Green and black ‘will be back’ after grand final rout

WESTERN United are determined to make sure their brilliant inaugural A-League Women season isn’t a flash in the pan after falling short in their first grand final.

The fledgling Victorian side lost to Sydney FC 4-0 in Sunday’s decider at CommBank Stadium, two weeks after beating them 1-0 in the semi-final.

United coach Mark Torcaso expressed pride in his side’s first year, and with 13 players already signed for next season was confident they could back it up.

“Their spirits are quite high, and they said, ‘We will be back and we will be back even better’,” he said.

“They’ve got enough belief in each other to come back next year and have a really good year.

“I don’t want to be the team that comes out in the following season after having a good year and not not performing. That’s my expectation and my players also feel that way as well.

“We’ll make sure we’ll put the right belief in them to come out in the right way next year.”

Torcaso previously coached plenty of his charges at NPLW club Calder United and was delighted by how they had exceeded expectations, with several players in their first ALW campaign.

“They’ve been amazing, and it’s quite emotional for me because I’ve got an attachment to a lot of these girls for many, many years. Ever since some of them were 14,” he said.

Torcaso hoped American forward Jess McDonald, who was a guest player early in the campaign and attended the grand final to support United, could return or be replaced by a similarly experienced performer next season.

American goalkeeper Hillary Beall, on loan from NWSL club Racing Louisville, said the loss would motivate United.

“When you lose these moments, it’s a big learning lesson and you have to get it at some point,” she said.

“To get it in your first season, it’s not what you want, but you see this environment and you come back and you want more.

“Personally, now I want to come back here and win the thing just to prove myself and prove that this club is something to be reckoned with.”

– BY WILLIAM TON/ AAP