W-League grand final: Sydney FC out to stop Melbourne City juggernaut

AT the World Cup they were goalscoring team mates, which is why Kyah Simon knows exactly how important it is to stop Lisa De Vanna if Sydney FC are to secure W-League glory.

Matilda's stars goalscorer Kyah Simon, with Captain Lisa de Vanna (left) at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald on June 25, 2015 in Edmonton, Canada. Before they face Japan in the FIFA Women's World Cup Quarter Final on Monday.

AT THE World Cup they were goalscoring teammates, so Kyah Simon knows exactly how important it is to stop Lisa De Vanna if Sydney FC are to secure W-League glory on Sunday.

The Sky Blues travel south to face Melbourne City in the showpiece at AAMI Park, delighting in their depiction as the underdogs against a side that did not so much run away with the regular season crown as bury it out to sea.

City finished 10 points clear of second-placed Canberra United and a further seven points above Sydney, fitting reward for a season in which the new team on the block reset the bar in terms of ambition.

Simon is well aware of how dangerous De Vanna can be given a moment’s space.

The pair shared five goals as Australia reached the World Cup quarter-finals this year.

“We have to close her down, limit her options and generally stick to a difficult job very tightly,” Simon said.

“(But) we have our own key players too and it would be nice if they’re sitting there working out how to stop how we play. We have the underdog label and I love that, I love the challenge.”

Simon said the Sky Blues could take heart from the example set by the Matildas at the World Cup, shocking Brazil in the round of 16.

“We can replicate a little bit of the feeling that we have with the Matildas, that bond and the determination,” she said.

“A little bit of belief can go a long way … even that last game of the season (City won with a late goal) allowed us to show glimpses of our potential.”

Originally published as W-League grand final: Sydney FC out to stop Melbourne City juggernaut