Sportsmart WPL Grand Final decided on penalties
South Melbourne Hellas secured back-to-back Sportsmart Women's Premier League titles on Sunday with a 5-4 penalty shootout win in a classic contest at the Veneto Club that ended 2-2 at the end of extra-time.
A double to Taryne Boudreau had the Eagles twice in the lead, only for South to twice claw back the deficit through Carol Howes and an own goal.
Despite the action in extra-time and the final moments of regular side, the majority of the contest was error-ridden with most of the openings for either side the direct result of mistakes.
Even then, capitalising on those chances seemed a tough ask as both sides struggled with their decision-making, albeit the Eagles were able to find one early.
Two of the Eagles’ superstars in reigning Gold Medalist Amy Jackson and Canadian forward Taryne Boudreau combined in the fourth minute for the opener as the latter latched onto the former’s free-kick.
Hellas had a number of early chances scattered around Boroondara’s goal; Lisa Farquhar, Ali Baker and Brittany Dudley-Smith exchanging passes early only for the latter to be called offside despite baring down on Anna Lanning in goal.
They had chances to equalise soon after through Dudley-Smith – who lacked the conviction to fully trouble Lanning with her seventh minute effort – and Natalie Martineau – who was foiled at the near post by the keeper.
A spate of half chances fell the Eagles’ way with the table-toppers enjoying plenty of joy from wide positions, but failed to capitalise further on their lead.
A slip from Jessie Pritchard at the half-way line allowed Aliesha Newman time and space to stream through with support on either side of her.
In the end, she wasted the three-on-one opportunity by using Boudreau on her left, who was narrowly offside.
Newman had the chance to shoot herself soon after, but poked her effort wide of the left post after being played in by Boudreau.
Eliadis and Baker wrapped their right foot around shots from outside the box which both curled wide, while Boudreau at the other end provided the final highlight of the half, shimmying left and right, clearing her right boot before skimming a weak shot into Frances Land.
There was improvement in the second half as both sides found a bit more rhythm to their play.
Eliadis latched onto a Jamie Pollock ball early in the first half but couldn’t muster the power behind the shot to beat Lanning.
Their captain Alex Cheal let up at the back with a loose header, which saw her compete in a foot race with Jackson for possession, to which she redeemed herself well, corralling the ball safely into Land’s arms.
The pressure began to build on the Eagles defence, and a scramble from a corner kick saw South come fractions away from their equaliser as first Eliadis then Lines were denied by the keeper.
But with just 20 minutes remaining in the game, South found their goal through Carol Howes who embarked on a barnstorming run on the right, before selling Lanning with a feign before finishing to the near post, sending the South support into raptures.
South’s equaliser paved the way for a hotly-contested final 20 minutes of the contest, which saw chances aplenty as both sides sniffed a winner.
Dudley-Smith came close in the 73rd minute with a dinked effort over the onrushing Lanning, which floated inches wide of the post.
Land at the other end was putting herself to good use, charging forward with purpose to smother Boudreau’s shot from a wide left position, who had earlier nicked possession off Martineau.
The end-to-end pattern of chances continued as a Farquhar corner found the head of Pollock who headed straight at the keeper.
Cheal was the next to go close, albeit in the wrong net as confusion between her and Land resulted in the ball cannoning off her and towards goal although it rolled just wide.
It would have been a cruel way of losing the contest so late in the piece, as it would have if Amy Jackson’s 90th minute free-kick had beaten Land, but the keeper was up to the task.
Instead extra-time beckoned, where we saw two goals struck within the first 10 minutes of the first period.
Despite being all of 30-yards out, Boudreau utilized the space and time offered to her by striking into the top left corner of the net, leaving Land no chance.
Only a minute later and Hellas had their equaliser, as a cross from the left side from Lines was deflected towards goal by a Gummer header, which hit the crossbar and cruelly bounced off Lanning and into goals.
Another glorious chance fell Boroondara’s way courtesy of Tasmanian NTC product Lucy Johnstone who rattled the crossbar with a vicious right footed strike, which struck the bar and the ground before being claimed by the keeper.
Eliadis’ free-kick in the 105th minute floated narrowly over the bar despite the triumphant reaction from the crowd.
The second half of extra time saw enough action to span an entire game of its own, as the two goals were rubbed out, the crossbar was struck and a gilt-edged chance missed on the way towards penalty kicks.
A Liv Ellis cross in the 115th minute was turned into goals for what the Eagles thought was finally their winner, although it was ruled out for a foul in the process.
Boudreau then thought she’d secured her hat-trick after turning Jackson’s free-kick into goals in the 199th minute, but for the second time in four minutes, the referees whistle put stop to the claim.
The final piece of action before spot kicks saw Amy Jackson hit the crossbar – the third person in extra-time to do so – from a 25-yard free-kick, which then saw Boudreau miss the chance to write headlines, inexplicably blazing the rebound over the net from all of five-yards out.
Each side had a penalty saved within their allotted five spot-kicks, Alex Gummer’s low shot was thwarted by Land; Land’s penalty herself stopped by Anna Lanning to deny Hellas the title. But a Rani Cavarretta miss gave captain Cheal the opportunity to win the game with their sixth spot kick, finishing with aplomb to the sheer delight of her teammates.
An absolute classic contest drew fitting end to the final ever edition of the Women’s Premier League
With Alex Gummer and Frances Land getting their penalties saved and Rani Cavarretta missing hers, it paved the way for skipper Alex Cheal to secure the title, coolly placing her spot-kick past Lanning for the victory.
MATCH DETAILS:
South Melbourne Hellas 2 (Howes 70’, OG 96’) defeated by Boroondara Eagles 2 (Boudreau 4’, 95’) at Veneto Club [HT: 0-1, FT: 1-1]
South Melbourne WFC: 1. Frances LAND (GK), 16. Lisa FARQUHAR (3. Jade FEAKES 98’), 4. Jessie PRITCHARD, 6. Alex CHEAL (c), 5. Natalie MARTINEAU, 17. Ali BAKER, 8. Carol HOWES, 12. Jamie POLLOCK, (18. Caitlin GRIESER 110’) 11. Saphri LINES, 10. Tiffany ELIADIS, 2. Brittany DUDLEY-SMITH
Boroondara Eagles: 1. Anna LANNING (GK), 9. Alex GUMMER (c), 55. Jess TAY, 5. Sky JENSEN (3. Ally GAYFER 65’), 22. Liv ELLIS, 6. Aisling CALLAGHAN, 2. Sarah JACOBS, 15. Amy JACKSON, 31.Rani CAVARRETTA, 11. Aliesha NEWMAN (52. Amy MEDWIN 70’), 7. Taryne BOUDREAU
