Sydney FC 1 Wellington Phoenix 0
Our girls in blue gained revenge for last year’s home defeat at the hands of Wellington Phoenix with a slender one goal win at Allianz Stadium in front of an eager Christmas holiday crowd. A header from substitute Jynaya Dos Santos rewarded the patience of the fauthful fans, but Sydney FC had to endure some nervy moments late in the game to confirm the three point haul. The return of Mackenzie Hawkesby was a resounding success, and we look forward to 2024 with renewed optimism of a finals appearance.
Somehow we ended up being quite late to the stadium again, all ideas of a beer and a bite at one of the pubs around Central squashed when we arrived well after 4pm. No worries, straight into the stadium from the light rail we went, redirected through the main gate when we were told gate 3 at the Cove end was closed, echoes of Kogarah, and we took up our position in the Cove, our preferred spot for A-League women’s games. Still unsure whether we are allowed in the Cove during a women’s game with our cans, we were happy to test the waters; less spillage, less waste after all. The Cove crew had just arrived and were starting to prepare the area when the players arrived on the field – the rest of the fans in the area looking at each other; do we start singing? Who’s going to pipe up with “We are Sydney…”? What’s protocol? In the absence of our fearless leader MMTV, the moment passed and there was no serenade for our girls, who lined up and formed a huddle ahead of kick off. Maybe they were singing it to themselves in the huddle.
This was an exciting match up. With our obvious wing threats of Princess Ibini and Cortnee Vine, we also had Aideen Keane in for the mysteriously absent Fiona Worts up front and Jordan Thompson came in at the back too. Kirsty Fenton continued her impressive form this season, setting up Keane for what looked to be an opener at the far end, but the ball was hacked away. By now MMTV was in place and the singing had started, just as well, as the small pocket of Phoenix fans were in good voice, and the atmosphere continued to grow as more people descended on the Cove to join the party.
Ibini took a pot shot from way out when the Phoenix keeper was stranded and only just missed, the visitors had more possession than they should have and were making in-roads to the Sydney goal, but the defence remained resolute. Vine was quite clearly a step ahead, her pace and persistence making space, and from one twisting run on the right, she bundled past her defender but couldn’t find a teammate with the killer pass. Vine then slipped in the rampaging Hawkesby who clipped the ball into the side-netting, our view from the other end making it look like a miss rather than a good effort, and Sydney were to be frustrated at half-time, no goals but plenty of endeavour.
The crowd was swelling as the second half started, and the noise from the Cove was reaching impressive levels, the echo around the stadium confirming that the girls were getting maximum support from their devoted fans.
On the field, the game was in the balance, the Sky Blues shooting towards the Cove, and the introduction of Taylor Ray added some steel in midfield. A Phoenix player down after receiving a rearrangement of her nose allowed both sets of players to regroup, and the momentum swung in Sydney’s favour. Brilliant work from Fenton and Ray saw Vine released on goal. The option looked there to hit the ground when the goalkeeper raced to meet her, but she stayed on her feet – the attempted finish from an impossibly tight angle hit the side-netting and hands were on heads, a great chance.
The goal, when it came, was unexpected. Substitute Jynaya Dos Santos rose to meet a cross from Ray and she powered the ball into the net. So direct, so effective, so simple, and the Cove erupted in delight. The substitute had only been on the field for a few moments and the happiness of her teammates as they engulfed her was evident, her first goal for Sydney FC and hopefully the first of many.
The game wasn’t won yet though, and Wellington missed glorious opportunities to score, their unmarked Venezuelan striker Mariana Speckmaier meeting a fantastic cross to power her header over the bar from right in front and she immediately had her head in her hands. Isabel Cox was making her mark, firing in a low shot that Jada Whyman saved, and then blasting a shot over the bar. Whyman also had to leap across her goal to catch a miscued shot, our hearts in our mouths as Phoenix threatened to spoil the party.
Vine left the field to be applauded around the perimeter by her adoring fans, and the subsequent final whistle was welcome. A tough battle had been won, the visitors had given a good account of themselves, and shown us why they are up at the top of the table, a complete turnaround to what we had seen earlier in the club’s existence.
Mackenzie Hawkesby was the first to come around to the Cove to receive the adulation of the Cove. The improved Viking clap chant “Sing for Sydney FC” was belted out by both fans and players and the fact that the men had run out and invaded the field was excused. What a great way to draw a line under a fantastic year, and the perfect entree to the second course of this double-header.
From a fan’s point of view, double-headers like this are great. The atmosphere grows as the game grows, and the fact that Sydney FC eked out a win against an impressive opponent made today up there with the best football occasions of the year. Shout out to the Wellington no 16 Annalie Longo, who was outstanding today, but a bigger shout to Jynaya Dos Santos for her maiden goal in front of the Cove, and it was great to see both Dos Santos sisters on the field for the last few minutes to remind us of what is to come in 2024. We made our exit from the Cove and headed up to the peanut gallery in Cove Heights like the old blokes from the Muppet Show; we’d had our fun in the active section, now it was time to see it fully explode for the men’s game…