Melbourne City have concluded their perfect season with a 4-1 win over Sydney FC, to be crowned the W-League champions in their inaugural season.
An opportunistic goal from Jennifer Beattie in the first half was trumped by a worldie free kick from Kim Little, and while a penalty from Kyah Simon left City with a few nervous moments, Beattie Goad put the game to bed in the 78th minute.
Lisa De Vanna then sealed the contest with a brilliant individual goal deep into injury time.
Both sides found plenty of joy from wide areas in the opening stages, with Laura Alleway forced to defend a pacy low Kyah Simon cross, while Beattie Goad at the other end couldn’t find a target with her fifth minute cutback.
Sydney fashioned their first real opportunity through Kyah Simon, who found Nicola Bolger bursting into the 18-yard-box, who squared the ball back onto the penalty spot.
Both Simon and captain Teresa Polias miscued their shots as the ball eventually rolled out of play off the boot of both players.
Without the ball, Sydney were forced to defend with numbers in the box; 10 players noticeably behind the play at times throughout the first half.
The weight of numbers flooding back helped the Sky Blues deny Alleway twice in quick succession, who despite latching onto a pair of Kim Little crosses, was not able to trouble Michelle Betos in goals.
Little was proving the difference between the two sides as her world-class delivery created the opening goal on the half hour mark.
Applying whip and pace with her left boot, Little picked out countrywoman Beattie at the far right post, who saw her initial shot denied by Betos, only for the Scottish defender to tap in from the rebound.
Simon at the other end had earlier attempted to catch out City keeper Bri Davey with an audacious left-footed long shot, as they were restricted to mainly shooting from distance.
Alanna Kennedy volleyed over the bar from just outside the box, while Beattie Goad had two chances from the right wing to double the host’s lead, but her shots lacked the conviction to beat Betos.
The second half commenced in similar fashion to the first, with the hosts earning a number of corners that left Sydney scrambling to clear their lines.
The pressure culminated in a foul given away by Simon on the edge of the 18-yard box.
Up stepped Little – having beaten Fishlock in a battle of paper, scissors, rock for the opportunity – whose sumptuous set-piece from a couple of steps curled over the wall and left the keeper with no chance.
With the task becoming an almost impossible mountain to climb for the visitors, they nevertheless set about trying to claw back the deficit.
Simon sent in a ball for Spencer, who hit a sliced shot from near the area that didn’t trouble the scorers.
Instead it was nearly Little that killed the contest with a brace, getting in behind and striking the post with a powerful shot.
Sydney’s chance to work their way back into the contest came when Kennedy was pushed in the box by Beattie, who conceded the penalty and earned a yellow card in the process.
Simon dispatched the spot kick with ease to halve the deficit with just over 20 minutes remaining.
City fans were left with hearts in their mouths as Kennedy was in the thick of the action moments later, sending in a goalbound cross that Davey did well to palm over the bar for a corner.
With the visitors pushing forward the hosts made them pay on the counter; De Vanna teed up Goad with only Betos to beat, and the 18-year-old made no mistake with the finish.
It proved to be the killer blow, sending the hosts on their way to a classy victory.
The keeper then did well to prevent the scoreline from blowing out, denying Fishlock and Little with a terrific double save.
It was an apt finish for City as the legendary Matilda De Vanna went on a mazy run down the wing before tucking away the finish past Betos.
As the referee blew the final whistle, the majority of the 4,206 strong crowd erupted in a roar, having witnessed a history-making season in Australian football from a Champion team.
“It’s fantastic, I can’t be prouder of the girls. We set ourselves a goal and to come out and finish [the season] the way we did was fantastic,” De Vanna told Fox Sports post-game.
“People say I’m a big game player so it’s nice to come out today and score and get an assist.”
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Melbourne City 1 (Beattie 32′, Little 53′, Goad 78′, De Vanna 90+’) defeated Sydney FC (Simon [p] 69′) at AAMI Park [HT: 1-0]
Melbourne City: 1. Brianna DAVEY, 5. Laura ALLEWAY, 4. Jeniffer BEATTIE, 7. Steph CATLEY, 6. Aivi LUIK, 10. Jessica FISHLOCK (c) (3. Alex CHIDIAC 87′), 11. Lisa De Vanna, 8. Kim LITTLE, 9. Larissa CRUMMER (17. Marianna TABAIN 66′), 13. Rebekah STOTT, 16. BEATTIE GOAD (15. Amy JACKSON 86′)
Unused Substitute(s): 20. Trudy BURKE, 18. Anisa GUAJARDO, 14. Melina AYRES,
Yellow Cards: Beattie 69′
Sydney FC: 1. Michelle BETOS, 11. Natalie TOBIN (10. Renee ROLLASON 73′), 2. Elizabeth RALSTON, 14. Alanna KENNEDY, 15. Teigen Allen, 7. Nicola BOLGER (12. Olivia PRICE 83′), 6. Teresa POLIAS, 19. Leena KHAMIS, 5. Jasmyne SPENCER, 9. Princess IBINI (4. Sunny FRANCO 62′), 17. Kyah SIMON
Unused Substitute(s): 18. Sham KHAMIS (GK), 16. Hannah BACON
Yellow Cards: Tobin 26′, Simon 53′, Khamis 83′