Sydney and Brisbane have booked their second consecutive Westfield W-League final showdown, courtesy of thrilling semi final victories over Melbourne and Canberra at the weekend.
Reigning Champions and Premiers Sydney comprehensively defeated Melbourne 5-1 at Campbelltown Stadium on Sunday afternoon, while Brisbane booked their berth after a heart-stopping 4-2 win over Canberra on penalties.
Sydney entered the match as firm favourites, but first-time finalists Melbourne had nothing to lose and the final score belies the closeness of the match, which blew out only in the last 25 minutes.
The match played out in damp conditions, after Sydney's 40-odd-degree heat wave gave way to clouds and rain. Sydney's Leena Khamis opened the match's scoring with a left-footed strike when she seized on a poor ball out of the Melbourne box and punished Melbourne and Matildas goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri with a lethal chip.
Waves of subsequent Sydney attacks made it appear that it was all one-way traffic, but Melbourne's Steph Catley struck back against the run of play with a shot that hit the crossbar and went in.
The 1-1 score line disrupted Sydney's rhythm and it was end-to-end football until Sydney were awarded a penalty from a contentious hand ball that occurred in a sea of bodies and a rebounding ball. Either way, Servet Uzunlar sent the ball into the back of the net with an assured spot kick and Sydney went 2-1 up.
A quick one-two between Kyah Simon and Kylie Ledbrook yielded a third goal for Sydney. Khamis followed less than 60 seconds later to score her second and Sydney's fourth for the match. Sydney piled on their fifth and match-sealing goal with less than three minutes to go, when Nicola Bolger got a boot on the end of a pinballing ball and clever backheel, which signalled Sydney's confidence and teamwork.
It was an assured victory for Sydney, although Melbourne fought hard and tested their defence regularly, and was in stark contrast to the grand final-like events of the Brisbane-Canberra semi final the previous day.
The match between second-placed Brisbane and third-placed Canberra, which was also a season one grand final rematch, played out in sweltering Queensland conditions on Saturday.
Canberra dominated the opening minutes of play, with three shots in quick succession, which Brisbane goalkeeper Casey Dumont saved. Emily Van Egmond delivered a long-range piledriver that rebounded off the crossbar and very nearly bounced back in, and reigning golden boot Michelle Heyman troubled the Brisbane defence, regularly sneaking in behind the backline.
Brook Spence received a yellow for a late tackle on Ashleigh Sykes just outside the box, but Canberra couldn't convert the free kick, which bounced off the wall. Yet despite having fewer chances than Canberra in the opening minutes, Brisbane made the most of the ones they had.
The tenacious Tameka Butt broke the 0-0 deadlock in the 22nd minute when she pounced on and slotted in a loose ball.
One goal remained the difference at half time, but both teams returned to the pitch determined to score. Heyman had Canberra's first chance of the second half, but her shot lacked power and Dumont easily scooped it up. Canberra very nearly scored at the wrong end, when a Caitlin Cooper clearance went awry. Seconds later, though, they managed to score at the right end, when striker Caitlin Munoz finished a Sally Shipard chip in.
Lisa De Vanna replaced Lana Harch immediately afterwards as Brisbane looked to inject some fresh legs and shooting spark into the game. It was end-to-end football, with the ball put through to Heyman, but she was pushed wide and her shot hit the side netting. De Vanna then set up Butt, who headed the ball and would have scored but for a desperate extended glove by Williams, which slowed it on its goal-ward path and allowed Ellie Brush to urgently usher the ball out.
Substitutes Kennya Cordner and De Vanna tested the tired Canberra defensive legs with their pace and skill, but they couldn't find a goal and the game went to extra time. Cordner put the ball in at the near post in the first 15-minute segment to edge Brisbane ahead, but Heyman cancelled out the lead and all celebrations when she drew Canberra even again. With no change to the 2-2 score line at the end of extra time, the match went to penalties.
Brisbane's Lauren Colthorpe stepped up to the spot first, but Lydia Williams saved the shot.
Shipard went first for Canberra and scored.
Kim Carroll scored for Brisbane: one penalty goal apiece.
Brush's shot hit the crossbar and sailed out.
Butt scored for and edged Brisbane ahead in the penalty tally.
Cooper scored for Canberra: two penalties each.
Elise Kellond-Knight scored: 3-2 to Brisbane.
Ellyse Perry put her shot to the bottom left corner, but Dumont dived and tipped it wide with a gloved hand.
Then Dumont took her place on the spot for the Roar's final penalty kick-goalkeeper on goalkeeper-and scored to put Brisbane through to their third consecutive grand final.
The season's ultimate game will be played in Sydney on Saturday 12 February. Sydney will be looking to defend their crown, while Brisbane will be looking to avenge their season two grand final loss and the more recent, last minute loss of the season three Premiership, which Sydney snatched from them in round 12.
