Glory Head Coach Stephen Peters is backing his charges to use the momentum from last weekend’s thrilling victory over Brisbane Roar to drive them on to a first away win of the season against Canberra United on Saturday (kick-off at 2pm WST, watch live and FREE on 10Play).
Click HERE to view his full pre-match media conference
Ella Abdul Massih’s stunning stoppage-time free-kick helped Glory avenge their Round 3 defeat at the hands of Roar at the Sam Kerr Football Centre and keep their Finals hopes very much alive.
And Peters feels that with the right mental approach, the women in purple are capable of securing what would be just the club’s second victory in 30 visits to the nation’s capital.
“We’d pinpointed that [Brisbane] game for a little while after the touch up they gave us,” he said, “and it was nice to come out on top and doing it so late was a really nice feeling for everybody.
“It was good validation for all the work we’re putting in.
“We came back twice in the game which showed the mentality we had.
“We’re looking for consistency now.
We want to try and replicate the type of effort that’s required to win those types of games which isn’t easy and that’s probably been our Achilles’ heel.
“That’s why we haven’t put back-to-back wins together yet; because we haven’t yet replicated that same effort required.
“So fingers crossed we can do that at McKellar Park this weekend.
“I think the belief is there that what we’re doing can work and Brisbane is a quality side.
“Not to take anything away from Canberra, of course.
“Canberra at McKellar are a good side.
“They’re pretty similar in the system that they play [to Brisbane] so we just have to… go there with some momentum and confidence.
“It’s definitely a game I believe we can feel confident of winning, so we just have to have that mentality.
“We haven’t won on the road yet, so this would be a good time for it.”
Glory’s cause has not been helped by a horror run of injuries and the Head Coach went on to confirm that midfielder Georgia Cassidy is the latest member of the squad to face a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
“Georgia has pulled a quad, so we’re waiting for the final verdict on the severity, but it doesn’t look good,” he said.
“It’s just horrible luck and losing someone of Cassidy’s quality is going to sting, for sure.
“We do have [Sarah] O’Donoghue back in the mix and Kelly Brown is in the mix too, so we’re getting a few back, which is nice, but every time we get players back, we lose another one out the back door.”
Canberra currently sit one place and six points above Glory in the table and have lost in just one of their last six outings.
ALW legend Michelle Heyman remains their main goal threat having scored five times this term ,while Maja Markovski has chipped in with three and Mary Stanic-Floody has contributed two goals and two assists.
At the back, meanwhile, former Glory duo Sally James and Liz Anton have been virtually ever-present.
McKellar Park has long been a graveyard for Glory’s hopes, but last season’s visit yielded a 3-2 victory, lifting the aggregate total of goals in the last five meetings between the two sides to 24.
Match Details
Ninja A-League 2024-25 Season Round 14
Canberra United v Perth Glory
McKellar Park
Saturday 1 February 2024
Kick-off: 2pm WST
Canberra United squad: 1. Sally JAMES, 2. Alex MCKENZIE, 3. Elizabeth ANTON, 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, 23. Michelle HEYMAN, 25. Darcey MALONE, 28. Tegan BERTOLISSIO, 32. Bethany GORDON
Ins: Nil
Outs: Nil
Perth Glory squad: 1.Casey DUMONT, 2.Mischa ANDERSON, 5.Grace JOHNSTON, 6.Tijan MCKENNA, 7.Megan WYNNE, 9.Gabby HOLLAR, 11.Natalie TATHEM, 12.Caitlin DOEGLAS, 13.Naomi CHINNAMA, 14.Miku SUNAGA, 18.Izzy FOLETTA, 19.Sarah O’DONOGHUE, 20.Ella ABDUL MASSIH, 21.Miranda TEMPLEMAN (gk), 22.Ischia BROOKING, 23.Izzy DALTON (co-c), 27.Charli WAINWRIGHT, 29.Onyinyechi ZOGG (co-c)
(Two to be omitted)
Ins: 2.Mischa ANDERSON, 19.Sarah O’DONOGHUE, 22.Ischia BROOKING
Outs: 8.Georgia CASSIDY
Unavailable: 8.Georgia CASSIDY (injured), 10.Susan PHONSONGKHAM (injured), 16.Bella WALLHEAD (injured), 44.Kelli BROWN (injured)
(picture courtesy of Mark Francesca)
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