The 2016 Grand Final, the W-League Championship, is set for Sunday, when history will be made either way. The top four all finished the regular season within three points of each other, making a clear distinction between themselves and the rest of the league in 2016/17. How the finalists made it to the championship game though looked very different.
The opening semi-final on Saturday saw Perth Glory welcome Sydney FC. The lower-seeded Sydney took a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute, but it would ultimately prove to be a footnote in the match report. Sydney received and converted a penalty in the 29th minute and followed that up with an additional four goals. The 5-1 result will have the club feeling the favorites as they will now host the championship.
Meanwhile, in the second semi-final, top seed Canberra United hosted last year’s champions Melbourne City. The two teams played to a stalemate in regulation, with Jess Fishlock striking home the winning goal in the 107th minute. The Seattle Reign player is currently serving as a player/manager for the club.
The two sides met once during the regular season, in a 3-2 result that went to Perth. The front office and neutrals will be hoping for a similar back and forth, attacking match.
Melbourne City won the title last season and are looking to become the first club to ever repeat as champions. While Perth are still looking for their first ever championship, having come the closest in 2014, winning the regular season.
Both clubs feature NWSL players - Melbourne (five) and Perth (three), leaving both squads familiar with one another. In a Grand Final though that experience is vastly different. As noted in the league’s pre-match report, “Melbourne City are vastly more experienced when it comes to experience of the big day with their squad boasting a cumulative total of 26 Grand Final appearances between 11 players. Perth Glory in contrast have three players sharing six Grand Finals between them.”
The Grand Final will, again, be played on Sunday, February 12, and can be seen on the WatchESPN app.
