Sydney FC ran out derby winners in a festive clash at Allianz Stadium beating the Western Sydney Wanderers 2-0 thanks to goals from Mackenzie Hawkesby and Cortnee Vine.
The Sky Blues saw out a comfortable victory after winning a penalty 29 minutes in with Hawkesby opening the scoring from the spot, and Vine scoring a screamer just four minutes later.
Sydney FC 2 (Hawkesby (P) 29’, Vine 33’) def Western Sydney Wanderers 0
Moments That Mattered:
MCLEAN HITS CROSSBAR- 5’- A corner is played low to the edge of the box, where an unmarked Charlotte Mclean’s looping shot cannons off the crossbar. The training ground routine nearly putting the Sky Blues 1-0 up.
SYDNEY FC PENALTY AND HAWKESBY MAKES IT 1-0 -29’- A Sydney FC corner finds nobody in the box; however a penalty is given for an infringement by a Wanderers player. The spot kick is slotted into the bottom right corner by Mackenzie Hawkesby.
CORTNEE VINE DOUBLES THE LEAD – 33’- A long ball from Hawkesby is latched onto by the on running Cortnee Vine, who cuts in from the right, beats her defender, and unleashes a thunderbolt of a strike that rifles into the top left corner, Sydney are up by two now.
LOWE GOES CLOSE- 75’- A piercing run from centre back and captain Nat Tobin is topped off by a perfect ball over the red and black defence, and into the path of Rachel Lowe. Lowe’s first touch sets the ball in front of her and her volley flies just over the bar.
LOWE ALMOST MAKES IT THREE- 88’- Vine brings the ball from her own half up to the opposition box with a superb run and slides the ball through for Rachel Lowe, who’s shot along the floor is saved by Sham Khamis.
What They Said: Ante Juric: “I’m happy, it’s one of our better games, especially in the first half, considering the heat.
“We could have had a few more goals and put them to bed early but we played well.
“I don’t understand how Jada (Whyman) doesn’t get the recognition she deserves, it’s harder to keep in a team that has less shots against them and she will step up when we need a save and she did that again today.”
Match Report:
Sydney FC came into this Christmas Eve clash looking to go two-for-two against the Wanderers this season, and they started as they meant to continue, completely dominating the first half, and playing their football in the WSW defensive third.
The game continued in this fashion for much of the first half, with the Sky Blue front three constantly testing the WSW defence.
After a 25th minute drinks break, the Sky Blues would find a way to break the deadlock, with a cluster of corners forcing the Wanderers to concede a penalty. Mackenzie Hawkesby, one of Sydney’s best players in the first half, stepped up to take it, and calmly passed it into the bottom right corner. Sydney FC’s constant pressure had paid off.
The Sky Blues would continue their attacking dominance and were quick to double their advantage just four minutes later. Hawkesby was involved again as her long ball to the right wing was collected by winger Cortnee Vine. Vine cut inside the defender, and with her left foot, powerfully sent the ball cannoning into the left-hand top corner.
The start of the second half was more evenly matched, as both teams started eager to attack and create chances, however neither could forge a good opportunity until the 70th minute when Wanderers forward Cushla Rue hit the post from close range after going one on one with Jada Whyman.
As the half went on, Sydney once again started to show their quality and were enjoying more of the ball in the attacking third. Captain Nat Tobin had the space to dribble into the opposition half and loop a ball over the top, where the waiting Rachel Lowe couldn’t keep her left footed volley down. Sydney FC however kept knocking on the door of the WSW defence and started creating more and more chances, leading the shot count 16-4 with 10 minutes to go.
Lowe was played through again but couldn’t quite take advantage of a Vine through ball as her low effort was saved. The Sky Blues saw out the game to win 2-0 and kept their pressure up right until the final whistle, sending them home for Christmas Day with three points, and climbing to second in the table, still only conceding one goal so far this season.
Sydney FC: 1.Jada WHYMAN (GK),3. Charlotte MCLEAN, 5. Kirsty FENTON, 6. Sarah HUNTER (2. Mary STANIC-FLOODY- 90’), 10. Remy SIEMSEN (8. Rachel LOWE- 60’), 11. Cortnee VINE, 12. Natalie TOBIN (C), 15. Mackenzie HAWKESBY, 19. Charlize RULE (16. Deborah-Anne De La Harpe- 79’), 20. Princess IBINI-ISEI (14. Abbey LEMON-79’), 21. Shay HOLLMAN.
Unused Subs: 30 Katie OFFER (GK)
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Western Sydney Wanderers: 1.Jordyn BLOOMER (GK) (20.Shamiran KHAMIS (GK)-45’), 5.Lauren KEIR, 7.Amy HARRISON (15.Cushla RUE-67’), 9.Sophie HARDING (13.Jitka CHLASTAKOVA- 85’), 11.Danika MATOS, 14.Clare HUNT (C), 16.Malia STEINMETZ, 17.Sheridan GALLAGHER, 21.Alexia APOSTOLAKIS (4.Angelique HRISTODOULOU-45’), 25.Holly CASPERS (8.Olivia PRICE-67’), 32.Bethany GORDON,
Unused Subs: None
Yellow Cards: Hristodoulou, Gallagher.
Red Cards: None
Venue: Allianz Stadium
Referee: Rebecca Durcau.
