Round 14 in the Liberty A-League is here and the finals race is heating up, with just six points separating second from ninth on the table.
LIBERTY A-LEAGUE INS & OUTS: Team news here
Get set for Round 14 below, with all the team news, broadcast information and ticket links.
Thursday, 5:00pm AEDT: Melbourne City v Western United
It first versus fifth at AAMI Park on Thursday night as league-leading Melbourne City seek to extend their buffer atop the standings.
City, who will be without in-form star Emina Ekic due to suspension – are seven points clear of second-placed Sydney FC, while they are nine ahead of Western United.
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Western – boosted by the inclusions of Kahli Johnson and Catherine Zimmerman – are unbeaten against City (W2 D1) including a 2-2 draw when they clashed earlier this season (November 2023); though, five of their seven goals in those games have come in the second halves of games on the day.
FORM LINE (LAST FIVE GAMES)
- Melbourne City: W – W – W – L – W
- Western United: W – D – W – L – W
POSITION
- Melbourne City: 1st
- Western United: 5th
OPTA STATS
- Melbourne City have won their last four consecutive A-League Women games at AAMI Park after having won only two of their previous seven games at the venue (D1 L4); though, they have conceded three goals in two of their last three games there.
- Melbourne Victory (22.5) are the only team to have conceded fewer penalty area incursions per game than Melbourne City (25.3) and Western United (26.2) this A-League Women campaign.
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Friday, 5:00pm AEDT: Melbourne Victory v Sydney FC
AAMI Park will stage another blockbuster clash when Melbourne Victory host defending champions Sydney FC.
Victory snapped a four-match winless run in triumph away to Canberra United last time out, however, the title hopefuls have lost their last three games against Sydney, including a 1-0 defeat in the most recent clash. It’s as many as they had won across their nine previous games against the Victory (D2 L4).
This showdown will also showcase a host of Matildas stars, with Victory boasting the likes of Emily Gielnik, Elise Kellond-Knight, Alex Chidiac, Emma Checker, Lydia Williams and one-time international Rachel Lowe. Sydney also have Cortnee Vine, Princess Ibini and Jada Whyman.
FORM LINE (LAST FIVE GAMES)
- Melbourne Victory: L – L – L – D – W
- Sydney FC: D – D – W – L – W
POSITION
- Melbourne Victory: 6th
- Sydney FC: 2nd
OPTA STATS
- Sydney FC (10.8) and the Melbourne Victory (11.4) have conceded fewer shots per game than any other teams this season; indeed, Sydney FC’s six clean sheets are more than any other team this campaign.
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Saturday, 5:00pm AEDT: Western Sydney Wanderers v Brisbane Roar
Can anyone stop the red-hot Western Sydney Wanderers?
Western Sydney have won their last four straight games, their longest winning streak in the competition; indeed, the last and only previous time they went longer without a defeat in the competition was a six-game stretch from November to December in 2019 (W5 D1).
But, the Roar – with just one victory in their past five outings – will be buoyed by the fact they have won their last six meetings with the Wanderers at Marconi Stadium, outscoring them 13-1 across that period.
FORM LINE (LAST FIVE GAMES)
- Western Sydney Wanderers: L – W – W – W – W
- Brisbane Roar: D – L – W – L – D
POSITION
- Western Sydney Wanderers: 4th
- Brisbane Roar: 10th
OPTA STATS
- Wanderers forward Sophie Harding has made 18 carries ending in a shot at goal this A-League Women season, the most of any player in the competition, as well as finding the back of the net with two of those 18 shots.
- Brisbane Roar have an accuracy of 60% on passes ending in the final third this season, the second highest of any team in the competition behind only Melbourne City (72%).
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Saturday, 5:30pm AEDT: Adelaide United v Perth Glory
Perth Glory have the chance to achieve an eight-year first when they visit lowly Adelaide United on Saturday.
The Glory won 2-1 in their last game against Adelaide and will now be looking to win back-to-back games against them for the first time since December 2016; though, they’ve not defeated Adelaide in South Australia since a 4-1 win in December 2016 at VALO Football Centre.
Neither side is in good form – Adelaide have lost four consecutive games, while Perth are winless in three.
Adelaide have dropped 13 points from winning positions this season, the most of any team in the competition, while no team has gained more competition points from losing positions this campaign than Perth (8).
FORM LINE (LAST FIVE GAMES)
- Adelaide United: W – L – L – L – L
- Perth Glory: L – W – L – D – D
POSITION
- Adelaide United: 12th
- Perth Glory: 3rd
OPTA STATS
- Perth Glory have won only one of their last six games in the A-League Women and have been kept goalless in four of those six games (D3 L2).
- Adelaide’s Nanako Sasaki has made 39 interceptions this season, just one shy of league-leading Sydney FC duo Kirsty Fenton (40) and Charlotte Mclean (40).
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Sunday, 3:00pm AEDT: Wellington Phoenix v Canberra United
Wellington Phoenix will be out to arrest their slump when they host Canberra United.
The Phoenix have lost four straight games to drop to ninth in the standings and two points outside of the top six.
Wellington have won two of their three games against Canberra (L1) with the winning team in each of those three games scoring three or more goals and keeping a clean sheet on the day.
Canberra will be relying on legendary striker Michelle Heyman (9) and star teammate Vesna Milivojevic (9) to help snatch all three points on the road.
The pair have scored 18 goals between them, which is more than what Sydney FC (15), Perth Glory (17), Western Sydney Wanderers (17), Central Coast Mariners (15) and Brisbane Roar (15) have managed as a team in 2023-24.
FORM LINE (LAST FIVE GAMES)
- Wellington Phoenix: W – L – L – L – L
- Canberra United: D – D – D – W – L
POSITION
- Wellington Phoenix: 9th
- Canberra United: 11th
OPTA STATS
- Canberra United have the highest shooting accuracy (60%) and shot conversion rate (20%) of any team in 2023-24, while their 25 goals scored are the second most of any team behind only Melbourne City (30).
- Mariana Speckmaier has been directly involved in three of the Phoenix’s last five goals scored (2 goals, 1 assist), including Wellington’s lone goal in their last-up defeat to Melbourne City.
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Sunday, 5:00pm AEDT: Newcastle Jets v Central Coast Mariners
It doesn’t get much better than this – an F3 Derby between Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners at No.2 Sportsground.
There is currently no holder of the women’s F3 Derby trophy, with the winner of this season’s best-of-two series to become the inaugural holder following Central Coast’s return to the league for the first time since 2009.
Only for this season, if both team’s win one match, it will then be awarded to the team with the best goal difference. If both teams have scored an equal number of goals, it will go to an away goals rule.
But now a penalty shootout could take place this weekend to decide who claims the iconic trophy as the Jets prepare to host the Mariners at the No.2 Sportsground on Sunday evening.
FORM LINE (LAST FIVE GAMES)
- Newcastle Jets: L – W – D – W – L
- Central Coast Mariners: L – D – W – W – L
POSITION
- Newcastle Jets: 8th
- Central Coast Mariners: 7th
OPTA STATS
- Newcastle star Sarina Bolden has made four carries ending in a goal this A-League Women season, more than any other player in the competition; indeed, she has scored seven total goals from eight appearances in the campaign.
- Central Coast Mariners have won their last three A-League Women games when playing as the away team on the day, conceding just two goals in that period.
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