Despite the lead, the feeling in the crowd was that the game was nowhere close to over and from the start of the second half, it was clear Sydney wasn’t ready to settle.

Within the first minute, Huerta was again on the attack, sending in a deep cross for Ibini who was charging in from the left, but it was headed away.

Sydney continued to dominate possession as they did in the first half, suffocating Perth’s midfield and ensuring the Glory’s most potent attackers – Kerr and Rachel Hill – were kept isolated.

Sydney’s pressure continued to pay off around ten minutes into the second half as Ibini once again cut inside her defender and charged at goal, but her on-target shot was well saved by a horizontal, diving Campbell.

A minute later, it was Perth’s turn. Kerr received a pass from Hill near the top of the box, turning to shoot but Bledsoe dived down well to keep the scores at 2-1.

The game’s third goal came in the 61st minute, as Perth’s fatigue from a 120 minute semi-final and two long-distance trips started to wear in. A poor clearance from a corner saw the ball spin backwards towards Perth’s goal, and McCaskill pounced, turning her defender and shooting low and hard across Campbell and into the net. 

However, it’s become almost part and parcel of Perth this season that they continue to find ways back into games. In the 67th minute, a Nikki Stanton corner was chipped in by her Chicago Red Stars team-mate Alyssa Mautz, bringing the score to 3-2.

The Sky Blues wouldn’t be taking that for an answer. Five minutes later, they restored their two-goal lead. McCaskill’s deep cross was poorly deflected right into the path of Matilda Chloe Logarzo, whose first-time shot was too hard for Campbell to stop. 4-2.

The game was far more open in the closing 25 minutes as Perth continued to push, with both Hill and Kerr trying hard to create opportunities. But Sydney’s defence remained firm, with both Alanna Kennedy and her centre-half teammate Liz Ralston turning out their best performances of the season.

Kerr, in particular, continued to work hard down the right side of the field, creating openings for her team-mates, charging at and past defenders, and sending dangerous balls into the area. But Sydney remained solid.

It was ultimately this defensive solidity that allowed Sydney to see the result through to the end.