The 2023-24 Liberty A-League Women Grand Final has been confirmed with Melbourne City set to host Sydney FC after two exciting Semi Final showdowns.
Sydney FC carried a 1-0 lead into their Semi Final second leg on Saturday afternoon against Central Coast Mariners. In front of more than 7000 fans, it was Mackenzie Hawkesby’s first half finish which proved the difference as they drew 1-1 with the Mariners, progressing 2-1 on aggregate through to their seventh consecutive Grand Final.
In the second leg of Melbourne City’s Semi Final against Newcastle Jets, it was City who added to their 3-0 victory in the first leg. The Jets came out firing, but a first half strike from Rhianna Pollicina and second half goals to Hannah Wilkinson and Leticia McKenna sees the Premiers lock in hosting rights for the 2024 Grand Final 6-0 on aggregate.
Melbourne City and Sydney FC will now face off at 4:15pm AEST on Saturday, 4 May at AAMI Park for the right to be crowned Liberty A-League Women Champions.
A-Leagues Commissioner Nick Garcia said: “We would like to congratulate Melbourne City and Sydney FC on qualifying for the 2024 Liberty A-League Women Grand Final. Both sides have been the benchmark all season and it’s fitting that the two best sides of the regular season will battle it out for the Liberty A-League Women Championship.
“It’s been a record-breaking year in the Liberty A-League Women – with record crowds, club memberships and broadcast viewers – and we’ve seen exciting football across the regular season and final series.
“With stars on show like CommBank Matildas Cortnee Vine and Jada Whyman, and Football Ferns Hannah Wilkinson and Rebekah Stott, along with the next generation of stars, it’s fitting that our showpiece event will take place in Female Football Week. We can’t wait to celebrate our Grand Final and an incredible 12 months for women’s football with the Australian football community.”
GRAND FINAL FIXTURE
Melbourne City v Sydney FC
Date: Saturday, May 4
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Kick-off: 4.15pm (AEST)
HOW DO I WATCH?
The 2024 Liberty A-League Women Grand Final will be telecast live from 3:30pm AEST across 10 Bold, 10 Play and Paramount+, while New Zealand-based viewers can watch all the action on Sky Sport.
Tara Rushton will be joined on the panel by Liberty A-League legend Grace Gill and Melbourne Victory star Elise Kellond-Knight, with Niav Owens on the sideline.
Gill will also be on commentary duties, alongside experienced caller Teo Pellizzeri.
WHERE DO I BUY TICKETS?
Tickets for the 2024 Liberty A-League Women Grand Final will go on sale at 9:00am AEST on Monday 29 April for home and away club members, followed by general public on sale at 9:00am AEST on Tuesday 30 April.
Tickets will be available via www.ticketek.com.au with Kids tickets from $15, Adults from $25, and Familes from $50.
Current Liberty A-League Pass holders will also be able to gain access to the Liberty A-League Women 2024 Grand Final by scanning their pass at the venue.
GRAND FINAL PREVIEW
Melbourne City
Dario Vidosic’s City were somewhat surprise Premiers, pipping the Sky Blues on the final day of the regular season in the most dramatic end to a season the Liberty A-League has ever seen, but they enter the Grand Final as a force to be reckoned with.
After navigating their way through a mid-season slump, City will go into the decider on a six-match winning streak and in a rich vein of form.
Despite losing Matildas rising star Holly McNamara to an ACL injury after just five rounds, their attack remains lethal, spearheaded by New Zealand’s Hannah Wilkinson and Emina Ekic, and ably supported by Rhianna Policina and teen gun Daniela Galic.
This City side is jam-packed with experience; goalkeeper Barbara has 69 appearances for Brazil and is a veteran of five World Cups, captain Rebekah Stott boasts a century of appearances for the Football Ferns, while there is also quality all over the park.
Particularly impressive of late has been the form of Bryleeh Henry, who has been a revelation at right-back, a position she had never played until recently.
Under Vidosic, they look like a side who are seriously difficult to beat.
Sydney FC
For the seventh straight season, the Sky Blues will feature in the final match of the season – although of the previous six appearances, they have only won twice.
They were victorious in last year’s decider over Western United, but this is a very different and youthful Sydney FC side to the one who clinched that crown.
Ante Juric has done a wonderful job rejuvenating this team, unearthing young talent like Maddie Caspers, Indiana Dos Santos, Abbey Lemon and Caley Tallon-Henniker to go with their established stars.
After losing captain Nat Tobin to injury in Round 1, the likes of Cortnee Vine, Jada Whyman, Princess Ibini, Charlotte Mclean and Mackenzie Hawkesby, who returned mid-season and has been a game-changer, have led this side all the way to another Grand Final.
A blip in the final weeks of the season saw them miss out on a record-breaking fourth Premiership in a row, but they rediscovered their form in the Semi Finals and will now be out to make it back-to-back Championships when they venture to Melbourne.
TROPHY CABINETS
Melbourne City: 3x Premierships (2016, 2020, 2024), 4x Championships (2016, 2017, 2018, 2020)
Sydney FC: 5x Premierships (2009, 2011, 2021, 2022, 2023), 4x Championships (2009, 2013, 2019, 2023)
HEAD TO HEAD
10 February, 2024: Melbourne City 0-0 Sydney FC
Veteran goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri was the hero the last time these two teams met, producing a stellar penalty save to deny Princess Ibini from the spot in a goalkeeping masterclass.
26 November, 2023: Sydney FC 2-3 Melbourne City
The pair’s first meeting this season saw City leap out to a 3-0 lead thanks to goals from Julia Grosso, Emina Ekic and Daniela Galic. However, Sydney came roaring back with two goals in six minutes from defenders Mclean and Jordan Thompson, but weren’t able to avoid defeat.
