Tara Murray
Western United’s amazing debut A-League Women’s season didn’t get the fairy tale ending the club and its supporters had hoped for.
After exceeding all expectations and making a grand final in its first season, United’s first grand final appearance ended in tears on Sunday.
Sydney FC, a side that had suffered grand final heartache the previous three seasons, scored twice early on from set pieces to put the pressure back on United.
United then had its chances, but weren’t able to convert.
A controversial penalty in the 63rd minute was the dagger in the heart for United fans and players.
While United played out the game well, Sydney found a fourth goal in the first minute of injury time to seal a 4-0 win.
United coach Mark Torcaso said he was so proud of the group and what they had been able to do.
“I spoke to them right after and literally said this has been a remarkable season,” he said in the post game press conference.
“In our first year to be in a grand final, you should be extremely proud to be out there, your families should be proud and the whole club should be proud of them. Their spirits are quite high and they’ve said they’ll be back and back even better.
“We’ve already signed up 13 of that group which is really good. We’ll look at bringing in one or two more if there’s other girls looking to move onto other clubs or situations overseas.
“We’re happy and satisfied with our group of players and we’ve got a pathway and we’ve got some good players coming through in our feeder as well.”
Torcaso said going down 2-0 wasn’t ideal and meant they were always on the back foot. He said after being so good at defending set pieces, it was disappointing to let two go through in the decider.
He said the group continued to have belief in what they were doing in front of a record A-League Women’s grand final crowd.
“We actually came into half time and girls absolutely believed we could get something out of it, especially the last 20 minutes,” he said.
“The way we played in that first half, we gave a little bit of hope in the way that we approached that last little bit and the girls worked really hard.
“We showed some fight and showed some character and I guess that is what we’ve pretty much done all season, really proud of the girls, can’t fault them.”
Torcaso said the third goal via the penalty was a bit tight and in other games that wouldn’t have been called.
He said it was the final straw for them.
Torcaso said the playing group was okay after the result, with the likes of Jess McDonald, Chloe Logarzo and Angie Beard consoling them.
McDonald, who played for United early in the season, flew out from America to watch the game.
Torcaso said not having those three out there wasn’t ideal, but said the rest of the group had stood up.
He admits Logarzo was close to getting picked.
“Chloe trained yesterday [Saturday], she has a World Cup to play for,” he said.
“I don’t’ think it’s fair to put her in a position that might jeopardise that. We had a really long discussion about that, just proud to have her part of our change room, be involved
“Yesterday and this morning I thought I was going to push her, but thought I probably shouldn’t.”
While United didn’t come away with the trophy, the group are still winners in a lot of ways this season.
Torcaso said the United program was more than just about the group of players on the pitch.
“It’s been unbelievable,” he said. “It’s been a brilliant ride, some girls up there had never been exposed to an A-League environment.
“I take a huge amount of enthusiasm going into next season, some of these girls outshone what I believed that they could do they’ve been amazing,
“It’s something quite emotional for me, I’ve had an attachment to some of these girls for many, many years, ever since some of them were 14.
“One message from the start [for us] was to set the tone for the next player that wants to play the game or wants to wear a Western United top. I think we’ve done that.
“Being located out in the west, it’s a growing area and there’s a lot of young people for us. It’s about creating the next young girl who wants to put on a Western United shirt or a Matildas shirt and that’s the exciting part for us.”
Torcaso said he would have a break now, after he and many of the group came straight out of a National Premier League Women’s season into the A-League season.
He said some of the girls would play some NPLW in the off season and he would spend plenty of time watching that competition.
Then it would be time to go again next season.
“I think they’ve got enough belief in each other to come back next year and have a really good year,” he said.
“I don’t want to be the team that comes out in the following season after having a good season and not performing. That is my expectation and my players will also feel that way, we’ll make sure we put the right belief in them to come out in the right way next year.”
