Brisbane Roar Women will head down to Central Coast Stadium with confidence to take on Canberra United this weekend following last weekend’s victory at Suncorp Stadium.
The Roar Women came away with a 3-2 win against Adelaide United in the club’s first Westfield W-League/Hyundai A-League double header for the season last Sunday afternoon.
Sunday’s match will pit a Roar side with momentum against a Canberra United team on an impressive run of four games undefeated, including a win against defending Champions Melbourne City last weekend.
Both teams are just two points away from league-leaders Melbourne City and with the season reaching the halfway point, it’s a match both sides will be desperate to win.
Head Coach Mel Andreatta expects a strong finish to the season from her side and says the her squad as working hard as a group and striving for a complete 90-minute performance against Canberra.
“Our effort and the football we played in the first half against Adelaide was very pleasing,” she said.
“We controlled field position, dominated possession and controlled the majority of the half.”
The sides have already met once this Westfield W-League season. A lone goal to Canberra forward Ashleigh Sykes saw Canberra take the points but it was a game that could have gone either way with the Roar creating a number of opportunities but lacking composure in front of goals.
The Roar Women have scored five of their six goals this campaign before half time, something that Head Coach Andreatta would like replicated during second halves.
“It is a positive thing that we continue to create plenty of goalscoring opportunities,” she said.
“We were clinical in front of goal during the first half last week at Suncorp.
“The challenge is to now make sure we do this week in and week out no matter if it is the first or second half of the game.”
Canberra United v Brisbane Roar
Central Coast Stadium, Sunday, 18 December, 1:30pm KO (QLD Time)
Canberra United squad: 1.Trudy BURKE (gk), 2.Yukari KINGA, 4.Clare HUNT, 5.Jenna McCORMICK, 7.Ellie BRUSH, 8.Hayley RASO, 9.Jasmyne SPENCER 10.Grace MAHER, 11.Michelle HEYMAN, 12.Hannah BREWER, 13.Celeste BOUREILLE, 14.Ashley SYKES, 16.Karly ROESTBAKKEN, 17.Laura HUGHES, 19.Nickoletta FLANNERY, 20.Georgia BORIC (gk), 22.Stephanie OCHS **two to be omitted**
Ins: 9.Jasmyne SPENCER (promoted), 17.Laura HUGHES (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 15.Emma CHECKER (knee – 1 week)
Brisbane Roar squad: 1.Mackenzie ARNOLD (gk), 2.Nina FRAUSING-PEDERSEN, 3.Amy CHAPMAN, 4.Clare POLKINGHORNE (c), 5.Brooke SPENCE, 6.Angela BEARD, 7.Sunny FRANCO, 8.Kaitlyn TORPEY, 10.Katrina GORRY, 11.Maili FORBES, 12.Allira TOBY, 13.Tameka BUTT, 14.Summer O’BRIEN, 15.Abbey LLOYD, 17.Emily GIELNIK, 18.Maddy EVANS, 20.Georgina WORTH (gk) **two to be omitted**
Ins: 7.Sunny FRANCO (promoted), 15.Abbey LLOYD (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 9.Cortnee VINE (fractured fibula – 2 weeks)
Referee: Lara Lee; Assistant Referee 1: Allyson Flynn; Assistant Referee 2: Lauren Hargrave; Fourth Official: Rebecca Davies
TV Broadcast: Live coverage on FOX SPORTS 505 from 1.00pm (AEST) and ABC TV from 1.00pm (AEST)
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