If the Melbourne City FC fans had been asked in October if they thought their team would be once again champions of Australia, not many would have answered in full confidence. Today however, the reigning champions became champions once again as they ran out as 2-0 winners over Perth Glory in the Westfield W-League Grand Final.
The influence of Welsh international Jess Fishlock cannot be underestimated as she took over managing the team when the former manager left the post midway through the season and then went on to score crucial goals in the semi-final and today's final to help her team lift the trophy once again.
Kerr threatens but can't make the breakthrough
The first half was a trial of attrition for the reigning champions. Although both Beverely Yanez and Erika Tymrak had guilt edge chances to break the deadlock, it was Perth's Samantha Kerr who was constantly in and around the opposition area. Her pace and accuracy in front of goal made her a constant threat for City and it took fantastic defending from stalwart Laura Alleway and good goalkeeping from Lydia Williams to keep Kerr from scoring in the first half.
The City backline proved once again, why they were the best defense in the league as they kept a potent Perth attack, which was being ably assisted by midfielder Vanessa Di Bernardo, from scoring all throughout the first half.
The deadlock was broken before half-time and it was Fishlock rising to the occasion once again. Some lovely interplay on the left between Steph Catley, Yanez and Tymrak saw Yanez squaring the ball to an unmarked Fishlock who then tucked the ball away with ease into the right corner. A goal in injury time can grant any team real self-belief and with a defense as steady as City's, it would have taken a gigantic effort by Perth in the second half to overturn the scoreline.
City's defence show their class once again
As previously mentioned, City had the best defense in the league and they were required to be once again in the second half as Perth searched for an equaliser. At any given moment, Catley, Lauren Barnes, Alleway, Rebekah Stott or goalkeeper Williams, were all called upon to snuff out any opportunity that Perth created. The dangerous Kerr was once again using her pace to find gaps in the defense but a well-timed tackle or a good save, especially in the 80th minute when Kerr was one-on-one with Williams, kept Perth from opening their account on the day.
It then fell to City to add to their goal in the second half and they took their chance. After Teigen Allen and Fishlock had the chance to score the second for City, it came to Yanez to add to her total this season in the 72nd minute. The striker found herself on the left hand side of the box and proceeded to cross for a teammate to latch onto the ball. Instead, the ball lopped goalward and beat the attempt of Gabrielle Dal Busco to keep it out as it nestled into the far corner. That 'shross' was what sealed the victory for Melbourne as they retained their title once again.