The Liberty A-Leagues action concluded on Sunday with three matches as the defending champions marched towards history.
WATCH: Wild end to 5-goal thriller incl. 7-minute brace to save a season & keeper’s red card
The day got underway in the nation’s capital, where Canberra United defeated Wellington Phoenix at McKellar Park thanks to legendary striker Michelle Heyman.
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Then, titleholders Sydney FC proved too strong for lowly Adelaide United at Leichhardt Oval, while Brisbane Roar eased past Perth Glory at Perry Park.
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MATCHDAY AGENDA
Canberra United 1-0 Wellington Phoenix – McKellar Park
MATCH REPORT: Matildas star poised for Golden Boot & within touching distance of history after equalling record
Record-equalling A-Leagues legend Michelle Heyman took a giant step towards claiming the Liberty A-League Golden Boot after leading Canberra United past Wellington Phoenix 1-0.
Matildas forward and two-time Golden Boot winner Heyman scored her 15th goal of the season – a 78th-minute header, as Canberra snapped a five-match winless streak on Sunday.
It also saw Heyman (21 – 15 goals and six assists) equal Sam Kerr (21 – 17 goals and four assists in 2018-19) for the most goal contributions (goals and assists) in Liberty A-League history.
Her 2023-24 tally, which has her three goals ahead in the Golden Boot race through 21 rounds, is second-highest in Liberty A-League history, equalling her own mark from 2011-12, while Sam Kerr owns the record with 17 gals in 2018-19.
Canberra – who kept their first clean sheet since March last year – moved off the bottom of the standings, albeit before Adelaide United’s clash with Sydney FC. Meanwhile, Wellington – who were eliminated from the finals race on Saturday, remain eighth through 21 matches.
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Sydney FC 3-0 Adelaide United – Leichhardt Oval
MATCH REPORT: Sydney’s pursuit of history almost completed as a Matilda extends her red-hot form
Sydney FC’s march towards a fourth successive Liberty A-League Premiership remains on track after the defending champions accounted for Adelaide United 3-0.
The Sky Blues reclaimed their place atop the summit at the end of Round 21 thanks to goals from Cortnee Vine, Mackenzie Hawkesby and Caley Tallon-Henniker at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday.
Vine was the star of the show after scoring a goal and supplying an assist, with the Matildas forward now directly involved in 12 of Sydney’s last 15 goals scored (excluding own goals) in the Liberty A-League (7 goals, 5 assists) having scored five goals in four matches.
Sydney – who can wrap up the Premiership against Canberra United on Wednesday – are one point clear of Melbourne City and they have a game in hand on their rivals, while Adelaide are now bottom of the standings.
No team in Liberty A-League history have won four straight Premier’s Plates.
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Brisbane Roar 2-0 Perth Glory – Perry Park
MATCH REPORT: Roar snap historic streak against a team still searching for their first win in 2024
Brisbane Roar emerged 2-0 victors over Perth Glory as they ended a winless streak against the struggling Liberty A-League side.
Perth were undefeated in their past five matches against Brisbane (W4 D1) and had kept a clean sheet across their last four meetings in that span (W3 D1) – the Glory’s longest unbeaten run against the Roar in the history of the competition.
But the Roar snapped that drought courtesy of first-half goals from Kijah Stephenson and Sharn Freier at Perry Park on Sunday.
Already out of the finals race, the eighth-placed Roar have now won back-to-back games, while 10th-placed Perth have now gone 11 matches without a victory.
The Glory stunned Melbourne City on the road in December but they have only won once since then – 2-1 away to Central Coast Mariners on New Year’s Eve.
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