Sydney FC Women 2 Melbourne Victory 1
Our Girls In Blue picked the best timing to serve up a treat for their long-suffering fans, farewelling Leichhardt Oval with a Big Blue win and a gutsy performance to lift themselves off the bottom of the ladder. A picture-perfect early evening at the eighth wonder of the world seemed to be slipping away when former Sydney FC star Rachel Lowe fired home after a horror mistake, but a double from wing wizardess Riley Tanner turned the game and the home team hung on for a famous win. This was quite possibly the best Sydney Women’s Cove atmosphere of all time, MMTV leading her orchestra to a crescendo as the final home fixture reached it’s conclusion, and the seed was sown for next season, wherever that may be.
This was a 5pm kick off, but the Cove assembled well before 3pm, kitchen closed at the Orange Grove Hotel leading to a liquid lunch ahead of a big fixture. A decent crowd was forming when we arrived, one of the referee team receiving an award to no fanfare and no announcement, as the players went through their final warm ups. The Cancer Council was giving away sunscreen and bucket hats, the white hats visible all around the stadium, and welcome in the warm sun. Muph did the rounds of the stadium, no sign of Plutonic, as the Sydney FC mascots break-up went public. The appearance of the players gave the Women’s Cove the opportunity to unveil their latest banner, and streamers rained down to signal the start of the party as We Are Sydney was belted out for one last time at this iconic venue before it takes a vastly different form. The anticipation was high, Sydney had won the toin coss, Charlotte McLean was back in sky blue, and there seemed little doubt that we’d see at least a spirited display from our heroes.
The signs that Sydney FC meant business were there from the start. Tori Tumeth had the ball caught between her legs as she went in for a meaty tackle in front of the Cove end, the referee unfazed by the Victory legs hacking at the ball, and there was a confidence on the ball that we’d not seen for some time. Possession was heavily in Victory’s favour, continuing the theme of the whole season, but the Sydney defence was relaxed and smart with the ball. It was some surprise then that Victory took the lead, and it was a comical moment, Amber Luchtmeijer leaving the ball for Clare Corbett in a dangerous position, and the ball somehow fell for Lowe who took a touch in space and rifled a shot into the top left-hand corner of Heather Hinz’s goal. That was a kick in the teeth, mid-chant in the Cove, another mistake costing Sydney FC a goal.
We didn’t have to wait long for an equaliser though, an extended Sydney Our City chant having just concluded, and it came up the far end from an equally poor mistake by the Victory defence. A cross-field pass invited Tanner to challenge for a ball that should never have been anywhere near her, and she got there first, advanced on goal, and with the stadium holding its collective breath, she steered the ball inside the post for a fabulous finish, sending the Sydney fauthful into jubilation. The Tsunami music started, the Cove was bouncing, what a moment and what a confident finish from one of our brightest players this season.
Hinz had already taken out Tanner with friendly fire in a desperate scramble to clear the ball, this time she inflicted pain on her opponent, the lively Ella O’Grady racing on to her own inadvertent flick to bring the Sydney goalkeeper racing out of goal. O’Grady got there first to clip a shot on goal, unceremoniously taken out by Hinz and we watched with open mouths as the ball dropped just past the empty goal, the referee straight on the scene to wave away any calls for a foul. To be honest, it could easily have been a red card – we’ve seen them given – but the fact that the Victory striker got the shot away on goal and the follow through was unavoidable may have worked in our favour.
Music played through the injury break, once again the fans unable to take advantage of the quiet time to make themselves heard, and Hinz had to be careful, getting a fingertip to a cross from the right and grabbing the ball before it spilled from her grasp. There was a hopeful shout up the other end when Tanner was bundled over in the box, but it was so far away that she could have simply fallen over, and Willa Pearon showed good feet on the right to get around her opponent, the cross cleared. This had been an entertaining half, and the whistle brought a spirited Forza Sydney FC chant to an end.
After taking in the beautiful sunset around the stadium for one final time, the players were out, looking focused. That focus evaporated within seconds though as Sydney coughed up possession trying to play out from the back and a shot from O’Grady was sent just past the post. A warning sign perhaps, but it was the visitors who came bearing gifts soon after, and again it was Tanner, high on adrenaline and ready to pounce at any moment, who read the back pass, took the ball in her stride and finished with panache past the stranded Victory goalkeeper. And every time we score, I get that feeling sang the Cove at this unexpected present from the very generous Melbourne Victory defence, and Sydney had turned the game in their favour.
Sydney pressed, but Mackenzie Hawkesby sent a dangerous free kick into the side-netting, another frustrating delivery, before Jodi Ulkekl sized up her options and fired on goal when Abby Lemon was in space just next to her. Tanner went on a mazy run down the left, mirroring a similar run by Victory in the opening stages, and when she arrived in the six-yard box, her cut-back was drilled on goal by Ukekl. The feet of the Courtney Newbon repelled the first effort, the ball kept alive by Ukekl who fired on goal again, this time a deflection sending the ball against the post and when the ball spun into space, Newbon flung herself at Lemon’s feet to deflect the ball over the bar. What a thrilling passage of play, and the crowd was reaching fever pitch.
Luchtmeijer was shoved into the substitutes’ bench after getting a deft touch to a ball up the line, nothing given, and the referee seemed to have forgotten about yellow cards, some industrial challenges coming in. Taylor Ray took exception to some good bustling by Tanner and shoved the Sydney goalscorer to the ground, as tempers started to flare. This was Big Blue action at its peak. Tanner and Luchtmeijer got involved in some pushing soon after – the Sydney players knew the assignment – and the yellows came out. What better player to bring on when a game is bubbling over than Kirsty Fenton, this was going to be spicy.
There was clear desperation from Victory, they sent players up to swarm all over Sydney, Hawkesby giving up the ball in a dagerous position, but McLean was across to clear up. Tanner went down cheaply running through on goal by former Sydney star Taylor Ray, but the referee was not to be fooled, and when Ukekl played in Lemon on the left, she cut inside but couldn’t find a corner, an easy save for Newbon. The game was open, fast and furious. Hinz was busy at the other end, it looked as though she would be beaten when a ball came in from the left, but she made a simple save from right in front.
Tumeth played an unbelievabe ball, right to left, to set Caley Tallon-Henniker away, and she cut in just as Lemon had done earlier, only to find the arms of Newbon with a tame effort. Public enemy number one Lowe escaped a booking when Hawkesby gave her a cuddle after an impetuous drag back, before Fenton was pulled over and looked as though she was going to get up and chin her opponent. Victory finished the game on the attack, pouring forward in numbers but finding the Sydney goal closed for business. They had a glorious chance from O’Grady who looked clean through but hit her shot straight at Hinz, Lowe fired over from distance to relieve the pressure and the final whistle brought cheers from the crowd at a marvellous result.
The scenes after the final whistle were heart-warming. This could have been a Sydney team celebrating making the finals; instead it was prising themselves off the bottom of the ladder and playing a part in the demise of Melbourne Victory’s finals hopes. The Cove onesie presented to captain Nat Tobin was a lovely moment, the hugs from the fans for Charlotte McLean meant so much, and a special request from one un-named player with perhaps some T’s in her name, saw the home fans erupt in one final chant of F*ck You Melbourne Victory Olé as the players danced a jig, Macca and McLean two long-lost best friends reunited in joy.
What an occasion. The players stepped up, the Cove was on fire, the fight was there, the passion unbridled and any Sydney member thinking of not renewing for next season after two years of pain was instantly persuaded otherwise. A fabulous evening at Leichhardt Oval, alas we had to leave the celebrations to make a birthday dinner, the goal posts being carried out of the main entrance of the stadium alongside the fans, a symbol of football’s place at this famous rugby league venue. One more game to go this season, Central Coast away, a potentially vital game, let’s end the season in style! Forza Sydney FC!