Coming up against her sister in goals and playing for a team with no points from their first five games would have been enough for Western Sydney Wanderers’ Leena Khamis to feel daunted.
Factor in that the match against Canberra United also served as her 100th in the Westfield W-League and you get a sense of the enormity of Friday night’s encounter.
But like all big players Khamis stood up right when her team need her, proving a key factor as her side came from behind twice to claim a 2-2 draw.
First she put herself in harm’s way, bravely chasing down a ball with her sister Sham Khamis bearing down on her.
Sham’s subsequent sliding challenge was lucky only to be deemed a yellow card offence as Leena lay clutching her leg on the Spotless Stadium turf.
The Centurion @Leena_Khamis #WSW #WSWvCBR pic.twitter.com/mNn0RI4qq4
— WS Wanderers FC (@wswanderersfc) December 7, 2018
Speaking to Fox Sports post-match, Leena said she would be feeling the effects for a while.
“Very very sore,” she said when asked to describe how she was feeling.
“It’ll be sore for a while I think.
“I’m just happy we came away with a point, it was a tough game all around I think both teams battled it out.”
Not only did she dust herself off and go again, she made sure she got one back, and boy was it big for her team.
Trailing 1-0, the Wanderers’ Elizabeth Addo cut a swathe through Canberra’s defence before delivering a dangerous cross into the area.
Sham read it and managed to get a hand to the ball only for it to drop for none other than Leena, who had been lurking in the six-yard box.
After coping another knock late on Leena was withdrawn but her contribution was crucial as well as creating a few talking points for the Khamis family Christmas.
“I think she’ll be in trouble from mum now!” Leena said.
“She came out like any goalkeeper would and I attacked the ball like I usually would and that’s just part of football it doesn’t matte whether it’s my sister or not, she’s on the opposite team.”
