Round Four of the Liberty A-League gets underway this Saturday. Here is everything you need to know ahead of all five matches.
The Liberty A-League is back for another blockbuster round of fixtures with Perth Glory currently sat on top of the ladder having won all three of their opening matches.
Meanwhile, two sides go in search of their first win of the campaign but defending Champions Sydney FC and Canberra United won’t be in action due to the Sky Blues’ ongoing participation in the AFC Club Championship in Uzbekistan.
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Saturday, 10pm (AEDT): Perth Glory v Adelaide United
Perth Glory have had a flying start to life in the Liberty A-League this season with three wins from their opening three matches.
Sofia Sakalis’ second-half penalty was enough to secure all three points for Glory as they triumphed 3-2 over Canberra United, securing their first ever win in the nation’s capital in the process.
With two goals in her first three matches, new signing Grace Jale has been key to the Glory’s early season form, with Dubzone Analyst and former Western Sydney Wanderers Head Coach Catherine Cannuli believing she could be the missing link.
“You could always see what Alex Epakis’ style is,” said Cannuli. “They want to play football, they want to combine with each other, they want to build up from the back.”
“The missing link for him over the last few years has been a quality striker.
Now that they have someone like Jale and you’ve also got someone like Susan Phonsongkham who can score from anywhere – it can take this team anywhere really.
Glory will fancy their chances of prolonging their perfect start to the season when they welcome a winless Adelaide United side to Macedonia Park in Round Four.
The Reds suffered a 2-0 away loss to Melbourne Victory last time out and are one of just three teams yet to taste victory this season, however coach Adrian Stenta isn’t too concerned.
“The message is that we just need to stay positive and stick to the process,” said Stenta. “I think I’ve seen enough positive signs of what we are capable of, it’s just been a little inconsistent across the first three matches.”
Opta Stat: Adelaide United have won five of their last six A-League Women’s matches against Perth Glory since January 2021, including winning their last two matchups.
Perth Glory v Adelaide United
Saturday, November 11 2023
Macedonia Park
Kick-off: 10:00pm (AEDT)
Broadcast: Paramount+, 10 Play
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Sunday, 2:00pm (AEDT): Wellington Phoenix v Western United
Wellington Phoenix are enjoying their best ever start to a Liberty A-League season following their Round Three victory over Brisbane Roar.
Furthermore, that 2-1 home win ensured Paul Temple’s side carved out their own piece of history, winning back-to-back league matches for the first time since the side’s inception.
Now able to sign foreign players for the first time, the ‘Nix have transformed themselves into a tricky test for any club in the division, with striker Mariana Speckmaier spearheading the side with two goals in her first three matches.
“I think in a few weeks when she’s had a few games and she’s really kind of getting into the flow then I think some of those chances are going to go in,” said Head Coach Paul Temple of his new forward. “I still think she’s still finding her feet but she’s still managing to score at a goal a game.”
However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Temple and co during that win over Brisbane. Midfielder Grace Wisnewksi was forced from the field early in the contest and subsequent scans have shown she will miss the remainder of the campaign after rupturing the ACL in her left knee.
Wisnewski joins Brisbane Roar young gun Grace Kuilamu and Sydney FC captain Nat Tobin in suffering a dreaded ACL injury in the opening three weeks of the Liberty A-League season.
“Yeah, definitely a talking point and a problem. Too many,” Temple said in his pre-match press conference.
“I read a statistic there were 260 ACL injuries in women’s football last year, so there’s just way too many.
“So, look more research needs to be done. I’m not the medical expert as to why these injuries are so common.
“We’ve had three in three weeks in the A-League and I think from the A-Leagues’ perspective, we need to look at longer pre-seasons to prepare the players properly, because we’re asked to do it in five weeks with an international break in between.
“So that’s really tough and I think that does have an impact.
“And then we’ve also got to start looking at things like bigger squad sizes, larger benches and things that we can do to support the female athletes.
“When we have more academic research about what we can do to support this, then obviously we’ll be applying it, but at the moment its one of those things where its still a bit of a grey area and no one is really too sure why it happens so often and what we can do to prevent them.
“It’s horrible. Like it’s season-ending every time you get one.
“…We’re trying to apply principles that have come from men’s football, professional football for 50, 60, 70 years and apply them directly to women – it doesn’t seem to be working.”
As for Western United, Mark Torcaso’s team have struggled for consistency so for this season, recording a loss, a win and a draw from their opening three matches.
A superb late strike from Kahli Johnson ensured the spoils were shared in their 2-2 draw with Melbourne City last time out, a result which incredibly earned Western their first ever draw in club history.
“I think they did enough to take confidence from that,” said three-time Championship winner and Dubzone analyst Teresa Polias when discussing last season’s beaten Grand Finalists. “That will set them up going forward.”
Despite her being deployed out wide so far this season, last year’s Golden Boot winner Hannah Keane is off the mark having grabbed her first goal of the campaign while Head Coach Mark Torcaso is likely to be boosted by the return of three key players in TJ Vlajnic, Jaclyn Sawicki and Hillary Beall.
Opta Stat: Wellington Phoenix have lost both matchups against Western United FC in A-League Women; the Phoenix have conceded four goals against Western United in second halves throughout their history against each other.
Wellington Phoenix v Western United
Sunday, November 12 2023
Porirua Park
Kick-off: 2:00pm (AEDT)
Broadcast: Paramount+, 10 Play
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Sunday, 2:15pm (AEDT): Central Coast Mariners v Brisbane Roar
Central Coast Mariners are back in action this weekend after sitting out Round Three of the Liberty A-League due to Sydney FC’s participation in the AFC Club Championship.
Emily Husband’s side secured their first league win of the campaign in Round Two, defeating Adelaide United 2-1 away from home and their Head Coach is hopeful that break won’t have impacted the side’s momentum.
“You can look at it both ways,” said Husband. “If we’re going to look at the negative side it’s not ideal timing but at the same time, it gives us two weeks to go away, reassess and work on ourselves.”
The Mariners’ game against Roar makes up the first part of an A-Leagues doubleheader with the men’s side kicking off later that evening and Husband hopes the experience of playing in front of another large crowd will help her side settle into the season.
“Getting used to playing in front such a big crowd, it might take a little bit more time,” said Husband ahead of the clash at Industree Group Stadium. “I think that’s only due to just being overwhelmed by the number of people we got at the (last home) game.”
As for Brisbane Roar, they go into the game against the Mariners off the back of their first loss of the season having been defeated 2-1 by Wellington Phoenix.
The Roar probably created enough chances to have maybe left Sky Stadium with a point but despite the defeat, Head Coach Garrath McPherson still saw plenty of positives from his side’s performance, including that of forward Mia Corbin.
“I’m really happy for her that she got her goal today,” said McPherson during his post-match press conference. “She’s been working really hard in creating good moments for us. It’s nice to see her score her first A-League goal and I’m sure there’s many more to come.”
Another positive for McPherson will be the continued integration of Matilda Tameka Yallop within the Roar setup, with the Midfielder getting through 59 minutes against the ‘Nix having also played for the national team during the recent break.
Opta Stat: Brisbane Roar FC have won all four A-League Women matches against Central Coast Mariners; in each of the matches, Brisbane kept a clean sheet while scoring a total of eight goals in the second halves of the matches.
Central Coast Mariners v Brisbane Roar
Sunday, November 12 2023
Industree Group Stadium
Kick-off: 2:15pm (AEDT)
Broadcast: Paramount+, 10 Play
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Sunday, 3:00pm (AEDT): Melbourne Victory v Newcastle Jets
Melbourne Victory host Newcastle Jets in Round Four of the Liberty A-League fresh off securing their first win of the campaign.
Jeff Hopkins’ team put on a commanding display as they brushed Adelaide United aside at AAMI Park in a comfortable 2-0 victory.
Furthermore, the game against the Reds also saw Hopkins hand Elise Kellond-Knight a first start of the season while fellow Matilda Emily Gielnik also gained vital minutes as she continues her recovery from a serious ankle injury.
“Two quality players and two players who know this league very, very well,” remarked former Wanderers coach and Dubzone pundit Catherine Cannuli. “To see these girls back in the league and hopefully starting to get more minutes under their belts and becoming regular players in this team is going to be fantastic for the Melbourne Victory.”
Gielnik has endured a difficult time since injuring her ankle ligaments whilst playing for Aston Villa earlier this year but twenty minutes off the bench will undoubtedly act as a huge milestone for the 54-cap Matilda.
With regards to Sunday’s opposition, Newcastle Jets have failed to fly following their opening round win over rivals Central Coast Mariners.
Defeat to Perth in Round Two was followed by a frustrating 1-1 draw with the Wanderers at McDonald Jones Stadium, a game which saw skipper Cassidy Davis rescue a point care of a stunning late strike.
An ever-present for the Novocastrians, Davis has now overtaken Tara Andrews to become the most capped female in Jets history.
However, as good as that goal was, the big problem for the Jets in that Round Three clash was seemingly upfront where Melina Ayres’ absence due to a hip injury was clearly felt.
The home side struggled to really test the opposition but the club is hoping to have their star striker back for this weekend’s game.
Ayres, who joined the Jets from Victory in the off-season, hit 12 goals and contributed two assists last year in just 13 matches and is expected to be fit for her reunion this weekend.
Opta Stat: The Melbourne Victory have won their last seven A-League Women’s matches against Newcastle Jets; the Victory have scored at least four goals in three of those seven matches including a 5-2 win in their last encounter against each other.
Melbourne Victory v Newcastle Jets
Sunday, November 12 2023
Home of the Matildas
Kick-off: 3:00pm (AEDT)
Broadcast: Paramount+, 10 Play
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Sunday, 5:45pm (AEDT): Melbourne City v Western Sydney Wanderers
Melbourne City’s hopes of making it three wins from three were dashed last time out after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Western United.
Dario Vidosic’s side dominated the contest at City Vista Recreation Reserve against a stubborn and well-drilled Western United but ultimately had to settle for a point following a stunning late strike from Kahli Johnson.
While that result will no doubt be a frustrating one, a huge positive for Vidosic and his staff will be the continued brilliance of young forward Holly McNamara.
The 20-year-old scored and assisted in that game, with her performance drawing plenty of praise from players and pundits alike.
“She is just so hard to contain,” said three-time Championship winner Teresa Polias on Dubzone. “She’s amazing in one-vs-one situations, she can finish, she sets things up…watch her kids!”
“She understands her role and what she does for this team,” added Liberty A-League legend Catherine Cannuli. “I’m just so excited to see her back in our league because she is a star of this league and a star of the future for Australia.”
However hoping to thwart the progress of McNamara and Co this weekend will be the Western Sydney Wanderers.
Robbie Hooker’s side head into the contest at AAMI Park last on the ladder but have seemingly steadied the ship after what was a rough start to the campaign.
The Wanderers suffered back-to-back defeats in the opening rounds of the season, conceding five goals without scoring, however their 1-1 draw with Newcastle Jets last time out will undoubtedly give them a platform to build from.
The Wanderers looked much more resilient in defence, preventing their opponents from having a single shot until the 65th minute of the game, and on another day could walked away with all three points had their attack been able to fire.
Furthermore, New Zealand youngster Millie Clegg was finally eligible to play for the club after turning 18 and looked lively on debut, while the theme of youth is seemingly one that will continue throughout the season.
Just 14 days after Western Sydney teenager Talia Younis made history becoming the youngest player ever to feature in the A-Leagues, teammate Ischia Brooking made that record her own; debuting aged 14 years and 347 days.
Opta Stat: Melbourne City FC have won three of their last four A-League Women’s matches against the Western Sydney Wanderers including a 1-0 victory in their last match-up back in January 2023.
Melbourne City v Western Sydney Wanderers
Sunday, November 12 2023
AAMI Park
Kick-off: 5:45pm (AEDT)
Broadcast: Paramount+, 10 Play
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