Sydney FC turned on the style in Round 10 with a massive win over Perth Glory to go two wins clear at the top of the Westfield W-League table.
The Sky Blues flexed their muscle in the 6-2 victory at Dorrien Gardens in the second game of a Thursday night double-header, after Western Sydney Wanderers shut out Melbourne City to win 1-0 over the Champions.
Adelaide United took another step toward a maiden Finals Series appearance with a 2-1 win over Newcastle Jets on the road before Melbourne Victory and Canberra United shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw on Sunday afternoon.
Read on to see which Westfield W-League stars made their way into a 4-3-3 formation in the Team of the Week for Round 10, presented by Bunnings Warehouse.
ROUND 10 REPORT: Perth Glory 2-6 Sydney FC
ROUND 10 REPORT: Western Sydney Wanderers 1-0 Melbourne City
Goalkeeper
Sarah Willacy – Western Sydney Wanderers
Willacy kept the only clean sheet in Round 10 as the Wanderers edged past Melbourne City in a 1-0 victory.
The Red and Black shot-stopper saved all four of her shots faced, including a reactive block to deny Alex Chidiac a first half goal on her way to shutting out the visiting strike force.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6235171377001
Defenders
Charlotte Mclean – Sydney FC
Charlotte Mclean assisted Sydney FC’s first two goals against Perth Glory, sparking a huge win in the West for the league-leaders.
Mclean helped Siemsen and Ibini get the first of their goals in the 6-2 win, invading down the right flank into attack to cause trouble for Perth. The full-back made three clearances, five interceptions and won five of seven duels in an impressive display.
Kayla Ann Morrison – Melbourne Victory
A clean sheet was all that was lacking from Morrison’s shift in the heart of Melbourne Victory’s defence against Canberra United.
Morrison played a game-high 81 passes – 40 more than Canberra’s leading passer – and assisted Angela Beard’s opening goal for the hosts.
The defender enjoyed a 100% tackling success rate (2/2), won six of 10 duels, made six clearances and three interceptions in the 1-1 draw against Canberra.
Caitlin Cooper – Western Sydney Wanderers
The Wanderers captain was at her best to help her side clinch all three points against the reigning Champions.
Cooper led the Wanderers from the back, repelling City attacks for long enough to allow Leena Khamis to emerge from the bench and score the winning goal in the second half.
Cooper won both of her attempted tackles, emerged on top in four of her five duels and made three clearances and two interceptions.
READ: Defiant Khamis intent on helping Wanderers with unfinished finals busines
Ally Green – Sydney FC
As Mclean assisted the first two of Sydney’s six goals on the right flank, Ally Green operated to similar effect down the left.
The adventurous full-back laid eight crosses into the box and created four chances on goal – two of which were converted by Clare Wheeler in the second half.
Midfielders
Bianca Galic – Canberra United
An assist for Nicki Flannery’s equalising goal against Melbourne Victory helped Bianca Galic on her way to a best on ground performance at Epping Stadium.
The Green Machine midfielder slid Flannery in to score in the 1-1 draw between the two top-four aspirants. Galic won five of six tackles and nine of her 12 duels as she patrolled the centre of the park to great effect.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6236060649001
Hana Lowry – Perth Glory
In an otherwise glum evening for Perth Glory at Dorrien Gardens, rising star Hana Lowry provided the home fans with some joy, and a reason to be optimistic for the future.
The 17-year-old scored two quick-fire goals in the second half to bring Perth back to within two goals of Sydney FC, who saw their 4-0 lead cut in half after Lowry’s ruthless intervention.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6235205034001
Clare Wheeler – Sydney FC
A midfield masterclass from Clare Wheeler helped Sydney romp to a statement win on the road.
Wheeler added two created chances and a 100% successful tackle rate (4/4) to a pair of second-half goals as the 23-year-old helped the Sky Blues stamp their authority over Perth at Dorrien Gardens.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6235200103001
Forwards
Chelsie Dawber – Adelaide United
Chelsie Dawber made her presence felt on her return from a one-game absence, scoring the opening goal in Adelaide’s 2-1 win on the road against Newcastle Jets.
The Reds forward was sorely missed in her side’s Round 9 loss to Sydney FC but after recovering illness Dawber helped spark a crucial win in Newcastle – Adelaide’s fifth of the season, an equal-club record.
ROUND 10 REPORT: Newcastle Jets 1-2 Adelaide United
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6235530497001
Remy Siemsen – Sydney FC
Remy Siemsen is picking up momentum at the right time of the season after storming into Golden Boot contention with a brace against Perth.
Siemsen scored her sixth and seventh goals of the Westfield W-League campaign after going goalless through the first three games of the season. The Sky Blues spearhead is just one goal behind Brisbane Roar’s Emily Gielnik (eight) in the race to finish as the league’s top scorer, and she didn’t show any intention of slowing down after dominating at Dorrien Gardens.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6235190695001
Princess Ibini– Sydney FC
The Sky Blues put six goals past Perth thanks to braces to Wheeler, Siemsen and Princess Ibini.
Ibini put the icing on the cake with Sydney’s sixth goal of the night after helping her side go 2-0 up thanks to a terrific solo finish in the 48th minute.
Ibini showed all her class, skill and strength to take down Mclean’s cross, chop onto her left foot and hammer the ball into the left corner of the net.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6235196171001
