It’s the game that means the most and the Westfield W-League Grand Final has dished up some memorable moments over the years.
From astonishing individual displays to top-class strikes and actions that made you go ‘wow’, there are a host of players that have stepped up when it matters most.
We’ve come up with five of the best moments from the biggest match of the season with one of our contributors looking to make it two-from-two on Saturday.
GRAND FINAL PREVIEW: Melbourne City v Sydney FC
WATCH: How to watch Westfield W-League 2020 Grand Final
Sam sends them head over heels
She’s become Westfield Matildas skipper and is one of the best players in World football. But it was back in 2013 when Sam Kerr announced herself to the Westfield W-League.
It was that season – when Kerr was with Sydney FC – that Kerr gave us a glimpse into the match-winner she would become.
Then a fresh-faced teenager, Kerr produced a superb performance to help the Sky Blues stun favourites Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park.
With scores locked at 1-1, Kerr popped up with a classic header shortly after half time to put her side ahead and help secure the Sky Blues the Championship.
She celebrated in fine style as well, and the Sky Blues would secure the trophy through a late Kyah Simon penalty.
STATS PREVIEW: Sydney FC must stop City’s league-best Westfield Matildas combo
Hey-man, it’s my Westfield W-League title
Having already finished with the competition’s Golden Boot for her 12 goals in the regular season, Michelle Heyman was the player Brisbane Roar needed to stop in the 2012 decider.
But Heyman took just 11 minutes to show that was easier said than done, sliding a shot past Brisbane ‘keeper Casey Dumont to give Canberra United the lead.
Minutes later, Heyman turned provider, getting free inside the box before squaring it up to put fellow forward Ashleigh Sykes into a position where she couldn’t miss.
But the Westfield Matildas striker wasn’t done there, scoring a second 10 minutes after the break when she rose highest to nod in Grace Gill’s floating cross.
As Grand Final performances go, two goals and one assist was a special day for Heyman and her Canberra United teammates.
GRAND FINAL FEATURED PLAYER: Veronica Latsko – Sydney FC
Fishlock with the Howitzer in City swansong
Jess Fishlock had helped Melbourne City sweep all before them in their first two seasons in the Westfield W-League but their third campaign was much more difficult.
After sneaking into the Finals Series, City won their Semi Final to set up a decider away from home against Sydney FC.
And that’s where Fishlock’s brilliance came to the fore.
In what was the Welsh wizard’s last game for the club, Fishlock opened the scoring with a classy chip over stranded Sydney FC keeper Aubrey Bledsoe to send City on their way to a 2-0 win.
GRAND FINAL FEATURED PLAYER: Emily van Egmond – Melbourne City
Huerta goes bang for Sydney
American import Sofia Huerta had shown glimpses of her undoubted throughout her maiden campaign in the Westfield W-League in the 2018/19 Season.
But she saved her best for when it mattered most in the Grand Final against Perth Glory.
Taking less than six minutes to make her mark, Huerta struck a worldie from outside the box to send the Sky Blues on their way to a thrilling 4-2 win.
The US attacker gathered the ball outside the box, took a couple of strides forward and then fired off a rocket which blazed into the top corner past a despairing Eliza Campbell.
MORE: Westfield Matildas in the Westfield W-League Grand Final: Will Kennedy stop City’s sensational six?
Sykes, sealed, delivered
Travelling to Perth is never easy during the season let alone a Grand Final but that’s exactly the task that Canberra United faced back in 2014.
With scores locked and extra-time on the horizon, Canberra were desperately looking for a hero.
Enter Ash Sykes.
The Canberra legend netted twice in the space of three minutes to deliver a second Westfield W-League Championship for the capital club and leave the home crowd absolutely shell-shocked.
ROAD TO THE GRAND FINAL: Melbourne City
ROAD TO THE GRAND FINAL: Sydney FC
Westfield W-League 2020 Grand Final
Date: Saturday 21 March 2020
Fixture: Melbourne City FC vs Sydney FC
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Kick-off Time: 3:30pm (AEDT)
TV Broadcast: FOX SPORTS 505 from 3:00pm (AEDT), ABC TV from 3:00pm (AEDT), Kayo and the My Football Live App.
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