Melbourne City FC is set to face Western Sydney Wanderers in the Liberty A-League in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader at AAMI Park.
The team will hope to build on its dramatic win against Brisbane Roar in Round 9 and continue picking up points as it looks to secure a return to Finals football.
City’s 2-1 win over Brisbane was far from the best performance from Rado Vidosic’s side this season, but it still walked away with three points.
Playing at home, Brisbane was superior in terms of the number of shooting opportunities earnt, but a standout performance from goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri and second half goals to Rhianna Pollicina and Hannah Wilkinson saw City come out on top.
The result was immense for City’s prospects of securing a top four – if not top two – berth, and the team will now look to build on that win with another positive result when they face Western Sydney.
The Wanderers have struggled to score goals in Season 2021/22, netting just twice, but had been the league’s second-best defence up until their 3-0 loss to Adelaide last weekend.
In contrast to their previously watertight defensive performances, it was a calamitous showing by the Wanderers in front of home fans, with the visiting Reds accumulating a whopping 27 shots, including 11 on target, by the final whistle.
City will be hoping to capitalise on this shaken confidence as they look to secure the vital goals, with their prospects in achieving this likely to be influenced by the availability of Holly McNamara following her time away with the national team. The Matildas’ early exit from the Asian Cup has enabled players to return to their Liberty A-League clubs sooner than expected, but fans will be sweating on the fitness of McNamara, who limped off the field in Australia’s third group stage game and subsequently didn’t feature in the Quarter-Final squad.
Match Details
A-League Women: Round 10
Melbourne City FC vs Western Sydney Wanderers FC
Sunday 6 February, kick-off 4:05pm
AAMI Park
