The last two teams left standing were split by just a point on the league table and just a goal in the Semi Final – it all points to a titanic contest to crown a champion on Sunday, writes Taryn Heddo.
Western United, the newcomers. Sydney FC, the dynasty. It all comes down to this.
The apex of the Liberty A-League all season has been defined by these two teams. Western United started their debut campaign unbelievably with seven wins, but then were desperately trying to cling onto their lead at the top. Sydney FC, the two-time reigning premiers and combatants in the last five Grand Finals, were mowing them down.
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Every time Sydney thought Western would go away, they didn’t. It took until defeat of Newcastle Jets in the final round for the Sky Blues to finally overhaul Western United in the regular season.
Ultimate Liberty A-League Grand Final Guide: Everything you need to know
One point had separated the two teams during the season, and one goal separated them in the Semi Final. Western United secured a direct route to Sunday’s decider at CommBank Stadium, shocking the premiers, a single goal to Golden Boot winner Hannah Keane proving enough to sneak past Sydney.
Now, after Sydney overcame Melbourne Victory in the Preliminary Final, the two best teams in the 2022-23 Liberty A-League campaign meet again for a shot at the Championship trophy. Sydney won the first battle for silverware during the regular season. Can they do the double?
Western United’s XI
Western United are expected to line up in the same way that they did in the Semi Final against the same opposition, with one major exception. Angie Beard, who was so successfully able to mark the dangerous Cortnee Vine in the Semi Final, is unavailable – injuring her foot in that game. This leaves Western with a dilemma at left back.
One option is to move Tyla-Jay Vlajnic to left-back from left wing, a position that she is familiar with from her Melbourne City days. However, she hasn’t always had success marking Vine in her career. She’s received red cards twice against the Matilda in the Liberty A-League, including in last year’s Semi Final.
Another option is a straight swap. Julia Sardo could be promoted from the bench into left-back and be entrusted with filling that gap. She has largely played at right-back this season. The 27-year-old’s strengths lie in her ability to read play – she has the highest number of interceptions per 90 minutes in the Western United squad. Unfortunately, taking down Vine is a different challenge.
Intrigue surrounds the role that Chloe Logarzo might play in the match. Coach Mark Torcaso said post-game that she would be fit to play after re-signing with the club on March 24. Logarzo only played 216 minutes in her initial stint at the club but made an enormous impact, scoring three goals on the pitch and being a mentor off it. If she is available, it will likely be off the bench. For Logarzo, though, that doesn’t matter – in the grand final it might only take one opportunity to help her team to a Championship.
One player who almost certainly will play a huge part in the result is Hannah Keane. That Golden Boot came from 13 regular-season goals, and the door to goal only has to be ajar for her to burst through it. After the Semi Final 10 days ago, Sydney FC certainly don’t need a reminder of that.
Sydney FC’s Championship Key
The Sky Blues have competed in the last five Grand Finals but won only one. The spectre of those results will hang heavily over Ante Juric and his team. The first mental hurdle has been passed with the defeat of Melbourne Victory last week – the previous two champions – but they will have to be sure that the occasion of the Grand Final does not overwhelm them.
The key to the Championship for Sydney FC lies in their key players performing in big moments.
American Madison Haley has the most goals per 90 out of any player who has played more than three full games. She is also second in the league behind teammate Mackenzie Hawkesby for shot creating actions per 90, and second behind Cortnee Vine for goal creating actions per 90. In simple terms, when she has been on the park, she has been a phenom for Sydney FC’s attack. She has been clinical, too, performing nearly two full goals above her expected goals total.
Despite not having played in a Liberty A-League Finals Series before, she is no stranger to high pressure situations. She won the NCAA national championship twice for Stanford, in 2017 and 2019. Haley was a crucial player in those sides – across her five years in college she scored 20 times and assisted a further 26, meaning that she was contributing a goal or an assist every second game throughout her college career.
A less heralded player who may well be crucial to Sydney’s success is Rachel Lowe. She started in midfield in the Preliminary Final but has also been deputising for Haley up top, contributing with four goals and an assist. She has consistently found herself in the right places, but at times has lacked the finishing touch – her four goals have been scored against an xG of 6.5. If she can find that touch in the grand final, she could well carry Sydney FC to victory.
The outcome
These two teams were almost impossible to separate during the season. The Semi Final was an arm wrestle, a scrap that Western just shaded could have been different on another day. It is difficult to make any predictions for how this game will go.
Western United will likely set up to play the same way that they did in the Semi Final. If they can negate Sydney’s attacking threats and ensure that they are clinical with their own, they will be in a with a shot of walking away with the Championship in their first ever season.
Nonetheless, Sydney FC will feel like this is their year. They had the better of the game last time around. This time, it is all about execution.
The final page of the 2022-23 Liberty A-League season is yet to be written. I can’t wait to turn that page on Sunday.
