Sydney FC or Melbourne Victory?
It’s the Liberty A-League Premiers against the defending Champions in Sunday’s Grand Final, a repeat of last season’s A-League Women decider.
Victory could join a very exclusive club, while ‘Big Blue’ rivals Sydney are preparing for their fifth successive Grand Final.
KEEPUP, with help from Opta, takes a look at the blockbuster showdown as the 2021-22 ALW season comes down to this.
- Sydney have lost only two of their last seven ALW games against Melbourne Victory (W3, D2); although, they have won only one of their last three post-season clashes (L2).
- Victory will be looking to clinch back-to-back championships after defeating Sydney 1-0 in the 2020-21 edition; it would make them just the second team in the history of the competition to log consecutive championships (Melbourne City – 2015-16 to 2017-18).
- Sydney will feature in their fifth consecutive ALW Grand Final; although, they have won only one of the last four editions of the Championship game; indeed, no team has finished runners-up more times than the Sky Blues (five).
- Sydney have won their last six consecutive ALW games at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, outscoring their opposition 23-3 and keeping four clean sheets in that period.
- No team has scored the opening goal of the game on more occasions this season than Sydney (12); the Sky Blues have gone on to win 11 of those 12 games (D1).
- Victory have made 57 passing sequences of 10 passes or more in the 2021-22 season, more than any other team in the competition; though, Sydney (seven) have made more than twice as many 10+ pass sequences ending in a shot at goal than any other team.
- Sydney have forced 20 high turnovers per game in this season, four more than any other team in the competition and six per game more than Victory (14); no team has scored more goals from forcing high turnovers than Sydney (four) this season.
- Sky Blue goalkeeper Jada Whyman has a save percentage of 85% this A-League Women campaign, the highest of any goalkeeper in the competition; her nine clean sheets for the season are four more than any other keeper.
- Sydney’s Cortnee Vine has scored four goals in her last two games, finding the back of the net twice in each; however, she has scored only one goal in her four previous appearances against Victory in the competition.
- Stand-in Victory captain Lia Privitelli has scored a goal in each of her last two A-League Women games as well as making an assist; she also found the back of the net once in her last game against Sydney (16 February 2022).
