Adelaide United will be looking to prove their finals credentials when they host Melbourne City at Hindmarsh Stadium on Saturday.
While United sit inside the A-League Women’s top four, they have only beaten sides ranked below them and failed in their first two battles with finals-bound sides, including the Citizens on December 18.
City took a 3-1 victory that day, with in-form marskwoman Hannah Wilkinson scoring twice.
But goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri said her side would be foolish to underestimate the improving Reds.
“Each team is getting better every week … they’re coming up with new strategies, coaches are working hard behind the scenes, we understand that just because we’ve played a team before doesn’t mean we’ll get that same thing,” she said.
“We’ll be focusing on our set up, our game play … Adelaide were a formidable opponent last time we came up against them so we know that they’re going to be extra tough on home soil.”
Barbieri, who is a week shy of her 42nd birthday, has started every game this season in the absence of Young Matildas’ keeper Sally James.
With James now recovered from a fractured thumb, the City veteran was keen to stress the club came first.
“I play my part when I’m asked to and it’s all about keeping clean sheets, and I don’t mind who does it as long as we do it,” she said.
Adelaide, meanwhile, enter the game riding back-to-back wins, most recently an impressive 3-1 triumph against Canberra United where counter-attacking brilliance proved the difference.
Fiona Worts was in sublime touch with a goal and an assist, while top-scorer Chelsie Dawber made it four goals in as many starts.
With United’s women having never played finals, assistant coach Joe Mullen, who will coach on Saturday in the absence of Adrian Stenta, said the group had matured to the point they were ready to fire.
“They’ve played together now for quite a few years, started off as young players … they’ve grown as a group,” he said.
“They’ve taken on responsibility and accountability, particularly the leadership group and once they do that it spreads throughout the rest of the team.”
