By Jeremy Walker
Sydney FC have claimed a dramatic Sydney Derby victory against the Wanderers as Remy Siemsen snatched a late winner from the bench at Marconi Stadium on Saturday.
After returning from her spell with AIK in Sweden, Remy Siemsen has come up trumps for the Sky Blues once again in the derby to claim back-to-back wins in the Liberty A-League.
The visitors were reduced to ten players just before the half-time break after a controversial Natalie Tobin red card – but Siemsen provided a stunning strike from outside the box eight minutes from time to send the travelling Cove wild.
Sydney FC 1 (Siemsen 82’) def Western Sydney Wanderers 0
Moments That Mattered:
HARDING GOES CLOSE 13’ – Wanderers forward Sophie Harding drives towards the Sydney defence and flashes wide from outside the box just past the right post.
HALEY COMES CLOSE 27’ – Madison Haley shifts the ball onto her left foot on the edge of the area and fires a shot to the top right corner but Jordyn Bloomer saves sharply.
TOBIN RED CARD 44’ – Following a controversial yellow card in the 32nd minute Sydney FC captain Natalie Tobin is sent off after a second yellow for handling the ball.
WHYMAN SAVE 48’ – Jada Whyman is out quickly to make herself big and close the angle to deny Harding at the near post.
WHYMAN SAVES AGAIN 49’ – Harding whips in a dangerous ball across the six-yard-box from the right wing but Whyman sticks out a leg to prevent Theresa Boade from close range.
WHYMAN SAVE 53’ – Harding goes through one-on-one after Boade slips her in with an outside the foot pass but Whyman is alert again to snuff out the chance.
RULE GOES CLOSE 64’ – Defender Charlie Rule crosses under-pressure from the right-wing as Bloomer gets across to prevent the ball from heading into the top left corner.
SIEMSEN GOAL 82’ – Remy Siemsen produces a thunderous strike from outside the box into the top right corner of the net past the outstretched gloves of Bloomer.
Match Report:
Sydney FC started the match on the front foot, controlling 55% of the possession in the first term, but the opening half produced a cagey affair with 16 fouls committed – 9 by the Wanderers and 7 by the Sky Blues.
Against the run of play, former Newcastle Jets attacker Sophie Harding got forward for the Wanderers in the 13th minute, shooting just wide of the right post from outside the area.
Madison Haley would come close for the visitors in the 27th minute, shrugging off two defenders on the edge of the box to powerfully strike a left-footed shot, but Wanderers goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer produced a fine reflex save.
Haley, who utilised her frame to turn her markers throughout the match, set up Kirsty Fenton to the left inside the box in the 35th minute as the fullback elected to cut the ball back rather than shoot – but Haley could not direct her effort goalward.
The Sky Blues would find themselves a player down just a minute before the half-time break as captain Natalie Tobin was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a hand ball – a contentious decision after controversially receiving her first yellow in the 32nd minute.
Suffering from the numerical disadvantage, the Wanderers asserted greater attacking impetus at the start of the second-half, but Jada Whyman produced three crucial close-range saves to deny the hosts an opening goal.
Charlie Rule went close to snatching the lead for the Sky Blues in the 64th minute as she fired an off-balanced cross towards the top left corner of the net but Bloomer scurried across swiftly to prevent the defender.
Ante Jurić’s side would continue to probe on the counterattack and would eventually be rewarded for their defensive solidarity with a player down as second-half substitute Remy Siemsen struck venomously from the right wing just outside the box to gift Sydney FC the 1-0 lead with eight minutes remaining.
The Wanderers threw bodies forward in search of a late equaliser but Jada Whyman and the Sky Blues stayed resolute at the back to see out the game and claim all three points in the derby.
Sydney FC: 1.Jada WHYMAN (GK),3. Charlotte MCLEAN, 5. Kirsty FENTON, 6. Sarah HUNTER, 9. Madison HALEY (10. Remy SIEMSEN 74’), 11. Cortnee VINE (14. Abbey LEMON 74’), 12. Natalie TOBIN, 15. Mackenzie HAWKESBY, 19. Charlize RULE, 20. Princess IBINI-ISEI, 21. Shay Hollman (16. Deborah-Anne DE LA HARPE 46’).
Unused Subs: 30. Katie OFFER (GK), 2. Mary STANIC-FLOODY.
Yellow Cards: Tobin 32’ & 44′, Hawkesby 88’
Red Cards: Tobin 44’
Western Sydney Wanderers: 1. Jordyn Bloomer (GK), 4. Angelique Hristodoulou, 5. Lauren Keir, 7. Amy Harrison (8. Olivia Price 65’), 9. Sophie Harding, 11. Danika Matos, 12. Theresa Boade, 14. Clare Hunt, 16. Malia Steinmetz (17. Sheridan Gallagher 83’), 29. Melissa Caceres (25. Holly Caspers 51’), 32. Bethany Gordon.
Unused Subs: 20. Shamiran Khamis (GK), 21. Alexia Apostolakis.
Yellow Cards: Price 67’
Red Cards: None
Venue: Marconi Stadium
Referee: Casey Reibelt
