A dark and dreary Westfield W-League season for the Western Sydney Wanderers had little to do with their star midfield maestro Lo’eau LaBonta.
The American’s return to the Wanderers for the 2018/19 campaign failed to unfold as planned.
Rounding out the table with one win and one draw from 12 matches, Dan Barrett’s side scored just 11 goals whilst conceding 30, nine more than any other team.
The stats portray a bleak story for the Red and Black, however LaBonta and her teammates know it could have been very different had certain moments fallen their way.
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Establishing her dominance
The fearless American established herself as a threat from anywhere inside her attacking half throughout the season.
With elite passing and wicked shots from anywhere on the park, LaBonta shined in her role as the link between defence and attack.
In a stat that may surprise, the Wanderers took more shots than eventual Westfield W-League Premiers, Melbourne Victory.
LaBonta was directly responsible for an enormous portion of these opportunities and was often only inches away from scoring herself.
When fortune did fall her way it would often lead to something spectacular.
Brilliant in season finale
The 25-year-old was at her best against the Jets in Round 14, completing 61 passes at 80% to go with her five chances created and an assist for Elizabeth Addo.
She was desperately unfortunate to not register a goal from her eight shots in the match, the Wanderers eventually falling to a 4-1 loss despite taking 32 shots, 10 of which fell on target.
The encounter truly summed up the season for LaBonta and her peers, their dynamic yet misfiring attack unable to make up for a leaky defence.
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Western Sydney’s wonderwoman
Although unable to register a goal in her campaign, LaBonta’s output across the season was tremendous, forcing many opposition coaches to redirect their attention to quelling her influence.
The Californian is one of few Wanderers to emerge from the season with their heads held truly high.
If Western Sydney can maintain the services of the Utah Royals star, could next season see a resurgence in Western Sydney akin to that of Natasha Dowie’s Melbourne Victory this campaign?
