A special contest looms in Brisbane as the locals do battle with Western Sydney Wanderers live on Fox Sports.
Brisbane Roar v Western Sydney Wanderers
Friday 24 January 2014
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Local kick-off: 4pm (5pm AEDT)
** Catch all the action live from 4pm (5pm AEDT) on Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 1HD.
A special contest looms in Brisbane as the locals do battle with Western Sydney Wanderers live on Fox Sports.
A host of Westfield Matildas will feature on both sides and that the match will take place in one of Australia-s great venues – Brisbane-s Suncorp Stadium – adds further to the occasion.
In many ways it is a pivotal contest for both sides. Defeat for Brisbane will likely mean an end to their hunt for a top-two berth, while the visiting Wanderers know they must win to maintain any hopes of finals football.
A sign of a true champion is the manner in which they respond in adversity. And rarely have the two-time champion home club been under such pressure, having suffered a record 4-0 loss to old rivals Sydney FC last weekend.
Goalkeeper Nadine Angerer is expected to return to action for the first time since her crowning as World Player of the Year last week in Zurich, although Kate Stewart didn-t put a foot wrong deputising last week.
Doubts remain about the fitness of skipper Clare Polkinghorne after a fortnight-s absence but the Roar can still potentially field an entire XI with international experience.
More so than most matches, this contest will be won in the midfield with the likes of the Roar-s Tameka Butt, Elise Kellond-Knight and Polkinghorne up against dynamic ball players in Heather Garriock and Emily van Egmond.
The Wanderers expect to have the rare luxury of fielding an unchanged side this week after a horror run with injuries.
Results may not have gone their way this term, but the Wanderers have proven themselves capable of matching anyone on their day.
Brisbane Roar squad: 1. Nadine ANGERER (gk), 2. Laura ALLEWAY, 4. Clare POLKINGHORNE (c), 5. Brooke SPENCE, 6. Joanne BURGESS, 7. Kim CARROLL, 8. Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT, 9. Larissa CRUMMER, 10. Katrina GORRY, 11. Vedrana POPOVIC, 13. Tameka BUTT, 14. Natasha WHEELER, 16. Hayley RASO, 17. Emily GIELNIK, 20. Kate STEWART (gk)
Ins: Clare Polkinghorne (returns from injury), Natasha Wheeler (promoted)
Outs: Ayesha Norrie, Sunny Franco (both omitted)
Unavailable: Amy Chapman (knee – season)
Western Sydney Wanderers squad: 1. Mackenzie Arnold (gk), 2. Caitlin Cooper, 3. Shawna Gordon, 5. Emily Van Egmond, 7. Heather Garriock (c), 9. Jenna Kingsley, 10. Servet Uzunlar, 11. Michelle Carney, 12. Jessica Seaman, 13. Catherine Cannuli, 14. Alanna Kennedy, 15. Teigen Allen, 16. Linda O-Neill, 18. Helen Petinos, 22. Dimi Poulos (gk)
Ins: None
Outs: None
Unavailable: Camille Levin (hamstring – two weeks), Tori Huster (knee – one week), Kyah Simon (knee – season)
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