CANBERRA coach Jitka Klimkova lauded Michelle Heyman as ''our queen'' after her two-goal heroics inspired United to a 3-2 W-League grand final victory over Brisbane Roar yesterday.
Heyman's deadly finishing was the difference, her twin strikes helping Canberra secure its maiden title while becoming the first team to go through a season undefeated.
In front of a club record 2512 fans at McKellar Park, Heyman scored in both halves and was an obvious choice as player of the match.
The 23-year-old has been an unstoppable force for United all season, her 15 goals the highest single tally in the league's four- year history.
Her dominance in green is likely to help her add to her six appearances in the green and gold.
Roar coach Jeff Hopkins didn't hesitate when asked if Heyman would look out of place as a regular in the Matildas line-up.
''No, definitely not,'' he said.
''She's got that goalscorer's instinct, and I think she's an international footballer for sure.''
But it was Canberra skipper Ellie Brush who surmised the Golden Boot winner's class the best.
''Isn't she an absolute beauty?,'' she gushed. 'She'll get player of the year to go with every other medal possible.
''It's incredible to see what she can do but I guess she can't do it without us, so we'll take some credit too.''
It was an ideal time for United to end its horror run against Roar, having failed to beat the two-time champions in their last eight meetings.
Heyman opened the scoring in the 11th minute after finding herself on the end of a deft one-touch ball from Ashleigh Sykes.
Her shot across Roar keeper Casey Dumont found the left hand corner of the net for her 14th goal of the season.
Seven minutes later, it was Heyman who turned provider for Sykes to help Canberra double its lead.
A pinpoint pass from Grace Gill put Heyman behind the defence, whose pass found a lunging Sykes in the goalface. Three minutes later, the Roar got back into the match when substitute Emily Gielnik tucked away a Tameka Butt cross, having only been on the park for 10 seconds.
However, Heyman restored the host's two-goal buffer with a header from a Grace Gill corner.
Brisbane refused to give in, and when Tameka Butt slotted home a penalty with 25 minutes left after a clumsy tackle by United defender Caitlin Cooper, the title race was on again.
But Canberra survived to secure its first silverware.
Heyman now appears set to ply her talents with Danish outfit Brondby over the off-season. It was thought she was destined for Liverpool, but she feels a stint in Denmark gives her a better chance of sealing a Matildas spot.
''I think it will be a better step for me, it's a tougher league and hopefully it gives me the experience to become a Matilda,'' she said.
Heyman credited her teammates' creativity as the reason behind her amazing goal-scoring potency.
In her first season at the club, coach Klimkova has successfully built a camraderie which has been the backbone of an incredible season.
''I think we were really united this season, and that's amazing,'' Klimkova said. United by name, united by nature.
AT A GLANCE W-League grand final: CANBERRA UNITED 3 (Michelle Heyman 11' 56', Ashleigh Sykes 18') bt BRISBANE ROAR 2 (Emily Gielnik 21', Tameka Butt pen 65') at McKellar Park, Canberra yesterday. Crowd: 2512. Player of the match: Michelle Heyman.
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