Ashleigh Sykes

Ashleigh Sykes (born 15 December 1991) is an Australian international football player, who plays for Canberra United FC in the W-League (Australia) and has previously played for Portland Thorns FC in the National Women's Soccer League.

Ashleigh Sykes
Sykes playing for Canberra United in 2009
Personal information
Full name Ashleigh Sykes[1]
Date of birth (1991-12-15) 15 December 1991
Place of birth Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia
Height 1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Canberra United
Number 14
Youth career
SASS Strikers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2018 Canberra United 97 (37)
2016 AS Harima ALBION
2017 Portland Thorns 17 (1)
2021– Canberra United 8 (3)
International career‡
2008–2009 Australia U-20 12 (5)
2008–2018 Australia 19 (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 October 2017
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 7 March 2016

Early life

Sykes grew up in Dubbo, New South Wales.[2] She played for Dubbo SASS,[3] and was also CSSA Athletics champion in 2006. She has a twin, Nicole, who is also a footballer.[2]

Playing career

Club

Sykes joined Canberra United along with her sister Nicole in the W-League whilst still finishing school for the league's inaugural season in 2008–09.[3] She made her debut in Canberra's first match, coming on for Grace Gill in a loss to Newcastle Jets.[4] On 30 November 2008, Sykes scored her first goal for the club – the equaliser in a two-all draw with Perth Glory.[5] Canberra went on to make the Grand Final only to lose to Brisbane Roar, with Sykes playing the second half.[6] Sykes was presented with the club's Rising Star award after a strong first season.[7]

A broken leg suffered in a challenge against Melbourne Victory saw Sykes miss much of the 2010–11 W-League.[8] However, Ashleigh was able to recover in time for the end of the season and finals in January 2011.[9] Her late winner against Perth Glory saw Canberra qualify for the finals.[10] Despite this, Canberra were eliminated by Brisbane Roar in the semi-final after a penalty shootout.[11]

Sykes was a member of the Canberra side which won the W-League Premiership after going through the entire 2011–12 W-League undefeated.[12] On 28 January 2012, Sykes scored Canberra's second goal and set up another to secure a win in the 2012 W-League Grand Final, winning the club its first W-League Championship.[13]

Sykes was once again a key player in the Canberra side which won a second Premiership in the 2013–14 W-League.[14]

On 7 December 2014, Sykes scored from a volley into the top corner from outside the area against Perth Glory to ensure Canberra's qualification for the finals of the 2014 W-League.[15] The goal was later awarded W-League Goal of the Season.[16] Sykes went on to score twice in the Grand Final against Perth to earn Canberra its second Championship, and was also given the Player of the Grand Final award.[17]

On 10 February 2016, Sykes joined Japanese 2nd division club AS Harima ALBION.[18]

Sykes signed with the Portland Thorns in 2017[19] and made her first appearance for the team on 17 June 2017.[20] After finishing second during the regular season, the Thorns advanced to the NWSL Championship with 4–1 win over the Orlando Pride.[21] Sykes became an NWSL champion when the Thorns defeated the regular-season winning team North Carolina Courage 1–0 in the 2017 NWSL Championship on 14 October 2017.[22]

On 16 February 2018, Sykes retired from football at the age of 26, after 10 years at the top level.[23]

In November 2021, after playing with Canberra Olympic, Sykes returned to the A-League Women, re-joining Canberra United.[24]

International

Ashleigh represented Australia U-20 on numerous occasions, including at the 2009 AFC U-19 Women's Championship.[25]

Sykes was first called up to the Australia senior side for the 2008 AFF Women's Championship in Vietnam and made her debut in the opening match against Thailand, setting up a goal after replacing Tameka Butt early in the match.[26] She scored her first international goal in the next match, a win over Philippines.[27] Sykes scored again in the next match – a 6–0 win over Singapore.[28] Sykes played a full match in the final as Australia won the tournament.[29]

Ashleigh was not called up to the national side again until 2013, when she was selected for two friendlies against China, along with sister Nicole.[30]

Following the appointment of Alen Stajcic, Sykes was more regularly involved with the national side. She was called up for the 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup, and played in the group stage match against Jordan.[31] Australia finished second in the tournament after losing to Japan in the final.[32] She was also called up for the 2015 Cyprus Cup, and scored in victories over Finland[33] and Czech Republic.[34]

In May 2015, Sykes was called up for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada.[35] She made her World Cup debut in the first match of the group stage, playing the final seven minutes in a loss to USA.[36]

Career statistics

International appearances
Australia national team[37]
YearAppsGoals
200842
200900
201000
201100
201200
201310
201410
2015102
201631
Total195

International goals
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
111 October 2008Thanh Long Sports Centre, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Philippines4–07–02008 AFF Women's Championship
213 October 2008Thanh Long Sports Centre, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Singapore3–06–02008 AFF Women's Championship
39 March 2015GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus Finland2–03–02015 Cyprus Cup
411 March 2015Paralimni Stadium, Paralimni, Cyprus Czech Republic6–26–22015 Cyprus Cup
52 March 2016Nagai Stadium, Osaka, Japan Vietnam6–09–02016 Olympics qualifying

Honours

Club

Canberra United

Portland Thorns

International

Australia

Individual

References
  1. "FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 – List of Players: Australia" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 6 July 2015. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 June 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  2. Carly Adno (23 November 2013). "Dream comes true for young identical twins Ashleigh and Nicole Sykes, selected for Matildas". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  3. "Famous Players". SASS Strikers. Archived from the original on 13 May 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  4. "Canberra shot down by Jets". Canberra United FC. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  5. "Sykes rescues a point". Canberra United FC. 1 December 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  6. "Canberra outclassed in Westfield W-League decider". Canberra United FC. 18 January 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  7. "Brush named inaugural Player of the Year". Canberra United FC. 17 February 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  8. "Leg break rules out Ashleigh Sykes". Canberra United FC. 2 December 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  9. "Sykes back and ready to fire United to finals". Canberra United FC. 20 January 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  10. "Sykes confirms tilt at finals glory". The Women's Game. 30 January 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  11. "Penalty heartbreak for United in semi-final". Canberra United FC. 6 February 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  12. "Canberra win title undefeated". Canberra United FC. 8 January 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  13. "Canberra down Roar to clinch title". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 31 January 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  14. "Canberra United clinch top spot in Westfield W-League". Canberra United FC. 10 February 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  15. "Canberra stun Glory to book finals date". Canberra United FC. 7 December 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  16. "Hyundai A-League/Westfield W-League award winners". W-League. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  17. Lee Gaskin (21 December 2014). "Canberra United wins W-League Championship with 3–1 victory against Perth Glory in Grand Final". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  18. "Ashleigh Sykes heads to Japan with Athletic Sports Harima ALBION". The Women's Game. 10 February 2016.
  19. "Portland Thorns have signed Australian forward Ashleigh Sykes". The Oregonian. 21 February 2017.
  20. O'Regan, Erin (19 June 2017). "Dazed and Confused: Thorns Fall to Sky Blue FC 3-1". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  21. "Portland Thorns advance to NWSL Championship with 4-1 win over Orlando Pride". 7 October 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  22. "Portland Thorns win 2017 NWSL Championship with 1-0 victory over North Carolina Courage". 15 October 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  23. Helmers, Caden (16 February 2018). "W-League: Canberra United co-captain Ash Sykes announces retirement". The Canberra Times.
  24. "Canberra United Legend Ash Sykes Returns". Canberra United. 23 November 2021.
  25. "Young Matildas (U20) Internationals for 2009". OzFootball.net. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  26. "Westfield Matildas start with nervy win". Football Federation Australia. 10 October 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  27. "Australia too classy for Philippines". Football Federation Australia. 13 October 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  28. "Westfield Matildas too strong for Singapore". Football Federation Australia. 14 October 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  29. "Westfield Matildas crowned ASEAN Champions". Football Federation Australia. 21 October 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  30. Lee Gaskin (16 November 2013). "Nicole and Ashleigh Sykes selected in Matildas national football squad". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  31. "Kate Gill makes history as Matildas defeat Jordan". The Women's Game. 17 May 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  32. "Matildas lose 1–0 to Japan in final of AFC Women's Asian Cup". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 26 May 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  33. "Australia sweep past Finland". The Women's Game. 10 March 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  34. "Matildas finish Cyprus Cup with 6–2 win over Czech Republic". The Women's Game. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  35. "Westfield Matildas name World Cup squad". Football Federation Australia. 12 May 2015.
  36. Cheryl Downes (10 June 2015). "Match Report: USA v Australia". The Women's Game. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  37. "Matildas International Games". OzFootball.net. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
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