Still unbeaten and perched atop the A-League Women’s table, Melbourne City will cross the border this Saturday for a clash against Western Sydney Wanderers.
Following a 1-1 draw against Western United last weekend, Michael Matricciani’s squad will be eager to rediscover their clinical edge and return to Melbourne with all three points.
Here are the key storylines ahead of the Saturday evening showdown:
CLINICAL IN FRONT OF GOAL
While City remains undefeated, recent matches have highlighted the need to rediscover the ruthlessness in front of goal that defined the earlier part of the season.
In our last four games, City has managed just four goals, a far cry from the scoring output earlier in the campaign.
The attacking trio of Mariana Speckmaier, Lourdes Bosch, and Holly McNamara will likely be key to breaking through this weekend.
McNamara, who has now made seven appearances off the bench since returning from an ACL injury, is a strong candidate for her first start of the season.
The young star made a huge impact in last weekend’s draw, netting a crucial 83rd-minute equaliser to salvage a point against Western United.
STAYING AHEAD OF THE PACK
Although we’ve led the competition from the outset, the chasing pack is beginning to close the gap after three draws in our last four games.
The team remains undefeated but sits just two points clear of Melbourne Victory (24 points), with Adelaide United (22) and Brisbane Roar (21) not far behind.
With the season now at its halfway point, every result is crucial to keeping the push for back-to-back Premierships alive.
A strong performance on Saturday would not only reaffirm our position at the top but also build some positive momentum ahead of back-to-back home fixtures.
TOP V BOTTOM
Saturday’s clash pits the league leaders against the bottom-placed Wanderers, who have struggled this season, collecting just six points from their 11 games (1 win, 3 draws).
When we last met in late November, it was our City Women securing a 2-0 victory. Mariana Speckmaier opened the scoring in the 42nd minute after peppering the Wanderers’ goal, while Alexia Apostolakis’ deflected free-kick sealed the win late on.
The Wanderers’ defence has struggled this season, conceding the equal second-most goals of any team in the competition. If City’s attack can click into gear like we’ve seen earlier in the campaign, it could spell a challenging evening for the home side.
FIXTURE DETAILS
A-League Women: Round 12
Western Sydney Wanderers v Melbourne City
Saturday 25 January, 5:00pm KO
Wanderers Football Park
Watch live on 10play & Paramount+
