Straight outta the Illawarra: Sydney FC's A-League Women's title charge

The goal the separated the two sides was made straight out of the Illawarra. Shellharbour junior Indiana Dos Santos played a ball straight on a platter for Figtree junior Mackenzie Hawkesby.

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Dos Santos and Hawkesby are not Sydney FC's only two Illawarra based players however. Indiana's elder sister Jynaya is of course part of the team, as is Horsley teenager Caley Tallon-Henniker. Cringila teen Sienna Saveska has also had her first season in sky blue and Margaux Chauvet is also from Wollongong.

The youngest Dos Santos sister Indiana said the goal she assisted for her teammate Hawkesby for was a great moment.

"She's always making really good forward runs and I just had my head up and I saw her coming off the defensive line, so I just slipped her through," Dos Santos said.

"It's pretty cool [both being from the Illawarra]. The pass was good but the finish is always the end product, so for her to put that away was amazing.

"We're pretty happy with the win, but we just know we have to stay focused and finish the job. I think we gave 100 per cent of all our heart and effort, but I think quality wise, we still have a lot to give, which says a lot."

Dos Santos and her sky blues teammates are now preparing for the second leg against the Central Coast at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday, April 27.

Last season was Dos Santos' breakout year, where she was part of the 2023 premiership/championship double winners in the ALW.

The 16-year-old said to win reach and potentially win another grand final would be special but added the Mariners would be no easy beat.

"I think they're going to be very tough and hard to beat, but I think we just need to focus on our execution in the final third to get the results we need," she said.

"Making another grand final would definitely be something I would love to do. I think that would be really special."