Queensland Roar early in first final.
Queenland powered to a 2-0 and wrapped up the inaugural Grand Final early.
Goals from Lana Harch and Tameka Butt gave the classy Roar the edge and there was no way back for Canberra.
Alicia Ferguson was injured for the Roar and this allowed the pacy Ellen Beaumont a start and she sped past Rhian Davies in the sixth minute. Her cross bounced back off the bar and in the confusion Harch slotted it home.
Thea Slatyer was clearly fouled but sometimes you just have the luck. And today proved to be just that sort of day for Canberra.
If that goal was perhaps questionable the second from Tameka Butt was pure class. A delicious strike from the edge of the box and 2-0.
Canberra were stunned.
Amy Chapman was not at her best, an injury taking it's toll? Caitlin Munoz a little out of touch. But Queensland didn't care. They hassled and chased and when they got the ball they worked it well, releasing their pacy forwards at every opportunity.
United were penned back and the midfield was too far away from the forwards to make an impact. Similar to last week only this time United were behind.
Should Ashleigh Sykes have started? Did they need Grace Gill in centre-midfield? Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Queensland passed the ball better, Lauren Colthorpe, Ellen Kellond-Knight and Tameka Butt controlled the midfield and upfront the Canberra defence was continually tested.
How many of them will be in the Matildas squad?
Sasha McDonnell worked hard but was isolated too often to make any real impact.
Coach Robbie Hooker changed things at half-time and he had to. It was a Grand Final after all.
And if 2-0 is the most dangerous lead in football you always thought if Canberra got one then maybe just maybe. Remember Iran!
But the Roar stood firm. Canberra lifted the intensity, pushed more and more players forward. Kate McShea and Claire Polkingthorne were invincible...all game, maybe all season.
Courtney Beutal would have impressed Matildas Coach Tom Sermanni. Casey Dumont also.
Finals can pass you by quickly and this seemed to pass United. A half chance here, an Ashleigh Sykes goal ruled offside, a Munoz shot blasted wide but only the green-eyed could see a goal coming. I could but It didn't:)
Over 5,000 fans. Chanting and colour from the crowd. A large away support. And sponsors thanked after the game. The new football.
FFA CEO Ben Buckley presented Lana Harch the player of the match award in full suit but no tie!
Football in on Australia on the rise again, today it was the Women's turn and Canberra played on the National stage in a National final.
A great season, a great journey and we'll all be back for more next year.
Well done to Queensland; and Canberra of course.
United fans watch out for Russ Gibbs Canberra United yearbook out soon. Interviews, quotes, stats and more.
And vote for your Nearpost/Farpost fan Canberra United player of the year. Email flanagan.eamonn@gmail.com and I'll forward the results to Russ. Russ will announce the winner at the Canberra United Presentation night Feb 14th..check with Capital Football.
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10 comments:
A great day out at Ballymore. Fantastic atmosphere and great, spirited football from both sides. My lad Jacob reckons the girls lose possession much more than the men, which may be true, but there was some great sequences in this game and I had to argue with him - you know, about relativity and such.
Thankyou Eamonn for being the blogger who kept a close watching eye on the W-League. Naturally you were Canberra-centric, but especially as your analysis always dovetailed into Matildas analysis, it was always worth checking here for a fan of the women's game.
And Canberra's success at getting to the finals must be some help towards its general A-League bid. If Canberra meet other criteria, surely it has a head over other contenders.
Of course I sound unusually happy and gracious!! Along with the blokes trashing Sydney 3:1 at home last night, it was the greatest day in the history of the Roar!
Cheers.
I missed the game :-(. What happened to Amy Chapman?
I think she was injured before the game even started.
Bit worried she may not be wiht us next year also. see Canberra times below.
Chapman weighs up Canberra vs Roar
BY CHRIS DUTTON
SOCCER
19/01/2009 1:00:00 AM
Amy Chapman wants to help Canberra United avenge its 2-0 grand final defeat, but the striker wouldn't rule out signing with the inaugural W-League champion, Queensland Roar, next season.
The Roar crushed United's title hopes with two first-half goals in the season decider at Ballymore on Saturday.
The majority of the United squad was greeted by family, friends and fans as it arrived back in Canberra yesterday.
Chapman remained in Brisbane with her family and has been offered a place to study applied science at the Queensland University of Technology this year.
The 21-year-old admitted signing with the Roar had crossed her mind.
''But I really enjoyed playing with the Canberra girls and the atmosphere there was awesome,'' Chapman said.
''But I wouldn't write off playing for the Roar but I'd much prefer playing for Canberra.
''I think the uni semester will be over by the time the season starts so relocating to Canberra after uni is still an option.''
United was home to a number of players throughout the season who were not based in the national capital.
But prior to the title decider, her future playing partners were far from being her main concern.
A sore left knee almost forced Chapman out of the grand final.
She just scraped through a fitness test on Saturday morning and will now rest her knee in hope of being fit for the Matildas' two matches against Italy on January 31 and February 7.
The February match will be played at Canberra Stadium.
''In hindsight I probably should have had a game off during the season to rest it but it's just unfortunate it flared up the week of the grand final,'' she said.
''I've had two knee reconstructions and both my knees are a bit iffy and it just sucks that I played all 11 games before and it didn't play up then.''
If Chapman did choose to return to Canberra from Queensland next season she wouldn't be alone.
Queenslanders Sasha McDonnell and Kara Mowbray opted for contracts in the capital for the inaugural season.
Hopefully Amy plays for us next year... for mine she was the standout of the year. Munoz and her work together so well.
I ventured to Ballymore and was shocked by her obvious pain and restricted movement.
Well done on a fantastic year girls..
Anyone know where the Sykes girls will be plying their football this winter season?
I also hope we don't lose Amy. Never stops, even when she was clearly injured. I would also like Robbie Hooker stay but it seems there may be problems. See the FFA Site.
Well done United you did us proud!
I can't find anything on the FFA site about hooker. What is happening to him? can you let us know? Thanks
Not there any more, it was in the scrolling news at the top. Said he had been wanting to make plans for CU , recruiting etc:, next season and had tried to get some sort of indication from Capital Football about three weeks ago as to his position. He had not heard from them and he was currently looking at his options.
From Canberra Times:
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/soccer/hookers-future-uncertain/1410302.aspx
Hooker's future uncertain
BY CHRIS DUTTON
19/01/2009 1:00:00 AM
Canberra United coach Robbie Hooker wants to start plotting revenge on the Queensland Roar, but he doesn't know whether he will be the team's mentor for 2009-10.
Hooker approached Canberra officials three weeks ago to discuss whether he would lead the team in future seasons, but he was still waiting for a reply yesterday.
United lost to the Roar 2-0 in the inaugural W-League grand final on Saturday at Ballymore.
Before the grand final was played, Hooker wanted to start planning for next season.
He said he would like to stay at the helm but admitted he would not immediately turn down rival offers.
''I don't know what players we'll have next season because we don't know who the coach is yet,'' Hooker said.
''I brought up the issue of which players we're going to keep and what positions we need to recruit to be better and I said before I can do that I need to know whether I'm going to be coach.
''I guess you've got to look and see what's on the table but certainly the group of players we have here, I'd like to think with more time we can become a better team.''
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