The final round of the regular Westfield W League season in Australia saw the line-up for the finals series and the wooden spoon destination decided. Impetus editor Ben Gilby reports.

Melbourne City ensured they ended the regular season undefeated by seeing off a game Brisbane Roar outfit 3-1 in front of a bumper crowd of 4,724 at AAMI Park.

In form Kyah Simon had a great opening chance for City, but her effort came back off of the post and into the grateful arms of her Matildas teammate Mackenzie Arnold.

It took until the 34^th minute for the first shot on target to be recorded, but it resulted in the Sky Blues taking the lead. Emma Checker combined with Ellie Carpenter, and the teenage right back put in a trademark inch perfect cross which was controlled by Milica Mijatovic on the edge of the box and curled home a delightful finish.

Despite Roar being out of the race for the finals, and thus having only pride to play for, they pressed the Premiers well and were rewarded with an equaliser on 49 minutes. City’s Lauren Barnes lost the ball, which was swooped on by Brisbane’s Indiah-Page Riley. She found Hollie Palmer who side footed home the first goal that Melbourne City had conceded since 8^th December!

Parity only lasted six minutes when a poor pass from the Queenslanders was intercepted by Yukari Kinga. The Japanese star found Ally Watt who controlled and lifted the ball into the net.

City completed their win with just over twenty minutes to go. Matilda’s international Steph Catley’s corner found Kinga on the edge of the box. Her low cross was turned in with ease by Watt for her second.

This win ensures Melbourne City end the regular season with eleven wins from their twelve games (ironically only bottom side Newcastle Jets prevented them from winning – by holding City to a 1-1 draw) and concession of just four goals.

Melbourne Victory guaranteed that they would finish in second place after an impressive 3-1 victory against a fading Sydney FC in front of an impressive crowd of 3,310 at Marvel Stadium.

The home side weathered an early Sydney storm with Alanna Kennedy, Veronica Latsko and Teresa Polias all missing opportunities. They were also denied a penalty when Victory and Matildas defender Jenna McCormick was adjudged to have handled outside of the area.

Victory fashioned their first opportunity when Aubrey Bledsoe denied Natasha Dowie by saving her header from Angela Beard’s cross.

Twenty-five minutes in and the Victorians took the lead. Amy Jackson hit a shot goal-wards which was deflected onto the post by Bledsoe, but Jackson followed up to hit it in.

Melbourne led into the break and doubled their advantage just four minutes into the second period thanks to a stunning goal from Darian Jenkins who hit a shot from the edge of the box.

With twelve minutes to go, Victory sealed the deal with a third when Jenkins sprinted away, leaving would-be Sydney tacklers trailing in her wake to smash home.

As the game entered stoppage time, the New South Wales side got on the scoreboard themselves when Natalie Tobin steered her effort in from outside the box, but it was way too little too late.

Sydney go into the finals on a disappointing run of form with only two wins since 13^th January which has resulted them having to spend their entire finals campaign on the road. Conversely,  Melbourne Victory go in to a home semi-final on the back of four wins from their last five games meaning the all-important momentum is with them and their cross city rivals as the campaign enters its finale.

Western Sydney Wanderers ended their disastrous run of form ….just…and returned from Western Australia with a 3-2 win over Perth Glory to confirm their place in the finals.

However, the Black and Reds made heavy weather of it – blowing a 3-0 lead after 28 minutes – as the Glory came back hard in at the WML Stadium in Bunbury, 105 miles south of Perth, in front of 1,175 spectators.

Wanderers went into the match knowing that they needed to win, and then by as big a margin possible to ensure they qualify for their first ever spot in the finals. It took them just two minutes to take a step in that direction when Kyra Cooney-Cross’ corner was impacted by the wind, with Shannon May’s attempted clearance only going as far as Sam Staab whose shot across the box found the net.

It was another corner that led to Western Sydney’s second on eleven minutes. This time, Kristen Hamilton headed home Cooney-Cross’ flag kick.

Perth rallied and were unlucky when Celia Jimenez’s shot came back off the post, but on the 28^th minute Wanderers went 3-0 up, and it was yet another set piece that proved Glory’s undoing. Ella Mastrantonio’s free kick was, again headed in by Kristen Hamilton.

Into the second half, and the Western Australians grabbed a lifeline on the hour mark. Kim Carroll’s corner found Jiminez whose first effort was blocked, but came straight back to her to fire home.

Wanderers missed several chances to make the game safe, with Cortnee Vine, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Sam Staab all going close.

A dramatic finale was set up with eight minutes left when Perth grabbed a second when Jimenez’s cross was headed home by Morgan Andrews.

Try as they might, Perth could not add an equaliser, and Western Sydney Wanderers ensured a berth in the finals with a 3-2 win.

Adelaide United hosted Newcastle Jets at the Marden Sports Complex in a game which decided who would finish bottom of the W League for 2019/20.

The clash, played out in front of 832 spectators saw the South Australians on the front foot from the start, although it took them twenty-four minutes to transfer that pressure into a goal. It came when Jets defender Hannah Brewer took out Chelsie Dawber in the box. Reds captain Amber Brooks’ resulting spot kick found the net.

Back came Newcastle though, and they levelled twelve minutes later in some style. Libby Copus-Brown played in a free kick from the left flank towards the goal where United custodian Sarah Willacy’s weak attempted punch clear fell straight to Teigan Collister who lashed a first time volley straight into the net.

Adelaide troubled their visitors early in the second half and Mallory Weber went close with a curler. Several minutes later, the American had better luck. Charlotte Grant played in a beautiful cross which was nodded down by Dylan Holmes. Weber took control and hit the winner past Jets keeper Claire Coelho.

The 2-1 success for the South Australian side ensures they finish one off the bottom on goal difference from Newcastle Jets.

Canberra United had the bye.

There is now a short break for the Matildas two legged Olympic Final Qualifier tie with Vietnam before the finals begin on 14^th March. The fixtures can be found below:

Final Westfield W League Table 2019/20:

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	PD
Melbourne City	12	11	1	0	27	4	34	+ 23
Melbourne Victory	12	7	2	3	24	14	23	+ 10
Sydney FC	12	7	1	4	21	13	22	+ 8
Western Sydney Wanderers	12	7	1	4	24	20	22	+ 4
Brisbane Roar	12	5	2	5	22	19	17	+ 3
Canberra United	12	4	1	7	13	29	13	– 16
Perth Glory	12	3	2	7	19	24	11	– 5
Adelaide United	12	2	1	9	12	24	7	– 12
Newcastle Jets	12	2	1	9	12	27	7	– 15

Teams in bold qualified for the Finals play-offs.

Finals Series: Semi Final Fixtures: Melbourne Victory v Sydney FC (14th March), Melbourne City v Western Sydney Wanderers (15^th March).

The penultimate round of the regular season of the Westfield W League in Australia was full of goals and saw Melbourne City clinch the Premiers crown with a round to go. Impetus editor Ben Gilby reports.

Melbourne City lifted the Premiers trophy with a round to spare after a 4-0 demolition job away to Western Sydney Wanderers in front of 819 spectators at Marconi Stadium.

It was a second Premier title for City – the first came in 2016 – and comes as a reward for the team after they missed out on a place in the top four last season, thus missing the Finals.

With ten wins and a single draw from their eleven games so far, there is no doubt that their high quality squad, containing Matildas stars Lydia Williams, Aivi Luik, Steph Catley, Emily van Egmond, Kyah Simon and Ellie Carpenter deserve the trophy, and they will go into the Finals campaign as red hot favourites to take out the Grand Final crown as well.

It took just twelve minutes for City to take the lead. Scottish international Clare Emslie was felled in the box by Alex Huynh. Emslie picked herself up, dusted herself down and smashed home the resulting spot kick.

The Sky Blues laid siege to the Wanderers goal thereafter as Emma Checker hit the bar, and Rebekah Scott’s effort being saved. However, a second had to come and, it arrived just before the half hour mark. Teenage starlet Ellie Carpenter went on a trademark run down the right and exchanged passes with Aivi Luik before curling a superb shot past Courtney Newbon in the Western Sydney goal.

Another young Australian, Kyra Cooney-Cross, who many are urging to be called up for the Matildas went close after hitting her effort wide after a great run.

Carpenter added her second and Melbourne City’s third just after the hour mark after another superb piece of play that Wanderers couldn’t deal with, and the 19 year-old curled her effort into the net once more.

The rout was completed with four minutes left when Ally Watt scored her first W League goal after converting Aivi Luik’s cross.

Melbourne City’s 4-0 win continued their staggering record of not conceding a W League goal since 8^th December – a staggering seven matches ago. They have only conceded three all season!

As for Wanderers, a third defeat in four leaves them casting an anxious glance over their shoulders as what looked to be a guaranteed first ever place in the Finals (indeed a potential Premiers crown was more than possible at one stage) is now under serious threat.

Second placed Sydney FC were rocked by Perth Glory at Wollongong as the Western Australians won their third game in a row.

Glory, who were beaten in last season’s Grand Final by the Harbour City side are having a transitional campaign in terms of playing personnel and had only a single point to show for their efforts until 23^rd January. Since then, the women in purple have been unstoppable.

As you would expect given the two sides’ league positions, it was the Sky Blues who started the game better, and Remy Siemsen and Veronica Latsko both going close within the opening six minutes.

Perth finally mustered their first shot on target after 34 minutes when Kim Carroll’s volley from the edge of the box fell into Aubrey Bledsoe’s arms.

The opening goal took 41 minutes to arrive, and when it did, it fell the way of the Western Australians and what a strike it was too. Morgan Andrews curled a stunning free-kick over the wall and into the top left hand corner from 25 yards in an exhibition of glorious skill.

Perth doubled their lead on 58 minutes after shocking defending from Sydney allowed Andrews to turn and fire home the second.

The Sky Blues rallied and created a number of excellent chances with visiting keeper Eliza Campbell denying Sofia Huerta and Mackenzie Hawkesby and defender Arianna Romero clearing off her own line.

Sydney finally scored in stoppage time at the end of the game when Huerta’s cross came off of Kim Carroll and into the net, but it was too little too late as Perth claimed a magnificent win.

Brisbane Roar’s final hopes remain alive – just – after a comprehensive 5-0 win over free-falling Canberra United at Lions Stadium in front of an impressive crowd of 2,893.

The capital city side were a regular part of the top four before Christmas, but an appalling run of form which has seen them lose four of their last five matches has meant that the Lime Green Machine are a pale reflection of the side they were.

Brisbane’s goals came in two batches of rapid fire. First, in a five minute spell from the 11^th minute mark and the other three all in the final ten minutes.

Ironically, it was Canberra who had the early chances as Hayley Taylor-Young and Leena Khamis going close. But after eleven minutes, the Queenslanders went ahead.

Rylee Baisden’s cross was controlled by Carson Pickett who then fired a beautiful finish into the top corner. Five minutes later it was 2-0 when another Baisden’s cross came off of the arm of defender Laura Hughes’ arm. Baisden fired the spot kick home.

Canberra hit back and needed Matildas’ keeper Mackenzie Arnold to deny Khamis twice and then Karly Roestbakken.

Brisbane regained the momentum in the final quarter and their efforts were rewarded with further goals.

Pickett grabbed her second and Roar’s third when she turned in Holly Palmer’s cross.

Shortly afterwards it was 4-0 with a delightful finish from Shea Connors for her first W League goal. It came from another Baisden ball in which was volleyed towards the right hand post when Connors stuck out a foot to volley it back the other way past Sham Khamis in the United goal.

The rout was completed with Rylee Baisden rewarded for her fine efforts all afternoon after being found by Matildas’ international Katrina Gorry. Baisden went one on one with Khamis and slotted it home for 5-0.

Due to having the bye next weekend and not being able to make the Finals, this was Canberra’s final game of the campaign and it will be a case of what might have been for the Lime Green Machine.

As for the Roar, they need to defeat newly crowned Premiers Melbourne City in their final game and hope either Western Sydney Wanderers continue their end of season collapse against in form Perth Glory, or Melbourne Victory are beaten at home to Sydney.

Melbourne Victory now have one foot in the finals after a sensational 7-0 away win at struggling Newcastle Jets at the Number Two Sportsground in front of 1,321.

The Victorians, who racked up their largest ever winning margin in the process, made a quick fire start and were 2-0 up after just eight minutes thanks to New Zealand international Annalie Longo.

Her first came after three minutes when the White Ferns star was found by Matildas’ international Jenna McCormick to slot home her first W League goal.

Five minutes later, she grabbed her second after winning possession after a deflection off of Jets’ Libby Copus-Brown and netted.

It was 3-0 after the half hour mark with a classy finish from Natasha Dowie who ran onto Angela Beard’s ball and lofted it over the onrushing Jets keeper Claire Coelho.

Catastrophic defending from Newcastle gifted Melbourne Victory the fourth just before the break when a scramble in the area which saw the ball rebound off the woodwork twice, with both Coelho and her defence having ample time to clear, but they simply stood and watched as Darian Jenkins had the easiest task to roll the ball in.

Just before the hour, Jenkins was at it again after heading McCormick’s cross into the net.

When the Jets thought it couldn’t possibly get any worse, it did on 69 minutes when Nikki Flannery’s cross was headed into her own net by Cassidy Davis.

Victory never took their foot off the pedal and they completed their tally when Melina Ayres headed in Grace Maher’s corner.

Adelaide United had the bye.

Latest Westfield W League Table:

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	PD
Melbourne City	11	10	1	0	24	3	31	+ 21
Sydney FC	11	7	1	3	20	10	22	+ 10
Melbourne Victory	11	6	2	3	21	13	20	+ 8
Western Sydney Wanderers	11	6	1	4	21	18	19	+ 3
Brisbane Roar	11	5	2	4	21	16	17	+ 5
Canberra United	12	4	1	7	13	29	13	– 16
Perth Glory	11	3	2	6	17	21	11	– 4
Newcastle Jets	11	2	1	8	11	25	7	– 14
Adelaide United	11	1	1	9	10	23	4	– 13

Teams in bold qualify for the Finals play-offs.

The Westfield W League in Australia returned after a two week break for the first stage of the Matildas Olympic Games qualifying campaign. What a round of fixtures it was with the top four facing each other in cross city derbies! Impetus editor Ben Gilby reports.

Melbourne City took a decisive step towards the Minor Premiership trophy after thrashing rivals Melbourne Victory 4-0 in front of 1,097 at Lakeside Oval to move six points clear at the top.

City’s Emily van Egmond and Kyah Simon played a key role in the demolition job, just three days after the conclusion of the Matildas Olympic Qualifying group games, in which they both played such an influential role.

Victory were on the back foot from the start and the only surprise was that it took the Sky Blues twenty-one minutes to get the opening goal. It was another stunner from van Egmond, who followed up her strike into the top left corner for Australia against China on Thursday with a similar effort, which this time went into the top right.

Another Melbourne City Matildas duo, Ellie Carpenter and Steph Catley were tying Victory up in knots as they danced down either flank. It was Carpenter who created City’s second goal on the half hour. She opened the Victory defence to play in Claire Emslie and the Scot rounded Melbourne Victory keeper Casey Dumont and hit it home.

It took five minutes after the break for the game deciding third. Catley’s surging run found Emslie who hit a shot which crashed off of the advancing Dumont, ballooned up and fell back at the Scot’s feet and she had the easiest task to tap home.

The final goal arrived on the hour mark. Yukari Kinga supplied Catley, whose effort came off of Dumont’s legs before falling to Kyah Simon who simply could not missed.

Melbourne City will look to wrap up the minor premiership in their next game against Western Sydney Wanderers, a team, who as we will discover below, have their own season on the line.

The Wanderers’ fairytale campaign is in danger of imploding as the campaign reaches its final stages after falling to a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to city rivals and reigning champions Sydney FC in front of an impressive crowd of 2,309 at Cromer Park.

Western Sydney have fallen from top spot to third after defeats in two of their last three games – a run which has first ruled out minor premiership hopes and now even threatens their dreams of a first ever top four finish – thus potentially missing a maiden finals campaign.

It is worth remembering that this was a Sydney side having to cope with the departure of Matildas stars Caitlin Foord and Chloe Logarzo to the FA Women’s Super League sides Arsenal and Bristol City respectively.

The reigning champions were fired up from the start – determined to erase the painful memories of their brutal 5-0 loss to the Black & Reds in Parramatta before Christmas.

Within two minutes, they were ahead. Sofia Huerta’s cross was missed by the Wanderers defence and met at the back post by Veronica Latsko to score.

The visiting Black and Reds rallied briefly, but on fourteen minutes Sydney doubled their advantage. Teresa Polias’ corner was met by Ellie Brush and the former Wanderers player’s header flew in.

Western Sydney star Ellie Harrison let fly with a great effort from distance that bounced off of the bar and behind. However, after this, the game tightened up and the challenges got ever tastier. It was no surprise therefore that, after a number of yellows being shown, a red finally followed for Wanderers’ Kristen Hamilton for a second bookable offence.

The Sky Blues ramped up the pressure in the final twenty minutes as Brush, Latsko and Young Matilda Amy Sayer all missing opportunities. The third goal had to come, but it waited until second half stoppage time when Sofia Huerta hit a great shot into the far corner.

Perth Glory’s fine run of form continues as they picked up a second successive victory, with a hugely impressive win at home to Brisbane Roar at Dorrien Gardens.

Victory for the Queenslanders would have seen them enter the top four, but they reckoned without a superb effort from the Western Australians. The only disappointment was that only 498 spectators were present.

It took just two minutes for Perth to go ahead when Morgan Andrews’ thumping header from a corner arrowed in.

Ten minutes later, Roar were rocked as the Glory went 2-0 up when Celia played in Crystal Thomas who raced through and lofted the ball over Mackenzie Arnold, who was caught betwixt and between; not knowing whether to come out or retreat in the Brisbane goal.

Shortly afterwards, Thomas was in again, but Arnold made amends by snaffling the ball in the one-on-one.

However, seven minutes later, Glory did chalk up their third of the afternoon. Matildas’ Clare Polkinghorne handled in the area and Morgan Andrews dispatched the penalty.

Frustratingly for Perth, their comfortable command of the momentum was undone just after the half hour mark when Morgan Aquino in the Glory goal fumbled Carson Pickett’s ball and compounded matters by allowing it to drop over the line at her second attempt to clear the danger.

Roar continued on the front foot after the break and Tameka Yallop headed over just a minute into the second half. They upped the pressure further and after 58 minutes, Yallop had better luck when her initial shot came back off of Aquino and into her path. She couldn’t miss.

With the game delicately poised now at 3-2, Brisbane pushed forward again and Pickett missed three great opportunities.

But, it was Perth who finished strongly, belying their tally of only five points going into this match. They confirmed their victory in stoppage time when Ayesha Norrie hit home the fourth on the counter attack.

Canberra United ended their four match run of losses – a spell which also saw them fail to score – with a 3-1 win over an Adelaide United side who are now red hot favourites to be handed the wooden spoon at the season’s end.

The Lime Green machine stated their intent early on when Elise Thornses’ volley went over the bar. Three further chances were missed as Leena Khamis, Jessie Rasschaert and Thornses were all denied.

Just after the half hour mark, Canberra’s dominance was finally rewarded with the opening goal. Laura Hughes capitalised from a poor Adelaide clearance to crash home her first W League goal.

The Reds, with just one win all season hit back just before the break. Isabel Hodgson latched onto Chelsie Dowler’s accurate pass to place the equaliser confidently into the net.

The 1,202 gathered in McKellar Park sighed a relief in the second half as the capital city side wrestled back the advantage in quite some style.

Thorsnes and Hughes missed opportunities before Simone Charley found Khamis who turned and fired home to re-establish Canberra’s lead.

Matters were sealed with ten minutes to go when Karly Roestbakken’s searing run played in Thorsnes. Her cross was headed home by Charley.

Newcastle Jets had the bye.

Latest Westfield W League Table:

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	PD
Melbourne City	10	9	1	0	20	3	28	+ 17
Sydney FC	10	7	1	2	19	8	22	+ 11
Western Sydney Wanderers	10	6	1	3	21	14	19	+ 7
Melbourne Victory	10	5	2	3	14	13	17	+ 1
Brisbane Roar	10	4	2	4	16	16	14	=
Canberra United	11	4	1	6	13	24	13	– 11
Perth Glory	10	2	2	6	15	20	8	– 5
Newcastle Jets	10	2	1	7	11	18	7	– 7
Adelaide United	11	1	1	9	10	23	4	– 13

Teams in bold qualify for the Finals play-offs.