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AAP
AAP
Anna Harrington

Lightning forces abandonment of Sydney-Canberra clash

Princess Ibini (r) got on the scoresheet for Sydney before their match with Canberra was abandoned. (Mark Evans/AAP PHOTOS)

Lightning has forced Sydney FC's A-League Women's match against Canberra United to be abandoned with the Sky Blues leading 2-0.

The Sky Blues had been on a seven-game winless run and plummeted to the lower reaches of the table.

But Princess Ibini's first goal in more than two months broke the deadlock in the 18th minute before Lucy Johnson doubled the lead 20 minutes later.

The game was suspended in the 55th minute due to lightning in the area, amid horrific weather at Leichhardt Oval, and less than an hour later was abandoned altogether.

An official update on the outcome will be confirmed by the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) on Thursday.


It is unclear whether the result will stand or the APL will opt to replay the game or restart it at that point.

The rules say: "Where a regular season match is abandoned at half-time or during the second (2nd) half of the match due to a force Majeure Event (as determined by APL) and is not rescheduled, the result at the time of the abandonment will be deemed the final result."

Sydney will desperately hope the result stands after a dominant performance up to the suspension.

At that point, Sydney had 15 shots (seven on target) to Canberra's seven (three).

Both goals came off the back of super lead-up work from Sydney captain and centre-back Nat Tobin.

Sydney took the lead when Tobin won the ball, played a one-two then slipped through Ibini who coolly opened the scoring.

For the second, Tobin pushed into midfield and worked the ball to Maddie Caspers, who flicked it on for Johnson to drive home.

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