A ten-woman Sydney FC has stormed into the Westfield W-League grand final with a 3-0 victory over Canberra United in Sydney today.
After Sydney defender Alesha Clifford saw red on 11 minutes, the Sky Blues reorganised and right on half-time Matilda Sarah Walsh stroked home the opening goal.
On the hour mark Sydney deservedly made it 2-0 after Leena Khamis found herself free in the box to head home Julie Rydahl’s set piece.
And, captain Heather Garriock capped off a marvelous day for the Sky Blues with a third late on to send Sydney into its first ever Westfield W-League grand final.
For Sydney, Walsh and Garriock were superb and despite the one-woman advantage for most of the game, Canberra – last season’s grand final runners up – simply could not make the numerical advantage count against a more confident opponent.
Canberra began the first half with a strong southerly blowing from the back and edged the opening exchanges.
Things got even better for the visitor when Canberra’s Ashleigh Sykes broke through the centre of the Sky Blues defence before Clifford was adjudged to have pulled her back.
Referee Casey Reibelt pulled out a red card and suddenly the game’s complexion changed.
Kylie Ledbrook slotted in alongside Servet Uzunlar in the centre of the Sydney defence which had its hands full with pink-haired Shu O Tseng, Ellyse Perry and Sykes, who more than a handful in the attacking third.
Chances were few and far between for both sides as the football was typically intense and tight. Sydney’s flowing style of play was stifled while Canberra was working very hard in shutting down the home side.
But Sydney’s marauding full-back Kyah Simon was regularly finding space down the right and on the stroke of half-time it was her low cross that was stroked home by Walsh, who got in-between keeper Lydia Williams and her defenders.
Walsh celebrated with the large Sydney contingent of fans as their team went 1-0 up at the break with all the momentum.
Things kept on going Sydney’s way in the early stages of the second half, with Walsh playing as a lone striker and causing plenty of grief in concert with Garriock.
Ashleigh Sykes found herself in a one-on-one with Sydney keeper Nikola Deitter but was unable to convert in her side’s best early chance in the second half.
It was to prove a costly miss as on the hour mark Khamis expertly headed home to make it 2-0.
Sydney piled on the pressure with their tails up and peppered the shell-shocked Canberra goal.
United looked a beaten team despite the numerical and the dangerous Garriock made it 3-0 with ten minutes left after good lead up play from the brilliant Walsh.
The Sky Blues now will watch on with great interest to see who they play in next weekend’s Grand Final when Brisbane Roar and Central Coast meet on Sunday afternoon.
Sydney FC 2 (Walsh 45, Khamis 60, Garriock 84)
Canberra United 0
Toyota Park, Sydney
