Glory ALW Head Coach Stephen Peters is hoping his side can play the role of party poopers in Friday’s last game of the season against Melbourne City at the Sam Kerr Football Centre (kick-off at 7pm, tickets available HERE).
Click HERE to view his full -pre-match media conference
City will make the trip West knowing that three points are required to be certain of sealing a second successive Premiership title, with second-placed Melbourne Victory two points behind ahead of the final round of fixtures.
But although Glory’s own Finals hopes were extinguished by last weekend’s desperately unfortunate away defeat at Sydney FC, Peters believes that the women in purple can finish with a flourish.
“Melbourne City is a team that I have a great deal of respect for,” he said, “but we want to try and spoil the party basically.
“They won the Premiership in Perth last time, so we want to try and make sure that history doesn’t repeat itself.
“They are definitely going to want to put it to bed early.
“They’re going to want to control the game and they’re a good team, so we’ve got to be really ready for that.
“Holly McNamara is a brilliant player, so we’ve got to be ready for her, [Marianna] Speckmaier, [Rhianna] Pollicina, [Leticia] McKenna, [Lourdes] Bosch; they’re a good side.
“They’ve basically rotated two starting sides all season, which is a nice position to be in.
“We’ve got to take the game to them.
“We’ve got to do what we’ve done at Sam Kerr in every game which is try to bring the crowd into it, make it entertaining , put a few goals in and try and keep the fans happy.”
While desperately disappointed with last week’s defeat to Sydney FC and in particular, several controversial and costly calls from the match officials, Peters took a number of positives from the overall performance.
“We felt that we had four key refereeing decisions go against us… on a pitch that I would describe as horrendous,” he said.
“But we were quite pleased with the style of football we played and the approach we had and we know that we had a couple of chances late on to win it ourselves.
“So to not do that and then cop the goal was frustrating and that hurt us.
“But to handle the stadium and the occasion against a team that won the Championship last year, I feel was a good step in the right direction for us.”
In terms of early team news, the Head Coach confirmed that goalkeeper Casey Dumont will return to the squad after missing the trip to Allianz Stadium due to a shoulder injury, while skipper Izzy Dalton is also set to be available despite sustaining damage to her shin from Princess Ibini’s wild challenge last weekend.
As for the visitors, they will be looking to finish the regular season unbeaten and chalk up what would be an eighth win in their last nine outings.
Michael Matricciani’s side are, unsurprisingly, the highest scorers in the competition with 51 goals, 14 of which have been bagged by McNamara and seven by Speckmaier.
Mexican import Bosch has chipped in with four goals to go with her eight assists and at the other end of the field, Spanish goalkeeper Malena Mieres has kept seven clean sheets and made 52 saves.
Friday will mark the 17th overall meeting between the two sides, with City having claimed 11 victories to Glory’s five, but this season, only Adelaide United have managed to score more goals against the Victorians than the two which Peters’ side managed on opening day.
Match Details
Ninja A-League 2024-25 Season Round 23
Perth Glory v Melbourne City
Sam Kerr Football Centre
Friday 18 April 2025
Kick-off: 7pm
Perth Glory squad: 1.Casey DUMONT (gk), 2.Mischa ANDERSON, 5.Grace JOHNSTON, 6.Tijan MCKENNA, 7.Megan WYNNE, 8.Georgia CASSIDY, 10.Susan PHONSONGKHAM, 13.Naomi CHINNAMA, 18.Izzy FOLETTA, 19.Sarah O’DONOGHUE, 20.Ella ABDUL MASSIH, 21.Miranda TEMPLEMAN (gk), 22.Ischia BROOKING, 23.Izzy DALTON (c), 25.Ella LINCOLN, 26.Tanika LALA, 29.Onyinyechi ZOGG
(One to be omitted)
Ins: 1.Casey DUMONT (gk), 26.Tanika LALA
Outs: 30.Jess SKINNER (gk)
Unavailable: 9.Gabby HOLLAR (injured), 11.Natalie TATHEM (injured), 27.Charli WAINWRIGHT (injured), 44.Kelli BROWN (injured)
Melbourne City squad: 5. Taylor OTTO, 6. Leticia McKENNA, 7. Kathryn HARVEY, 8. Alexia APOSTOLAKIS, 9. Holly McNAMARA, 10. Rhianna POLLICINA, 11. Emilia MURRAY, 12. Shelby McMAHON, 13. Rebekah STOTT (C), 14. Laura HUGHES, 16. Karly ROESTBAKKEN, 18. Leah DAVIDSON, 19. Lourdes BOSCH, 20. Caitlin KARIC, 22. Bryleeh HENRY, 23. Melissa BARBIERI (GK), 24. Malena MIERES (GK), 27. Tyla-Jay VLAJNIC
Ins: 7. Kathryn HARVEY, 20. Caitlin KARIC (both promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 17. Mariana SPECKMAIER (ankle)
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