Apparently this was a double header match with the NYL match preceding this one. I wish I'd known as the scoreboard said I missed 6 goals before kickoff. Still one shouldn't complain too much. It was a warm day, a little overcast, rather humid actually, and I was watching football.
The sides played from the start... and I'm not stating the obvious... well yes I am but what I mean to say is that rather than a tentative feeling out or each others strengths for a few minutes both sides basically went after the goal. It came only 9 minutes in when a Sydney corner was taken short found Kylie Ledbrook on the corner of the box and she lobbed the ball over the keeper and inside the far post.
Sydney were controlling the bulk of the play game and while Melbourne looked defensively sound they didn't offer too much in attack in the early part of the match. You wouldn't say they were out of it, and clearly in the final analysis they could easily have won, but it was much harder for them to fashion any opportunities to score.
In the 19th minute the Melbourne keeper missed a shot from Uzunlar. What's odd about this is that she dived for it and put her hands out to stop it as it bounced akwardly in front of her. If there is a time where a keeper really wanted to concede a corner it should have been in this situation. As it was a full effort to deflect the ball away failed and while a goal kick was a better outcome I'm not sure I'd have been happy about it if it were me. In a way the awarding of the goal kick was an insult.
On the whole Uzunlar and Allen were making a good combination on the right flank. Numerous times Uzunlar would break or ride a tackle turn and push the ball to Allen who raced up the sideline. Basically everything I saw made me think that Uzunlar should really be in midfield. She's an excellent defender, sure, but her vision and 'ahem' relative lack of height might make the middle of the park a better fit. This of course would annoy the living crap out of Teresa Polias who is Sydney's resident tiny midfielder. Anyway singling these players out does a disservice to the others who were also doing their bit. Slatyer again composed and strong in defence and Rapinoe desperately chasing everything in a bid to score a goal in the last match she is scheduled to play before her guest stint ends were also impressing. Anyway Tom Sermanni was a few rows back looking at what was going on... and doing a crossword.
After half an hour a free kick was awarded when Rapinoe was brought down as she was bearing down on goal. The ref gave only a yellow card when, while it might have been harsh, a red one could easily have been pulled out. The resulting free kick from 25 out was launched like one of those steam catapults chucking planes off the end of an aircraft carrier and a second later rattles the join of crossbar and post. Megan still without that goal.
Melbourne were not entirely devoid of chances to equalise and on 36 min a good bit of play was killed off by a scrambling Lipsher who collected the ball at second attempt and some of the boot of what was either Brown or Taylor for good measure. It was hard to tell those two apart for me, they all had the same shirt on ;-).
Minutes later Melbourne beat the offside trap and a Melbourne attacker turns defender inside out before and just before the telling shot gets buried into the net Uzunlar intervenes at the crucial moment and sends the ball out for a corner. Maybe defence is the place for her after all.
Megan's quest for a goal continued and as Polias chases and recovers a cross gone long Sydney players crowd the box and the cross comes in to see Rapinoe launching herself at the ball but sadly heading it just wide.
Then it was Walsh's turn with a spot at the pointy end of a 4 on 2 breakaway. The shot was pushed wide by the keeper intervening well and the subsequent corner resulted in a header on goal just palmed away to record the second great save within barely a minute. The second corner was scrambled away and halftime whistle ends play.
After the resumption of play Melbourne were a better attacking force. Not dominant but giving themselves a far better account. Early in the second half a glancing header went just wide with the keeper beaten.
At the 52nd min mark Rapinoe failed to control a cross from Uzunlar and rather then getting a shot away on the ball the ball basically got a shot on Rapinoe and slunk away harmlessly and wide of a goal which had a wrongfooted keeper well relieved with her good fortune.
Melbourne managed to get a way through the defence by somehow making sure one of the defenders just falls over and quick as you like Melbourne are bearing down on the goal. Unlike last week when Monique Jackson waited for the shot Alison Lipsher threw herself at the ball and sent the ball out for corner. It could easily have been 1-1 right there but a bit of luck and determination go a long way.
Megan Rapinoe wasn't the only one having a lousy time in front of goal as Teresa Polias got on the end of a nice cutback and found herself right in front and in the vicinity of the penalty spot but skies her shot over the bar.
Caitlin Foord came on for the hard running Walsh in the 59th minute and as she does had an immediate impact. Not a goal, but certainly the youthful arrogance and self belief she exhudes has a remarkable effect on her teammates intensity and invention.
Polias tried to put Allen through a slot and successfully sprang the offside trap but but Davey was quicker to the ball than Allen could be. Then at other end Lipsher foils Melbourne attempt for a corner but in the ensuing play a penalty is awarded on the 62nd min mark. Rapinoe penalised for a challenge on the edge of the box and rather than scoring one Rapinow ends up conceding one as Taylor scores a well taken, slightly unexpected but not entirely undeserved equaliser.
Both sides traded replacements and one of those, Whitfield, shows much promise. You think Foord has confidence Whitfield basically ran from just past halfway beat anyone silly enough to try to stop her. It would have been spectacular if she could have scored, but it was all a bit too much to ask for one player but a corner wasn't a bad result.
Rapinoe tried to put the corner straight into the net... it was a simple catch by Davey, but it needed catching.
Then there was a period where a flurry of yellow cards were presented as the referee began to lose control of game. Both sides wanted the win and either side could have had it. That sort of thing leads to questioning decisions that might otherwise ssem routine.
Stajcic had named Garriock as a sub, which was a bit surprising since she had been listed as injured for this match but after 77minutes it was time to see if she could manufacture something as she came on for Rollason. It was clear from the first few touches there was some rustiness but equally that there was an urgent confidence about her play that might have gone well earlier.
Just after Melbourne's second substitution Rapinoe finally scores the goal she had been trying so hard to get for 173 minutes of her 2 game stint and did so with a little help from Foord and Whitfield who look damned dangerous and when they can go for 90 minutes will make me wonder who Leena Khamis is... for now though she is still very much missed. As Rapinoe neatly clips the ball into the net over a diving keeper after entirely too much to describe had happened in the lead up. Rapinoe then does a Tim Cahill to the corner flag. Twice.
Sydney get their win.. not undeserved, but with a little fortune but had to endure a late scare as a last gasp breakaway saw Melbourne get a clear shot at goal but the Melbourne forward at the far end of the field from where I was puts it wide to seal the home win.