Glory ALW Head Coach Stephen Peters believes his charges will need to strike a delicate psychological balance in Saturday’s potentially pivotal showdown with old rivals Canberra United at the Sam Kerr Football Centre (kick-off at 5pm, tickets available HERE).
Click HERE to view his full pre-match media conference.
Four consecutive home victories have propelled the women in purple to within three points of the top six with three games of the regular season left to play.
But Peters is keen to ensure that the group takes nothing for granted as they tackle a Canberra side still harbouring Finals ambitions of their own.
“We’ve had two games against Canberra this year and we’ve had a draw and a loss,” he said, “so we’re looking to arrest that and if we do that, we can have a ladder chat afterwards.
“I feel like the confidence is building, but they’re also aware of how important this game is.
“It’s probably two-fold.
“Yes, the confidence is building, but the pressure is building as well and it’s an interesting one to manage.
“But pressure is a privilege, as they say and we’d much rather be playing in games that mean something than ones that don’t.”
The two previous meetings between Glory and Canberra this season have produced a 1-1 draw and a 1-0 win for the team from the capital and the Head Coach is expecting a similarly hard-fought tussle to unfold this weekend.
“They’re a team that defends well, they’re well-organised and they seem quite unified,” he said.
“So, that’s always a hard team to come up against and they seem to take their chances in front of goal as well.
“Obviously when Michelle [Heyman] is in the team, it’s always going to be the case that if she’s lingering around the box, it’s going to be a difficult prospect to keep her quiet for 90 minutes.
“But it’s a new game and I think if we play the way we’ve been playing, we should be fine.”
Peters went on salute the club’s Members and fans for the role they have played in aiding his side’s strong performances on home soil this term.
“They’re a pretty special part of what we’ve been doing,” he said.
“I think the girls really feel that and I feel that.
“I know the other coaches feel that closeness too and I think it’s a real platform that we’re building and this weekend is no different.
“When you look at it, we’ve only lost the one game at Sam Kerr and it was to a 93rd-minute goal from Melbourne Victory who aren’t a bad side, the last time I checked.”
In terms of early team news, Peters revealed that late decisions will be made regarding the potential availability of Kelli Brown and Ella Abdul Massih, but that he could be in a position to name an unchanged starting eleven for the first time this season.
Saturday’s opponents, meanwhile, currently sit two places and two points above Glory in the table having slipped out of the top six off the back of a six-game winless run.
Antoni Jagarinec’s side have struggled for goals since the turn of the year, finding the net just 12 times in 11 games, but they do have some serious attacking weapons, most notably ALW legend Heyman who has scored six times this term and Mary Stanic-Floody who has claimed three goals and two assists.
Former Glory goalkeeper Sally James has started every game for United this term, keeping four clean sheets, while Emma Robers, Sofia Christopherson and Hayley Taylor-Young have also been mainstays of the run-on side.
Saturday will mark the 31st meeting between the two teams, with Glory having secured just four wins to Canberra’s 14, but the most recent defeat for the WA side came back in March 2021.
Match Details
Ninja A-League 2024-25 Season Round 21
Perth Glory v Canberra United
Sam Kerr Football Centre
Saturday 29 March 2025
Kick-off: 5pm WST
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, 11.Natalie TATHEM, 13.Naomi CHINNAMA, 14.Miku SUNAGA, 18.Izzy FOLETTA, 19.Sarah O’DONOGHUE, 21.Miranda TEMPLEMAN (gk), 23.Izzy DALTON (c), 25.Ella LINCOLN, 27.Charli WAINWRIGHT, 29.Onyinyechi ZOGG, 44.Kelli BROWN
(Two to be omitted)
Ins: 2.Mischa ANDERSON, 14.Miku SUNAGA
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 9.Gabby HOLLAR (injured), 20.Ella ABDUL MASSIH (injured)
Canberra United squad: 1. Sally JAMES, 2. Alex MCKENZIE, 5. Madison AYSON, 4. Holly MURRAY, 7. Jynaya DOS SANTOS, 9. Ruby NATHAN, 10. Mary STANIC-FLOODY, 11. Emma ROBERS, 12. Hayley TAYLOR-YOUNG, 13. Sofia CHRISTOPHERSON, 17. Maja MARKOVSKI, 18. Coco MAJSTOROVIC, 21. Aideen KEANE, 23. Michelle HEYMAN, 25. Darcey MALONE, 28. Tegan BERTOLISSIO, 32. Bethany GORDON
(One to be omitted)
Ins: Nil
Outs: 3. Elizabeth ANTON
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