Record crowd sees Sydney FC win women's A-League grand final / Photo: DAVID GRAY - AFP
-
US Open top seed Zverev downplays favorite status
-
Norway, in mourning, enters new era under King Haakon VIII
-
Soldiers' mutiny rocks Niger capital, as junta claims to be back in control
-
Clean-Energy Super PAC Claims Fifth Republican Primary Victory in 2026 Campaign
-
California Dairy Hydrogen Project Sets Carbon-Intensity Record and Renews Biogas Debate
-
Pennsylvania Coal-Waste Power Subsidies Rise as Solar Remains a Smaller Source
-
Pittsburgh Speed Painter Surprises Jalen Brunson With 10-Minute Portrait
-
New Jersey Man Faces Federal Charges After Authorities Seize 109 Homemade Bombs
-
Los Angeles County Rapper Among Three Charged in $8.1 Million Stolen-Check Case
-
PlanEat AI Offers Personalized Weekly Meal Planning Through Lifetime Subscription Deal
-
Taylor Swift Gives $50,000 to Fundraiser for Mother Injured While Helping Crash Victims
-
Lil Nas X Announces Death of His Mother Tameka Hill
-
Taylor Swift Donation Supports Connecticut Mother Recovering From Serious Roadside Injuries
-
Tennessee Moves Toward Renaming Nashville International Airport for Dolly Parton
-
Kanye West Does Not Address Milo Yiannopoulos Detention During New Orleans Concert
-
NHAI Starts Removing Temporary Cooum River Bunds Ahead of Northeast Monsoon
-
Seven Arrested After VCK Functionary Killed in Thiruneermalai Attack
-
Thousands Gather as Annual Velankanni Basilica Festival Opens With Flag Hoisting
-
Munoz saves Iraola in Liverpool draw, Hull extend dream start
-
Nepal warns of climate threat after deadly floods
-
'Smooth' Marc Marquez wins Aragon MotoGP sprint, Bezzecchi on pole
-
Abbas strikes again but England build huge lead over Pakistan
-
Tiny Elversberg stun Leverkusen on Bundesliga debut
-
Bloodied Pogacar pulls out of Vuelta a Espana after heavy fall
-
Russian strike blows up arms depot near Kyiv, killing 37
-
Soldiers' mutiny rocks Niger capital, but junta says back in control
-
Lebanon archaeological finds showcase rich heritage despite war woes
-
Bezzecchi takes Aragon MotoGP pole, Marc Marquez ripostes in sprint
-
Liverpool held by Forest on Iraola's Anfield debut
-
Russia strike blows up arms depot near Kyiv, killing 37
-
Rescuers claw through mud as missing toll from Nepal, China flood nears 3,000
-
Norway, in mourning, enters a new era under King Haakon VIII
-
Mourinho says Mbappe worthy of Ballon d'Or
-
Rain frustrates England's bid for Pakistan series win
-
Clashes rock Niger capital, junta says back in control
-
Rafael Leao leaving AC Milan for Galatasaray
-
India's Neeraj Chopra out for season with ankle injury
-
Three Students Die, Four Injured in Madurantakam Car Crash
-
Bhim Army Protesters and Police Scuffle During Patna BPSC March
-
Karnataka Rules Out Smaller Mysuru Dasara Despite Drought
-
BJP Leadership Reviews Youth Outreach and Seven State Elections
-
TVK Legislator’s Jallikattu Criticism Draws Demand for Party Clarification
-
Omitted Social Justice Figures Trigger Dispute Over Tamil Nadu Policy Note
-
SUV Tyre Failure Kills Three Chennai College Students
-
Suspect Arrested in Manipur After Body Found on Tamil Nadu Express
-
Michelle Obama Says She Welcomes Life After Active Parenting Years
-
Police Report Details Famous Dex Domestic Battery Allegations
-
Court Dispute Features Alleged Racist Texts Attributed to Milo Yiannopoulos
-
Jerusalem Police Operation Uncovers Second Temple-Era Burial Cave
-
Celebrities Share Late-Summer Photos in August Gallery
Record crowd sees Sydney FC win women's A-League grand final
Sydney FC surged past Western United 4-0 to win the women's A-League grand final on Sunday before a record crowd as Australia counts down to co-hosting the World Cup in July and August.
Playing in a sixth straight final, they lifted the trophy for a fourth time on the back of two goals from American forward Madison Haley -- the daughter of five-time NFL (American Football) Super Bowl winner Charles Haley.
Veteran skipper Natalie Tobin and Princess Ibini-Isei also got on the scoresheet.
On a landmark day for the game in Australia, 9,519 thronged through the turnstiles at Sydney's Parramatta Stadium as football rides a wave of momentum leading up to the World Cup in July and August.
The previous record for a women's grand final was a pre-Covid 6,127 in Melbourne in 2019.
"It's overwhelming, it's outstanding, it's amazing," said Tobin, who was playing her 100th game.
"These girls, it's such an incredible group. I can't believe we did it."
Sydney quickly assumed control with a powerful back post header from Haley after a Mackenzie Hawkesby corner on three minutes.
They doubled their lead 15 minutes later through Tobin, again from a Hawkesby corner, and went to the break comfortably in charge.
United's American goalkeeper Hillary Beall pulled off a string of saves as Sydney pressed for a third, but could not do anything to keep out Ibini-Isei's penalty in the 63rd minute before Haley grabbed her second in stoppage time.
Despite defeat, it has been a remarkable season for Western United who were in their first year of existence and given little chance of even making the top-four playoffs.
Australia's then W-League was formed in 2008 with eight clubs, replacing the Women's National Soccer League (WNSL) as Australia's top women's football competition.
It expanded to nine teams in 2015 and has since grown to 11 with the addition of Western United this season. One more club -- Central Coast Mariners -- will be added for the 2023-24 campaign.
That will bring it in line with the world's top leagues, including England's Women's Super League, the United States' National Women's Soccer League and France's Division 1 Feminine.
A-Leagues chief Danny Townsend said ahead of the match the expansion meant "all the ingredients are in place for the women's game to explode as we have seen in leagues overseas".
B.AbuZeid--SF-PST
