A Westfield W-League classic is in the making on Sunday as two traditional competition heavyweights match-up, with a ticket to the Grand Final awaiting the victor.
A Westfield W-League classic is in the making on Sunday as two traditional competition heavyweights match-up, with a ticket to the Grand Final awaiting the victor.
The pair are Westfield W-League royalty having won two championships apiece, as well as a runners-up finish each.
On the surface, all the odds point to a win for the home side in the nation’s capital. Canberra are in the midst of a impressive nine-match unbeaten run, while Sydney’s results have occasionally been erratic over the course of the season.
Canberra have won both matches against the Sky Blues this season – 3-0 at home and 1-0 away, though the latter victory was only secured in the dying seconds.
Those two wins have put Canberra into the ascendency 6-4 based on all-time results, a record which includes five successive wins against their rivals.
And, quite remarkably, United hasn’t conceded a goal at McKellar Park in 620 minutes spanning seven matches all the way back to November 2014.
However, finals football is rarely an exact science. The Sky Blues head to Canberra with more than enough artillery, not to mention big-match experience, to get the result they are looking for.
Sydney, for their part, say they have been building solid form over the past month, and a late unlucky defeat last weekend against the apparently unstoppable Melbourne City backs that claim.
It would be a major surprise if there is more than one goal that separates the teams come late Sunday afternoon.
Canberra United v Sydney FC
Sunday 24 January 2016
McKellar Park, Canberra
Local kick-off: 2pm
Ticket details as follows:
http://www.w-league.com.au/article/westfield-w-league-semi-final-ticket-information/j2sz6lqhj15x1em9xqj2fe9nc
* Watch all the action Live from 2.00pm nationally on Fox Sports (Channel 505), or ABC TV. Or catch-up on ABC iView.
Join the conversation on Twitter using match hashtag #CBRvSFC
Canberra United squad: 1. Lydia Williams (gk), 2. Catherine Brown, 3. Julia De Angelis, 4. Kendall Fletcher, 5. Jenna McCormick, 6. Caitlin Munoz, 7. Ellie Brush, 10. Grace Maher, 11. Michelle Heyman, 12. Emma Kete, 13. Nicole Begg (c), 14. Ashleigh Sykes, 16. Tegan Riding, 17. Veronica Perez, 18. Rebecca Kiting, 19. Nickoletta Flannery, 20. Melissa Maizels (gk)
Ins: Catherine Brown (promoted), Emma Kete (returns from New Zealand international duty)
Outs: none
Unavailable: Emma Checker (knee – season)
Sydney FC squad: 1. Michelle Betos (gk), 2. Elizabeth Ralston, 4. Sunny Franco, 5. Jasmyne Spencer, 6. Teresa Polias (c), 7. Nicola Bolger, 9. Princess Ibini, 10. Renee Rollason, 11. Natalie Tobin, 12. Olivia Price, 14. Alanna Kennedy, 15. Teigen Allen, 17. Kyah Simon, 18. Sham Khamis (gk), 19. Leena Khamis
Ins: none
Outs: none
Unavailable: Amy Harrison (knee – indefinite)
