Defender Jessika Cowart believes that Glory have what it takes to go again in the second half of the Liberty A-League season, starting in Saturday’s home clash with Brisbane Roar (kick-off at 7:30pm, tickets available HERE).
Watch her full pre-match interview HERE.
The women in purple bounced back from their surprise Round 11 home defeat at the hands of Western Sydney Wanderers by securing a deserved point away at Melbourne Victory last weekend.
And Cowart is confident that they can use that draw as a platform from which to drive forward.
“It was a really great response to how the Western Sydney game went,” she said.
“After that game, we were feeling a little bit less confident than we have in the past, but it was nice that we had a quick turnaround and all week, the practices were intense and focused and really bought back into how we play.
“I think that showed in the Victory game.
“Our defensive unit is incredibly strong.
“We’re very consistent game in, game out and we just want to get back to that, to being that unit you can rely on and I think we did that (against Victory).
“We want to get stuck in and be relentless.
“When we have a good performance, we want to keep our momentum from that performance and be able to string together weeks’-long success.”
The US import, who has played every minute of every game so far this term, feels that Glory continue to be underestimated in some quarters.
“All season our target has to be the top team and I think we’ve been taking some really big strides towards that,” she said.
“We can look back and be very proud of the way we played in the first half of the season and we want to build off that momentum.
“I know that our good form might have been a bit of a shock to some people and how well we’ve been playing, but that’s what we want to do; surprise people and catch them off-guard and I think we’ve done really well doing that.”
In terms of this Saturday, meanwhile, the 24-year-old is looking forward to testing herself against compatriot Mia Corbin who has scored six goals and contributed three assists in what is her maiden campaign with Brisbane.
“We both played in the Pac-12 (U.S. Women’s College competition),” she said, “which is a really strong conference for soccer and we both bring that experience into the A-League.
“She’s a very strong striker, you have to watch out for her and that’s one thing we have to focus on.”
The in-form centre-back went on to sing the praises of the Glory Members and fans who have turned out in great numbers at Macedonia Park once again this season.
“The atmosphere they bring is second to none,” she said.
“I love playing at home because the fans make us want to play at home and they make it very hard for the opposing team to travel over here and play.
“The unwavering support, no matter how we perform, or what the scoreline is, it’s been one of the best things about playing at home.
“Now we have the second half of the season, we really need that push from them and I have no doubt we’ll get it.
“I’m always so, so excited to play at home.”
Roar will travel west looking to bounce back from last weekend’s 2-1 defeat against Newcastle and edge their way up from tenth in the table.
It has been a strange season for the Queenslanders who secured six points from their opening two games before failing to win any of their next eight, a run which led to Head Coach Garrath McPherson being replaced by Alex Smith.
In addition to the free-scoring Corbin, Sharn Freier has caught the eye by completing three assists and former Glory midfielder Deborah-Anne De La Harpe will be out to impress on her first return to Perth.
Glory have won the last four meetings between the two sides and Roar have not secured maximum points in WA since December 2017.
Match Details
Liberty A-League 2023/24 Season Round 13
Perth Glory v Brisbane Roar
Macedonia Park
Saturday 20 January 2024
Kick-off:7.30pm
Perth Glory squad:Â 1.Morgan AQUINO (GK), 3.Jessika COWART, 4.Natasha RIGBY (c), 7.Liz ANTON, 8.Hana LOWRY, 9.Millie FARROW, 10.Susan PHONSONGKHAM, 11.Grace JALE, 12.Sofia SAKALIS, 13.Sarah CAIN, 14.Tia STONEHILL, 17.Abbey GREEN, 18.Sadie LAWRENCE, 19.Izzy FOLETTA, 20.Quinley QUEZADA, 22.Claudia MIHOCIC, 23.Isobel DALTON, 24.Sally JAMES (GK), 25.Grace JOHNSTON, 27.Georgia CASSIDY
Ins: 13.Sarah CAIN, 14.Tia STONEHILL, 17.Abbey GREEN, 19.Izzy FOLETTA
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 16.Isabella WALLHEAD (injured)
Brisbane Roar squad: 1. Keeley RICHARDS, 2. Rebecca KIRKUP, 3. Deborah-Anne DE LA HARPE, 4. Kijah STEPHENSON, 5. Jenna McCORMICK 6. Holly McQUEEN, 7. Ayesha NORRIE, (C) 8. Mariel HECHER, 9. Mia CORBIN, 11. Sharn FREIER, 12. Tamar LEVIN, 13. Tameka YALLOP, 14. Sarah O’DONOGHUE, 18. Teagan THOMPSON, 19. Hollie PALMER, 20. Bonnie DAVIES, 21. Isabella SHUTTLEWORTH, 22. Ruby CUTHBERT, 29. Jordan SILKOWITZ, (GK) 32. Alicia WOODS
Ins: 21. Isabella SHUTTLEWORTH
Outs: 17. Leah SCARPELLI
Unavailable:Â 10. Grace KUILAMU, 15. Hannah HOLGERSEN, 16. Chelsea BLISSETT, 23. Ashlee BRODIGAN
#ONEGlory
