Well, it hurt to be a Matildas fan this past weekend.
It will take a while for the pain of what could’ve been in a narrow Asian Cup Final loss on home soil to dissipate.
But for Matildas fans that don’t support Sydney FC, Newcastle Jets, Perth Glory, Central Coast Mariners, or Western Sydney, spare a thought for those that do, because they’re doing it even tougher this week.
It was almost cruel to watch the Sydney sides, in last and second last, do little to improve their chances this late into the season against first and second places Melbourne City and Wellington Phoenix.
The Jets, after a spectacular start to the season that was, can now almost mathematically call it quits for their finals hopes, or can definitely do so morale-wise.
Or Perth and Central Coast, where a win against the other would shoot one of them into a top six place, and keep finals hopes alive. Instead they both chose to shoot wide of the post or above it, making their ambitions even harder.
While it isn’t quite yet down and out for everyone, it’s this back end of the season where the real competitors will reveal themselves before playoffs begin.
WELLINGTON COME FROM BEHIND
To be up after three minutes and go down 3-1 will feel like the one that got away for Sydney against Wellington.
It’s actually the second that got away, after being in front last week and losing.
Granted the Sky Blues missed Riley Tanner and Willa Pearson, both serving one game suspensions, but there needs to be a bit more resolve for a team looking to avoid the wooden spoon.
Fans will hope they can conjure up something in the Big Blue next week on Saturday, while Wellington will look to solidify second place back home against Western Sydney.
BRISBANE HOPES ALIVE
Newcastle broke their five game winless streak last weekend, but a demoralising 4-2 loss to Brisbane was the last thing needed for their last ditch hopes of salvaging a finals place.
A 15 minute hat-trick from Brisbane’s Daisy Brown didn’t help, her first coming just after half-time before completing the feat in the 62nd minute.
Two consolation goals were too little, too late, and with their top six hopes reliant on them winning their last two games and other results going their way, it’s safe to say it’s a season gone begging up in the Hunter.
CANBERRA TAKE ADVANTAGE
Fiona Worts’ late season move away from Adelaide to South Korea last week could not have come at a worse time with the club truly beginning to solidify themselves as finals contenders.
She was sorely missed in a 3-2 loss to Canberra that put the sides on equal points on the ladder, with the side in the nation’s capital gaining the advantage on goal difference.
The pair are five points clear of next best Brisbane but will want to give everything in their final two games in hopes of gaining home ground advantages come finals time, as Adelaide in particular look to take advantage of a home game against Newcastle.
CITY GO SIX CLEAR
If the red and black’s season wasn’t embarrassing enough, conceding two goals and losing a game against 10 women when there’s nothing left to play for is just an old-fashioned pile-on.
An early red card to Chinaza Uchendu wasn’t even enough to give Western Sydney much-needed help against the ladder leaders, who still managed to score two before half time thereafter.
We get it, it’s tough against the number one team in the competition. But surely they could do better.
A Talia Younis super strike might count as some consolation, but with one final game against Wellington next week before a bye, the Wanderer’s season can’t end soon enough.
Originally published as A-League Women’s tackle: Tough week as bottom sides struggle and finals spots battle heats up
