Canberra United’s Liberty A-League season is hanging by a thread just four games in, with only a win in Saturday’s encounter against Adelaide United able to get their campaign back on track.
For so long a finals mainstay, they are five points back from the top four having failed to record a win so far.
They risk falling even further behind if they can’t knock off the Reds at Viking Park.
But veteran forward Ash Sykes said Canberra coach Vicki Linton had encouraged her side to find inspiration in last year’s Brisbane Roar side, who won seven of their last eight games to finish second after not winning their first four contests.
“If you trust in the process, the results will come,” Sykes said.
“Our game is certainly developing, we kept a clean sheet which we hadn’t managed to do (previously) and we’re creating more chances. I don’t think anyone’s panicking yet, we need to keep pushing and fighting.”
But scoring with regularity remains Canberra’s main challenge, having been kept scoreless in two of four games.
“We’ve improved the last few games, now we need the next step and that’s scoring goals,” Sykes said.
“Luckily we have a game again tomorrow, a chance to get straight back on the horse and try and put some in the back of the net.”
Canberra also regain the services of fullback Emma Ilijoski, who returned a negative PCR test after missing Wednesday’s 0-0 draw with Perth.
Adelaide have alternated wins and losses through their last four matches but hit top form last time out with a 4-2 win against Perth, where a Chelsea Dawber double followed by late strikes by Matilda McNamara and Emily Condon earned them maximum points.
The Reds are fifth but could realistically move as high as third with a win in the nation’s capital.
