Scottish footballer Claire Emslie helps Melbourne City win W-League Grand Final

Australian championship decider played behind closed doors

Claire Emslie in action for Melbourne City in the W-League Grand Final against Sydney FC. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Out of the gloom of the coronavirus pandemic, Scottish footballer Claire Emslie was able to momentarily lighten the mood, making the most of ongoing action in Australia to help create a little bit of history.

On loan from Orlando Pride, the Melbourne City attacker and her team-mates notched a 1-0 victory over Sydney FC to win the W-League Grand Final, becoming the first Australian club to claim four championships. It saw them successfully wrap up a campaign in which they had secured victory in 11 of their 12 regular-season fixtures.

The match was played behind closed doors to combat the spread of the virus that has decimated the worldwide sporting calendar. And the uncertainty over the health of the nation as well as the surreal experience of playing games without fans in the stadium, allied to worries about border lockdowns and what that now means for overseas players in the country, all dominated thoughts in the build-up, according to 28-times capped Emslie, who grabbed a goal in the semis to ensure her side progressed to the final at the AAMI Stadium.

Describing the lead up to the final as “a bit crazy”, the 26-year-old, who joined the Melbourne outfit on loan in November, said she had approached the match with mixed emotions, admitting that life off the pitch had been “really stressful” but stating she was looking forward to playing and savouring what could be “the last game I’m going to be playing in for a while, until everything settles down”.

Promising to make the most of it, she did, although it proved a tougher contest than many commentators had predicted, with only a 15th minute goal from City captain Steph Catley, pictured inset, separating the sides at the final whistle.

“The fact that we still got over the line, even though we might not have played our best football just shows how much this team wants to win and I think, at the end of the day... we deserved it,” said the jubilant matchwinner.