Sydney FC’s Ninja A-League showdown with Canberra United at Leichhardt Oval has been abandoned due to extended lightning.
Two-time reigning champions Sydney were leading 2-0 with 54 minutes played when Wednesday’s fixture was halted due to lightning in Sydney.
An official update on the outcome of the match will be confirmed by the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) on Thursday.
Per competition rules:
- A cancelled Regular Season Match that is not rescheduled will be recorded as a nil-all draw with both Clubs awarded one (1) point;
- A Regular Season Match that is abandoned before half-time due to a Force Majeure Event (as determined by APL) that is not rescheduled will be recorded as a nil-all draw with both Clubs awarded one (1) point;
- Where a Regular Season Match is abandoned at half-time or during the second (2nd) half of the Match due to a Force Majeure Event (as determined by APL) and is not rescheduled, the result at the time of the abandonment will be deemed the final result.
Before the weather wreaked havoc, Sydney – who had not scored multiple goals in a game this season prior to midweek and only sat above bottom spot on goal difference – dominated on home soil.
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The Sky Blues dictated proceedings from the outset as Canberra goalkeeper Sally James was kept busy and she was forced to collect the ball from the back of her net in the 18th minute when Princess Ibini struck.
Ibini and her Sydney teammates celebrated passionately in their pursuit of a first win since November and the former nearly scored an identical goal 14 minutes later but this time she was denied by the outstretched hand of James.
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All that stood between Sydney and a 2-0 lead was the crossbar after Maddie Caspers rattled the woodwork in the 34th minute, though the home side did get their second goal via Lucy Johnson four minutes later.
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Caspers’ deft touch released Johnson and the in-form Sky Blues finished emphatically.
Seventh-placed Canberra should have pulled a goal back prior to half-time but Sydney somehow survived. Brianna Edwards pushed a free-kick onto the woodwork before the Sky Blues goalkeeper got down low to keep the ball of the line and her teammates came to the rescue to make desperate goal-line clearances.
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