the ball all over the field. Defenders are stepping out with aplomb, midfielders are in constant motion, and forwards are forcing their direct opponents in hurried clearances.
24 mins: From the free-kick, Haley wins the ball in the air, Ibini keeps it alive on the edge of the box and sets up Vine on the right. She cuts inside and creates space for a left-footed effort but the shot’s weak and easily saved.
23 mins: And now a booking for WUFC, Cummins, for blocking the run of Haley on the counterattack. There wasn’t a lot in that, but Haley played her angles cutely and bought the foul after strong work on the ground from Ibini.
21 mins: Sydney FC are flying. Bossing midfield, cutting through WUFC at will, but now there’s concern over star forward Cortnee Vine who collided awkwardly with Cerne after losing control dribbling into the box. To add insult to injury, Vine receives a yellow card for her troubles.
GOAL! Western United 0-2 Sydney FC (Tobin, 18)
Almost a replica goal for Sydney FC! Hawkesby with the same floating ball to the far post, this time Haley can’t power an effort towards goal, but she denies a clean clearance, and the second effort loops in off skipper Tobin despite two WUFC defenders on the line. Disastrous set-piece defending from Western United and goalkeeper Beall.
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18 mins: Another corner on the right to Sydney after some neat triangles…
17 mins: Super centre-forward hold-up play from Keane on the half-turn, but Sydney are quick to close down the outlet pass before a move can evolve. The defensive awareness from Sydney has been excellent.
15 mins: A stoppage in play while Cerne receives treatment after landing awkwardly following a robust – and perfectly timed – sliding challenge from the goalscorer Haley.
13 mins: As expected, it’s very willing in midfield, with nobody allowed any time on the ball in the middle third.
11 mins: Both teams operating very clear 4-3-3 formations. Sydney FC are looking to work the ball quickly to Vine on the right, Western United are searching for vertical passes into the feet of Keane. And that approach almost pays dividends with a long ball down the left brought down superbly by the American, inviting a left-footed snapshot that whistles just wide. She is a serious talent.
9 mins: Keane does well deep in her own half to shield the ball with her back to goal but she’s quickly swarmed over by Sydneysiders. Nonetheless, she wins a throw-in on the left that relieves the pressure and a couple of phases later Taranto has WUFC’s first effort on goal, curling a left-footed strike from range a fraction over the apex of post and bar. Good hit.
8 mins: Vine is bossing the game so far and she curls over a tempting early cross from the right that Haley almost connects with at the near post. It’s all sky blue in Parramatta.
6 mins: Sydney FC when they go ahead in 2023: 14 wins, one draw, no defeats.
GOAL! Western United 0-1 Sydney FC (Haley, 4)
Hawkesby’s corner is stood up to the far post and Haley climbs highest to power home the opening goal. Sydney FC off to a flyer!
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4 mins: Vine again scampers at the WUFC defence, this time on the right, but Vlajnić, the makeshift fullback, does well to concede the corner. The first effort is short, to Ibini, the second is delivered to the far post…
2 mins: Vine with an early burst through midfield after collecting a clearance near halfway and after a sharp turn and acceleration the Matildas flyer is dumped to the turf by Cummings with a classic tempo-setting reducer. From the resulting free-kick Hawkesby has a tame looping effort easily saved.
Kick-off!
The A-League Women grand final is underway!
Jessica McDonald, who brought out the A-League trophy for WUFC, is in the middle of an energised pre-match huddle, revving up her former teammates.
The two sides are making their way out onto the Commbank Stadium turf, Western United in green and black stripes, black shorts and socks; Sydney FC in sky blue jerseys and socks, offset by navy shorts.
These sides met a fortnight ago in the first week of the finals with Western United prevailing 1-0, thanks to a goal from American Hannah Keane, the competition’s leading goalscorer. During the regular season honours were even with a home win apiece, Keane again on target for United in their victory.
Today’s referee is Casey Reibelt. This is the Queenslander’s second grand final, ten years after her first.
Assistant referees are Mi Suk Park (QLD) and Maddy Allum (NSW), along with fourth official Isabella Blaess (SA) and fifth official Emma Kocbek (NSW).
Entertainment around the grand final today is headlined by Nina Las Vegas and DJ Yo! Mafia.
Nina Las Vegas will do the pre-game, and she, not a PR representative, absolutely definitely said: “2023 is going to be remembered as a historic year for women’s football, and I’m honoured to be part of the A-League’s journey by DJing at the Grand Final. I cannot wait to warm up the pitch the way I know how, through music!”
If WUFC win today they will become the fourth team in ALW history to win the championship at the first attempt, following in the footsteps of Brisbane Roar, Sydney FC, and Melbourne City.
Aside from the, well – everything, about the decision by the APL to sell hosting rights to the A-League grand finals to NSW, here’s why it matters:
This season, WUFC in Sydney: played 3 – W1-D0-L2.
This season, SFC in Sydney: played 12 – W10-D0-L2
WUFC have won one and lost two of their last three matches outside Victoria.
But I’m sure the Sydney-based APL and Sydney-based host broadcasters will tell us it’s no big deal.
The Venue 🏟️#SydneyIsSkyBlue | #WUNvSYD pic.twitter.com/0yiB3F8v8S
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) April 30, 2023
Sydney FC XI
All six PFA team-of-the-season representatives start in a powerful Sky Blues line-up.
𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 📋
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) April 30, 2023
Nat Tobin starts her 100th Sydney FC match meanwhile Indiana Dos Santos is on the bench and could become the youngest ever player in a Grand Final 👊#SydneyIsSkyBlue | #WUNvSYD pic.twitter.com/oxFyTXkmtz
WUFC XI
Disappointment for Western United with Chloe Logarzo failing a last-minute fitness test.
Our Grand Final line-up, locked 𝐈𝐍🔒#WUNvSYD pic.twitter.com/qsEJl24BdG
— Western United FC 🏆 (@wufcofficial) April 30, 2023
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of the A-League Women grand final between Western United and Sydney FC. Kick-off at Commbank Stadium in Parramatta is 4pm.
It’s a contest of contrasts on a beautiful autumnal day in western Sydney.
Competition newcomers Western United have reached the grand final at the first time of asking, where they will take on three-time champions (and five-time premiers) Sydney FC.
The Sky Blues are coached by former Socceroo Ante Juric, who has guided his side into a sixth consecutive grand final, while Western United coach Marc Toscaro doesn’t even have a wikipedia page yet, but he’s worked wonders in his first season in the professional game after earning his stripes in the Victorian state system.
On the pitch, six Sydneysiders make the PFA team-of-the-season squad, a group led by Matildas force Cortnee Vine, whereas just two green and black representatives made the cut.
While in the stands expect to see an overwhelming majority of support in favour of the nominal away side, thanks to the Sydney-based Australian Premier Leagues deal with the state government of New South Wales. With three Victorian clubs in the four-team finals there was the chance a Sydney grand-final could have been an embarrassing poorly-attended affair for the league’s governing body, but thanks to Sydney FC’s progress it should instead be an embarrassing well-attended affair.
I’ll be back shortly with team news and more build-up.
