With just four rounds remaining in the Westfield W-league season, our Roar Women are working harder than ever in preparation for the business end of the competition.
Set to face Melbourne City at AAMI Park this Friday in their first match of 2019 (4:20pm KO QLD time), Head Coach Mel Andreatta says her side is a different prospect to the one that City eliminated at the final hurdle last campaign.
“This group has a long memory but they are also a very positive group, we are a different unit to what we were in that Semi-Final — we’ve learnt, we’ve developed further and we’ll be ready to play City on Friday,” Andreatta said.
“We will be positive, we’ll be aggressive and on the front foot, backing ourselves to take the three points.”
One of the tightest seasons in Westfield W-League history has ensured Andreatta and her side have been kept on their toes each weekend.
“I think this season has been a bit closer than previous seasons. The games are all pretty tightly contested and you don’t know week-to-week who is going to get the result,” Andreatta continued.
“What we see now is a really congested table, this season’s competition is still wide open and that’s the way we will be approaching this week’s game.
“We’ll focus on putting in a good performance and executing the movements that we want to use to control the game.”
The Roar return to Queensland for back-to-back home games following this weekend’s clash in Melbourne, facing Sydney FC at Lions Stadium on Saturday, 19 January (4pm KO) before an Australia Day Eve double header at Suncorp Stadium against Canberra United (4:20pm KO).
TICKETS: Our first home game of 2019 at Lions Stadium
TICKETS: Kick-off the Australia Day long weekend at Suncorp Stadium
With just four rounds of the regular season remaining, there’s no sign of complacency within the squad, who will head into the remaining rounds fitter and stronger than ever.
“Motivation is high, you can see that there is healthy competition for places within our squad. The group has set high expectations of each other which will help us to be successful,” Andreatta added.
One player who will be unavailable for the remainder of the season is Katrina Gorry, after the midfield maestro recently suffered a season-ending ankle injury.
“Players like Katrina Gorry are always missed and it’s not only what she does on the field but it’s what she does off it,” Andreatta stated.
“I think we’ve seen through her leadership, as well as from other senior players, that there is a group of players coming through that can do the job that has been set for them.”
THE RUN HOME: Westfield W-League Season 2018/19
Melbourne City v Brisbane Roar
AAMI Park, Melbourne
Friday, 11 January (4:20pm KO QLD time)
Brisbane Roar v Sydney FC
Lions Stadium, Richlands
Saturday, 19 January (4pm KO)
TICKETS
Brisbane Roar v Canberra United
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Friday, 25 January (4:20pm KO)
TICKETS
Adelaide United v Brisbane Roar
Marden Sports Complex, Adelaide
Friday, 1 February (6:30pm KO QLD time)
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