Brisbane Roar have found their fairytale ending, winning the Westfield WLeague grand final in a 2-1 victory over reigning Premiers Sydney FC in a tight clash at Campbelltown Stadium on Saturday.
The win solidifies their position as one of the the league-s powerhouses, having won their second grand final in the three years that the competition has been running.
Super substitute Lisa De Vanna broke the 1-all deadlock in the 65th minute, with the team able to hold down the attacking Sydney forward line lead by Kyah Simon until the final siren.
Brisbane Roar didn-t hesitate to make a run early in the first half with Lana Harch dominating the left wing.
Her first attempt rebounded off Sydney-s Servet Uzunlar only to land back at Harch-s feet, with a second shot drifting over the crossbar.
Tameka Butt was next to challenge Sydney-s defensive stocks, with a cross to Harch who was unable to direct her head towards goal, instead veering to the left.
Sydney FC where quick to reply with Simon taking an initial charge towards goal in the seventh minute but was also unable to convert.
Simon-s teammates followed her lead with a Leena Khamis cross finding Renee Rollason but again they were unable to make a mark on the scoreboard.
The Roar produced results early, drawing first blood in the tenth minute with the Harch – Butt duo drawing momentum from their initial run towards the goal.
Harch laid out a cross to Butt who was under pressure by two Sydney FC defenders but managed to get a head to the ball first which slide past the goalie to open up the scoring.
Finding space along the left wing, Simon again looked dangerous towards goal in the 11th minute only to be saved by Roar goalkeeper Casey Dumont.
A poor clearance from Dumont saw the ball find Sydney-s Kylie Ledbrook who took a shot from far range which again travelled to the left of the goal post.
Harch continued to challenge the Sydney defence dominating the left wing in the 23rd minute only to be contested by the goalkeeper Dimi Poulos with the shot going wide to the left.
Teigen Allen orchestrated another run towards goals for Sydney passing to Simon who made a run down the left wing finding enough space to setup a clear shot towards goals in the 33rd minute, forcing Dumont to act quickly to punch the ball away.
Ledbrook found the equalizer in the 34th minute taking a shot from a distance which rebounded off the far post and into the net.
The Butt – Harch duo that was looking dangerous around goals was distrupted in the 38th minute when a cross from Kellond Knight found Harch shadowed by two Sydney defenders.
While Harch-s shot drifted left she clipped her right ankle and went down needing to be stretchered off the field with a feared dislocated or fractured ankle.
De Vanna got the earlier than anticipated call up to replace Harch in the 42nd minute to finish out the first half.
A Joanne Burgess pass towards goal was deflected by Sydney-s Danielle Brogan only to find Amy Chapman who-s shot was wide in the second minute of injury time.
Sydney opened the second half with Simon taking another shot on goal, with Dumont able to get her fingertips to the ball to tip it over the crossbar in the 48th minute.
De Vanna looked dangerous running towards goal in the 54th minute only for Caitlin Foord to intercept and clear the ball before De Vanna could line up for the shot.
Khamis was handed a yellow card in the 55th minute due to a collision between her and two Roar players including goalie Dumont.
De Vanna took another stab in the 59th minute only to be saved by Poulos.
Simon was not to be beaten taking another run up the left wing in the 59th minute to pass to Ledbrook, keeping Dumont accountable with another save.
An opportunity for the Roar to get in front presented itself in the 65th minute with De Vanna able to beat Brogan in the final third to convert the winning goal.
The Roar built on the momentum trying to find a third goal to seal the win, with international recruit Kennya Cordner passing to Butt who found De Vanna in front of the goal.
De Vanna, being tricky, attempted to shoot the goal over her left shoulder but the shot went wide to the left of the post in the 73rd minute.
Cordner found herself just outside of the goals in the 77th minute, with a shot that looked certain to secure the win for the Roar, only for it to go marginally wide.
De Vanna takes another charge towards goal with Cordner setting herself up in the box, De Vanna passes it bak to Burgess who chips it over towards Cordner who is looming outside of the goal, but
Poulos intercepts and clears the ball out.
Sydney FC was starting to look desperate to even up the scores but they could not put a stop to the momentum of the Brisbane Roar going forward.
A corner shot in the 92nd minute for Sydney looked to be one of the last chances to produce the equaliser but Lydia Vandenbergh-s shot went wide resulting in a second corner.
The kick was deflected from the congested area in front of goals to find Nicola Bolger who was unable to convert.
Sydney were awarded a third corner with 30 seconds left on the clock in a last effort attempt to win back the game.
Catherine Cannuli found Foord who passed to Uzunlar with a long shot going wide of the goal, confirming the win for the Roar.
Roar captain Clare Polkinghorne was elated with the win and the team effort by the team.
“I am so proud of my girls, they pulled through and we deserved this one hundred percent,” Polkinghorne said
“We came out here and showed what football we can play and full credit to the girls.
“I couldn-t even single one player out from our team, it was such a team effort all over the park, everyone did their job.
“Coming into three grand finals in a row it is nice to come out with two from three.”
Sydney FC 1 (Kylie LEDBROOK 34-)
Brisbane Roar 2 (Tameka BUTT 10-, Lisa DE VANNA 66-)
Saturday, 11 February 2011
Campbelltown Stadium, Campbelltown
Referee: Kate Jacewicz
Assistant referees: Sarah Ho Allyson Flynn
Fourth official: Kirralee Gardiner
Sydney FC: 1.Dimi POULOS (gk), 2. Teresa POLIAS, 3. Danielle BROGAN, 6. Servet UZUNLAR, 8. Renee ROLLASON (13. Catherine CANNULI 76-), 9. Caitlin FOORD, 10. Kylie LEDBROOK (c) (16. Linda O-NEILL 90-), 11. Lydia VANDENBERGH 15. Teigen ALLEN (14. Nicola BOLGER 68-), 17. Kyah SIMON, 19. Leena KHAMIS
Substitutes not used: 5. Alanna KENNEDY, 20 Erin HERD (gk)
Yellow cards: Kylie LEDBROOK 36-, Leena KHAMIS 74-
Red cards: Nil
Brisbane Roar: 1. Casey DUMONT (gk), 4. Clare POLKINGHORNE (C), 5. Brooke SPENCE, 6. Joanne BURGESS (3. Karla REUTER 84-), 7. Kim CARROLL, 8. Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT, 10. Lana HARCH (19. Lisa DE VANNA 42-), 11. Aivi LUIK, 13. Tameka BUTT, 14. Amy CHAPMAN (18. Kennya CORDNER 67-), 16. Lauren COLTHORPE
Substitutes not used: 2. Laura ALLEWAY, 20. Kate STEWART (gk)
Yellow cards: Lisa DE VANNA 67-, Clare POLKINGHORNE 71-
Red cards: Nil
