Sydney FC Women 2 Melbourne City 2
With the bus to Newcastle already departed, and those nailed-on Sydney Women’s Cove members having to decide between one of the best away days of the season for the men’s and the season opener for the women’s, it was Leichhardt Oval that got the nod. Three thousand people had the same idea, and Sydney FC gave a fighting performance on a perfect footballing afternoon in the suburbs, twice leading, only to be pegged back for a draw. Plenty of headlines for this one, debuts all over the field, the return of the Sky Blue Wonder as captain and a hard-fought point against the Premiers to start off the season with a big positive.
The fixture scheduling this year sucks. For those fans who like to support their club in both men’s and women’s football, choices are having to be made and we’re missing out on some cracking games. Not only was today scheduled to clash with Newcastle away, but the Sydney derby at the end of the month is scheduled on the same day as Canberra away, again with no chance of making it between the two games. Why? Just a little bit of forethought and we could have been attending two games on Saturday, or at least having a double-bill weekend of Sydney FC. No one seems to care.
Once the decision was made to cheer on our girls in their opening fixture, that made the logistics much easier. A hint of rain and an early afternoon start had us at the Orange Grove Hotel not long after midday, and with a pint or two to loosen the vocal chords after a swift peruse through the neighbouring market day, it was off to the Eighth Wonder of the World to get ready for battle, a new drum in tow, ready to be decorated.
Sydney’s line-up was a bit of a mystery. Willa Pearson, Madison Ayson and Tahlia Robertson all unfamiliar names in the backline, captain Nat Tobin not named in the matchday squad, Amelia Cassar freshly burgled from our cross-town rivals, Sarah Hunter back in Sky Blue, superstars Riley Tanner and Bianca Galic brought in and goalscoring sensation Amber Luchtmeijer finally given her chance, there was a lot to be excited about today. The return of Kirsty Fenton was a massive boost and it was only Tori Tumeth and Mackenzie Hawkesby left from last season’s starting eleven; a lot to be excited about. For the visitors, journeywoman Aideen Keane was back to face her old club and Matildas star Holly McNamara gave the City strike force some potency. They were top quality across the board and this would be a massive test.
The players emerged to a proud rendition of We Are Sydney. Football was back. Season 2025/26 was underway.
From the moment Robertson and Tumeth got in a tangle to somehow clear a teasing free kick, Sydney were under the cosh, so it was a big surprise when Sydney FC took the lead. Tanner and Galic worked an opening that led to a corner up the far end, Hawkesby arrowed in a lovely corner, and Ayson challenged for the ball and the arms went up as the ball hit the net. The celebrations in the Cove at the other end were prolonged. Ayson was feted as the goalscorer, but it transpired that the defender had in fact got the touch. It didn’t matter though, Sydney a goal to the good and in the box seat. Hunter was superb – she is a step above, able to anticipate a pass, win a 40/60 challenge and be back on her feet to lay the ball off; it is something we missed last season.
Just as we were winding down to half time, a bizarre moment caught Sydney out. A long cross by McNamara from the right evaded everyone but bounced off the far corner flag, staying in. As the players finally reacted to the most ulikely scenario, Tumeth tried unsuccessfully to shield the ball. The throw in was taken way back from where the ball went out, play continued, and Leticia McKenna lashed in a shot that the diminuitive Robertson was never going to reach. It pinged off the underside of the bar and down, akin to Frank Lampard in the South Africa World Cup, and before we had a chance to debate whether the ball had gone in, Shelby McMahon had followed the ball in and bundled the ball into the net under heavy pressure by Fenton. The goalscorer was down in the goal, no celebrations from the visitors, and the referee decided that was enough for the first half and the Sydney players went in at the break disappointed to have conceded so late in the game.
A walk around the stadium at half time took in the Ninja Flex Breeze fan zone, where fans and beanbags were keeping people cool. It wasn’t a hot day to be honest, so there was not such an appetite for it compared to Unite Round at Kogarah last year, but it’s a good idea that should be kept going on sunny days. The Ninja people grabbed some content of the Cove drummer being cooled by a mini-fan, all for show, but it was something a bit different.
The second half was a lot of fun. With capo MMTV absent due to international duty, the Cove were left to their own devices and kept the atmosphere going, and when Hawkesby cut in from the right looking for a cross, she copped a kick from behind and went down straight away, perhaps demonstrating to the referee that she had been fouled. She was up immediately to continue, but the referee had seen enough and awarded the penalty, much to the shock of the City defence. Hunter grabbed the ball and kept it until Hawkesby was ready, and she made no mistake with a low finish into the corner of the net with little celebration, when perhaps a knee slide in front of the jubilant Cove, already swinging their scarves to the Tsunami tune, was warranted.
With fifteen minutes remaining and the Sydney fans starting to believe that the unlikely was possible, City scythed through the Sky Blue defence, Keane playing a superb one-two with McNamara, a little step over dummy in there for good measure and she finished well for 2-2, just as the Cove was mid-chant. Bah. The remainder of the game was a chess match. Caley Tallon-Henniker had good space but couldn’t find the shot, and a looping header from Laurie-Ann Moise wasn’t far away, Malena Mieres turning the ball behind for a corner. Hunter’s corner looked dangerous until it floated away onto the top of the net and with it went Sydney’s best chance to grab the lead for the third time.
In the end a draw was a good result for Sydney. The players came across to the Cove to applaud, the fans regaling them with Forza Sydney FC after an awkward delay, and the whole squad split up to share their love with the young fans at the front of the main stand who had been starved of football for six months during the world’s longest off-season. Riley Tanner took photos with a Frozen poster and the new players in the squad adapted to the adulation that will follow them whatever the result. The drum packed up and the banners safely stored, and with no traffic nonsense like last week, it was back to the North West suburbs by 5pm to continue the day, with Macarthur FC v Western Sydney on the agenda for one of us, while the other took in the magnificent victory for the men’s in Newcastle. We should have been there!
Sydney FC travel to Adelaide next weekend – no we’re not going – but we’ll be back at Leichhardt Oval next Sunday when Macarthur FC and their silky ex-Sydney midfield come looking to spoil the party. Stay tuned if you like to see how the Sydney FC experience is from the stands; I hope this inspires you to head to a game soon.