Melbourne City will be looking to secure three points on the road when it takes on Perth Glory at Macedonia Park this Sunday.
This will mark the team’s final away trip of the season, with just two fixtures now remaining before Finals.
Here are a few things to keep an eye out for on Sunday!
Another twist in the race for a Finals double chance
While a draw was objectively a pretty solid result last time out against the ladders leaders, those two dropped points did virtually spell the end of our top-two chances.
That was until Friday, when it was announced that Canberra’s recent appeal to overturn the decision to strip them of their win over Sydney FC had been successful. As a result, they have now been awarded the three points from that clash, making the final weeks of the season a little more interesting.
While still unlikely, it does leave the door slightly ajar for City to swoop in and snatch the Premier’s Plate.
Still remaining in second, Sydney FC now sits just two points ahead of City, although it does boast a game in hand. We’ll of course need to win our final two fixtures if we are to swoop in for second, while also likely requiring Sydney to drop points twice in their last three games.
A first look at our exciting attacking quartet together?
There’s plenty of quality and excitement across City’s attack, boasting the likes of Maria Jose Rojas, Holly McNamara, Daniela Galic and Rhianna Pollicina.
McNamara of course only made her return to the pitch a few weeks ago, while Rojas had been on national team duty after her initial injury replacement period. Galic has also been away in recent weeks on Young Matildas duty, before Pollicina missed last week’s match through personal reasons.
But now – finally – City fans are set to see all four of them together on the same pitch!
It will bring a big headache for Vidosic trying to work out how to best fit all of his attacking options into the same XI. The other big name upfront yet to be mentioned is of course Hannah Wilkinson, currently equal with Jess Fishlock as the club’s all-time Women’s leading scorer.
Whether all five of these players are named in the starting line-up or one or two are used as X-factors coming off the bench remains to be seen, but Vidosic is definitely spoilt for choice in the attacking third.
Time to build up to our best
It may’ve been an extended season, but it sure has flown by. Just two games remain before Finals, bringing with it 180 minutes to build up to our best to ensure we are 100% ready to go when that time comes.
It’s been an up-and-down season to date; a coaching change on the eve of the season, a number of key players missing through injury and unavailabilities, plus a number of games off quick turnarounds just to mention a few thinhs.
Despite all of this, City sits third and with some big names all hitting their straps in these next couple of weeks, we could be set to do plenty of damage come Finals.
What happened last time?
We’ve already met Perth once this season, securing the points at home back in Round 7.
While it may’ve been City doing all the attacking on that night, it was just a sole goal that separated teams.
That came in a chaotic 10-minute period in the second half, star American attacker Emina Ekic netting the vital penalty kick on the hour mark but then going down not long after with the fractured fibula that sadly saw her time with the club come to an early end.
How have our opponents been travelling?
It’s been an up-and-down season for the Glory, although their Finals hope do remain alive – just.
Three wins from their final three games will likely be needed (at a minimum) for that to happen, so expect to see a fired-up Perth outfit on Sunday,
The Glory comes into this fixture with five wins in their last seven games, most recently scoring a 1-0 win over Wellington thanks to a first-half Cyera Hintzen goal.
