Western United Women 0 Sydney FC Women 1
A fantastic afternoon of passionate support for our Sydney FC women’s team at Allianz Stadium saw a solitary Cortnee Vine goal enough to overcome Western United in a Grand Final rematch on day three of the inaugural A-League Unite Round. After battling to stay in the game in a one-sided first half, the tide turned when Sydney FC played towards their beloved Cove with the wind at their backs and a moment of magic pinched the three points. With the celebrations complete, the sparsely populated stadium was then virtually empty as this unpopular expirement limped home with an exciting men’s game in front of surely less than 1,000 fans.
A very very late night after the Socceroos success in game one of their Asian Cup campaign meant a late start to Sunday, nothing a spicy cocktail and a late lunch couldn’t fix at the Dove and Olive on Devonshire Street amongst the young and groovy crowd. Stumbling back out onto the street, the approaching light rail in the distance snapped us into action, Carla setting an electrifying pace and we reached the stop with seconds to spare, launching ourselves into the last carriage as the beeps were sounding. We were awake now, panting furiously, and after recreating the photo we had taken barely 18 hours earlier near the Moore Park light rail stop, we walked up Driver Avenue to our spiritual home of Allianz Stadium.
The fact that cars were parked along the road suggested that the authorities were expecting a miniature attendance, and there were indeed very few people around the stadium as we made our way through the main gate. Sydney FC’s biggest Mackenzie Hawkesby fan was there to greet us, showing us her very colourful artwork – very impressive!
The TV crew seemed to know something we didn’t, all the equipment covered in case of rain, and we made our way to the Cove to join the fun, not before we were forced to pour our canned drinks into plastic cups, all in the name of safety, you know. Gives me the shits that does. The Cove were about fifteen in number, and the drum was missing. That wouldn’t deter our capo and our pro drummer, who made it their aim to echo the chants around the empty stadium while drumming with empty water bottles. The fireworks blasted into the sky as the players arrived into the arena, and the horrible blasting music did its best to drown out “We Are Sydney”. They couldn’t drown it out when the game started though and it continued well into the game.
Sydney were again lacking any threat up front, the key area of concern, being the lowest scoring team in the league despite our league position. Taylor Ray was recalled, Janaya Dos Santos added to the front line alongside Aideen Keane, but the game was all Western United. The wind was in their favour, the flags flapping in the breeze, and they took the game to Sydney. Chloe Logarzo was taking their corner kicks, and she took a few, but her insistence on taking an age with her Raphael Nadal serve routine was riling up the crowd.
The chances came, Jada Whyman making a fantastic save and we all held our breath as the ball looked as if it was going in but dropped past the post. There was pinball madness, a header that should have been buried but hit the top of the bar instead, Princess Ibini inexplicably opting out of the header to leave the goal exposed, and today’s home side were in complete control – it would surely only be a matter of time before they opened the scoring.
The songs continued from the home end, Come on you Girls in Blue being sung with the fans in the corner of the northern end, and the numbers steadily grew in the safe standing end as the Cove reached impressive noise levels that bounced around the open and empty stadium.
Ducking out for a pit stop at half time, nothing at the home end was open, and we ventured around to the main stand. Those heading back in from the stadium precinct after their dart / vape brought gifts of McDonalds size 3 footballs that looked like comedy hats or even salad bowls. As a result, more people headed out to seek some freebies. People like freebies. Note to APL. Sky Blues CEO Mark Aubrey was quizzed about the drum – surely a man of his standing could source the key and get the one missing ingredient for today’s active support. Alas no, this was an APL event, and there was no access to parts of the stadium.
Have no fear though, as the knight in shining armour, Shane, came walking along the touchline with the coveted Cove drum, careful not to walk into shot of the Paramount Plus desk. Normal service could now be resumed and capo Michelle was quick to give the drum a blast even before it was properly tied in place.
The second half got underway and the Cove grew and grew. Glancing over my shoulder the average age was maybe 12, but the excitement and intrigue created by the noisy active fans brought more youngsters into the fray to enjoy the atmosphere. The seeds are sewn for future games and we’ll look forward to seeing everyone in place on Wednesday night at Leichhardt Oval.
Sydney grew into the game too, and our Matildas star Vine was on in place of Dos Santos. Suddenly they looked capable of getting the ball into the box. Vine was busy, crossing from the right to cause mayhem in the penalty area but the ball wouldn’t go in. Abby Lemon came on and suddenly injected some endeavour into Sydney’s forward play. That’s when Sydney struck, and it was a goal from nowhere, Ibini playing a tempting ball over the top into the space, the keeper advancing to cut it out, but Vine appearing from nowhere to nick the ball over the keeper’s hands and steer it into the net with a clever finish. Brilliant! Not even an offside flag to spoil the party!
Western United looked dangerous on the break, a suspicious handball at the other end was the source of a counter attack, and Vine raced away to cross for Lemon, but she couldn’t steer the ball into the net on the volley. The lack of VAR saved us and we breathed a sigh of relief as play continued. The Super Sydney FC chant took on a life of its own, continuing for ages, and by now the noise was echoing loudly. The final whistle saw hands go up on and off the field, Western United couldn’t believe that they’d lost after such a good first half, and we waited patiently as the next game’s warm up took over the field and Bohemian Rhapsody belted out way too loud over the PA.
The players were in the mood for dancing, and the Cove led them in a final rendition of Super Sydney FC, a chant that everyone now knows and loves. The players then did their signing and interview duties and there was plenty of time for everyone to have a photo or get a signature. Lovely scenes. Nice and relaxed. Smiles all round.
We sat contemplating life, weary after the fifth live game of the weekend and lacking a little energy and enthusiasm for the final game, when an invite from a mystery benefactor saw our group head up to level 2 of the Eastern stand and take a seat in one of the posh executive boxes. The view from the top was very different from our usual seats, a little further away, but level with the goal line, with the added bonus of delivery service for beers and a padded seat with drinks holders. ‘Kin champion!
We could then take in the spectacle of Newcastle Jets v Brisbane Roar in full comfort, and it was absolute peak A-League. Both sets of fans gave Sydney FC a chorus of ‘f*ck off Sydney FC”, the Roar fans drifted into the Cove standing area and sang songs about every other capital city other than Sydney. It was funny. They then vacated the Cove to sing a song and then returned to the Cove, as if they had been doing a call and response. Wonderful randomness.
Newcastle Jets were all over Brisbane in a one-sided first half that only ended 1-0. There was a penalty chalked off for the Roar, the attacker may even have been booked for simulation, and it looked like nothing was going their way. It was 2-1 to the Jets midway through the second half when Macklin Freke fumbled the ball twice and the game looked to be going to form. That was until the sky burst and the stadium received a drenching. Brisbane equalised with a bizarre goal, Jonas Markovski turning like lightning on the goalline and somehow forcing the ball over the line. All the good work by the Jets looked in tatters now, and sure enough a cross hit the hand of the very unfortunate Dale Ingham to gift a final chance to Jay O’Shea who buried the winner from the spot. What drama!
The fans celebrated fervently with their heroes at the end as we made our way out; the shell-shocked Newcastle players were talking with fans, looking grey in the face and sick in the stomach after an incredible collapse. We headed out of the stadium as close to the light rail as we could to avoid the rain, but it had eased a little as we made our way back to Central. A quick changeover and we were home; it was definitely a late one, a third in a row, not the ideal way to start the working week.
Another brilliant day at the football though, the beautiful Allianz Stadium never fails to produce a big-game atmosphere and well done to everyone in the Cove today who joined in to cheer our girls across the line for the win. See you at Leichhardt Oval in a couple of days!
As for the Unite Round, it was an experience. Six games in a weekend is a big effort, especially when you’re in your own town and have all the usual stuff to do in between. Thanks to all the fans who travelled, and the vibe at Cheers bar on Saturday night was just like the after-party for a Matildas or Socceroos game. Great to see so many familiar faces and lots of new ones, loved seeing the players and fans interacting at every game, and the football on offer was entertaining and exciting. There were definitely less people at the two venues we attended than there would have been for a normal league game. The weather may have been a factor, the fact that home fans would have to shell out to attend another game may have put off a few, but mainly that fans had to travel at an expensive time of year when a lot of people are on family holidays could have contributed. Having said that, 40k for the Big Bash on Friday night is a telling number, almost as many as attended the whole of the Unite Round. Do we want to do this again? I’m not sure. Give me a regular A-League game any day and we can catch up with all of Australia’s ardent and fervent football fans at the national team games. But given that this was the very first time, it was a good effort all the same. It’s probably going to happen again next year so we may as well embrace it.