Despite a freak accident at training this week, Brisbane Roar Head Coach Belinda Wilson said her team is ready to face newly-crowned Premiers Canberra United in tomorrow’s Westfield W-League semi-final.
Despite a freak accident at training this week, Brisbane Roar Head Coach Belinda Wilson said her team is ready to face newly-crowned Premiers Canberra United in tomorrow-s Westfield W-League semi-final.
Larissa Crummer, in her first season at the club after joining in the off-season from Sydney FC, broke her nose at training on Tuesday night following an accidental clash with teammate Joanne Burgess.
But the 18-year-old has shown her courageous side, travelling to the nation-s capital in Wilson-s 17-player squad to face Canberra.
The Head Coach said the mood in the camp has remained focused on the task at hand.
“We-ve been approaching this game differently for probably about three games out when we realised we were in the top four,” Wilson said.
“It didn-t matter who because we knew any team we-d come up against in the semi-finals would be a battle.
“We-ve been preparing for it, the momentum has been for it and the team is a strong-knit group, confident in each other even with the changes we made last week.
“In the past, we may have stressed out when missing key players but last week, it was about performing as a team and working for each other – I think that attitude comes from experience.”
In similar fashion to the club-s Hyundai A-League team, Wilson has had to contend with missing some of her regulars throughout the short season which has given her the opportunity to prove the depth within the 20-player squad.
“With the fact we-ve missed key players in certain games, responsibility has fallen on some senior players but also fallen on some of the younger players coming through who have had to step up and bridge that gap as quickly as possible,” she said.
“I think with that depth we do have the likes of Eash [Norrie] and Sunny [Franco], Larissa and Hayley [Raso], who come on and do an excellent job.
“For us, it-s exciting because the future is looking awesome but for other teams, they-ll see our next generation of Brisbane Roar players is just as good.”
Brisbane is the only team to have beaten Canberra on their home turf this season, a 1-0 win in round five in which vice-captain Elise Kellond-Knight netted the only goal for her side that were missing the attacking options of Tameka Butt and Emily Gielnik.
The winner of the semi-final will face the victorious team from Sunday’s semi-final between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory.
Westfield W-League Semi-Final
Canberra United v Brisbane Roar
Saturday 15 February
McKellar Park, Belconnen, Canberra
Kick-off: 3pm
ABC1 will show extended highlights of the match on Saturday 15 February at 6pm nationally.
