Remember the name! A-League women in Sydney FC, Willa Pearson, records the long history of goal-scoring by Sam Kerr.
Sydney FC teenage powerhouse has left her mark in the history of A-League Women, and a record previously held only by Sam Kerr was broken.
Pearson was also the youngest goalscorer in the A-league women competition at the age of 15 and 51 days old, which is the record since 2008 held by Kerr. At the age of 15 years and 88 days, Kerr scored her first goal in the Perth Glory team, a record that stood a record 17 years before Pearson limped her way to the break through.
This was achieved as Sydney FC took control in the 4-0 victory over Brisbane Roar in Spencer Park on February 13. It was the first win by the Sky Blues under the interim coach James Slaveski and they done the job appropriately.
Sydney now cancelled out the 0-0 result after a previous tense first half, when Brisbane did not clear an end corner and Mackenzie Hawkesby was the quickest to react, finishing at the near post. At a little after the hour Pearson grabbed her chance. Going all out, the child slipped into the track to make her opportunity and enter herself into the record books.
Still a record-youngest player to have ever debuted in A-League Women history (she first took the field paid to play Melbourne City in November as a 14-year-old) Pearson is still pushing the boundaries of how young a player can be.
In an interview after the final whistle, the teenager confessed that she had not even conceptualised the accomplishment.
Oh my God it is certainly not an accomplishment I ever imagined being able to do, but I am so glad I am, so gladI am,” she said. I thought, as soon as I saw the chance, I have to get up here. And so I thrust, and made my way, and it happened to come off. Maybe a bit of beginner’s luck.
I am very proud as a team that we did it all. That was certainly the game we played best of the season.
Riley Tanner and Skye Halmarick scored the late goals to ensure a decisive victory to Sydney, but the night was surely owned by Pearson.
And football is not necessarily her only way to becoming a star.
The young prodigy is also a multi-skilled cricketer who represents Manly-Warringah playing as a wicketkeeper. Her role model in sport is Australian legend Ellyse Perry – a dual international in football and cricket before choosing to dedicate her life to playing cricket where she has turned into a legend of the modern day game.
Assuming that Pearson pursues even a fraction of that path then Australian sport may be seeing the next high-achieving generation of a sport star.
At this point, however, there is only one thing that is definite: the A-League Women has a new record-holder – and her name is Willa Pearson.
