The Westfield W-League has opened in exciting fashion at Members Equity Stadium in Perth with Sydney FC stunning Perth Glory 4-0 on Saturday afternoon.
The opening match for the new National Women’s league may have been one-sided from the outset, but a stunning two-goal performance from Sydney striker Leena Khamis ensured the goal-fest had some bite.
Khamis netted both her goals in a two-minute period just six minutes into the match and said she was delighted to score the first two goals of the new competition.
“We’ve been working a lot on set pieces at training and I was in the right place at the right time both times,” Khamis said. “In the set pieces I like to get on the end of them, so it worked out well.”
The flashy striker, who took to the field in a pair of bright orange boots, said her side was confident going into the match but she herself battled nerves for the first half in front of a vocal away crowd.
“I was still nervous after the first goal, they calmed down a bit after the second, maybe by half time they were alright,” she said.
“(But) I think the excitement of playing, especially in the first game really helped us.
“I received great delivery from the girls off the set pieces and it calmed a few nerves down. Now hopefully I can continue that for the rest of the comp.”
Sydney’s Danielle Small scored the third goal of the game in the 40th minute, capitalising on a clever ball from her captain Heather Garriock. It effectively ended the contest.
Glory goalkeeper Kate Stewart was under pressure for most of the match, making some spectacular saves in the process.
But she had no answer to Garriock’s goal in the 59th minute- the Sydney star slotting a powerful strike in the top left corner to provide the highlight of the match.
Both sides took a while to adjust to the occasion and find their rhythm, but when the dust settled Khamis pounced.
An opportunistic goal from the star striker – made possible by a dangerous Servet Uzunlar corner and loose checking from Glory in the box – put Sydney 1-0 up after just six minutes.
One minute later, the home crowd was well and truly silenced as Khamis powerfully headed home Danielle Brogan’s corner at the near post.
And to add a touch of theatre to the marquee match, the flashy Sydney forward raised a hand to her ear, wondering why the Perth crowd was so subdued.
Indeed, the home fans had nothing to cheer about for the first half – their side was comprehensively outplayed by a physical and desperate Sydney that continued to threaten the goals through Khamis.
With Collette McCallum and Young Matilda Marianna Tabain combining on the wing for Perth and Stacey Learmont starting to threaten in attack the home side looked better.
But Sydney’s defence was rock solid.
Westfield Young Matilda Sam Kerr was sent in after 36 minutes for Perth but it was the visitors who finished the half off stronger.
Uzunlar’s lobbed shot flew just over the bar for Sydney, but in the 40th minute Garriock pulled a low ball into the box for Westfield Matildas teammate Small to run onto, sending Sydney three goals clear.
Perth was again under siege in the second half as Sydney monopolised the football and forced goalkeeper Stewart to make two superb saves.
However, Stewart had no defence for Garriock’s devastating strike, the skipper following up her own free kick to send Sydney four goals clear and give them a dream start to their Westfield W-League campaign.
Match Details
Perth Glory 0
Sydney FC 4 (Leena Khamis (6- 8-), Danielle Small 39-, Heather Garriock 61-)
Members Equity Stadium, Perth
Saturday 25 October 2008
Referee: Sara Hodson
Perth Glory line-up: 1.Kate STEWART (gk), 2.Stacey LEARMONT (13.Elisa D-OVIDIO 69-), 3.Carys HAWKINS, 7.Ciara CONWAY, 8.Tanya OXTOBY (c), 10.Ella MASTRANTONIO, 12.Dani CALAUTTI (4.Sam KERR 36-), 14.Collette McCALLUM, 15.Elle SEMMENS, 16.Rachael SMITH, 17.Marianna TABAIN
Substitutes not used: 5.Shannon MAY, 20.Maya DIEDERICHSEN (gk)
Yellow cards: Ella Mastrantonio 66-
Red Cards: Nil
Sydney FC line-up: 20.Nikola DEITER (gk), 2.Samantha SPACKMAN, 3.Danielle BROGAN (15.Jessica SEAMAN 63-), 4.Alesha CLIFFORD, 5.Lisa GILBERT, 6.Servet UZUNLAR, 7.Heather GARRIOCK (c), 10.Kylie LEDBROOK, 11.Michelle HEYMAN (18.Nicole BOLGER 74-), 17.Danielle SMALL (16.Linda O-NEILL 44-), 19.Leena KHAMIS
Substitutes not used: 13.Loren MAHONEY (gk)
Yellow cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
