Find out who’s in your Westfield W-League with the Ins and Outs for week 10.
Melbourne Victory v Canberra United
Friday 30 December
Veneto Club, Melbourne
Local kick-off: 5pm
Leaders Canberra United can sight history as they seek to become the first side to go through a Westfield W-League regular season undefeated.
If they can get past the notoriously resilient Victory on their home turf, Canberra will only have to see off Adelaide United in their final match to achieve the unprecedented feat.
Melbourne though harbour ambitions of their own and while a win here maintains hopes of finishing second, defeat will open up the possibility of losing out on a finals berth to fifth-placed Newcastle Jets.
The pair last met in Round 4 where Canberra scored a hard-working and deserved 2-1 win. Since then the Victory have continued to grow under Australia U-17 coach Vicki Linton, losing just once since that meeting at Belconnen.
While Melbourne-s success has been built on team work ethic rather than individual flair, the home side will nevertheless sorely miss one of their key attacking outlets in Katrina Gorry. The livewire midfielder, whose partnership with striker Jodie Taylor has been a feature of the Victory-s success, will be suspended for this match.
Canberra have enjoyed form all over the park with an irresistible attack in the shape of leading goalscorer Michelle Heyman and flanker Taryn Hemmings, while a resolute defence is backed by the league-s form goalkeeper Lydia Williams, who seems to improve with every match. United-s resources have been just stretched just slightly with teenage midfielder Kahlia Hogg departing for a scholarship in the US.
Melbourne Victory squad: 1.Brianna DAVEY (gk), 2. Rebekah STOTT, 3. Maika RUYTER-HOOLEY, 4. Kendall FLETCHER, 5. Danielle JOHNSON, 6. Rita MANKOWSKA, 7. Stephanie CATLEY, 8. Ashley BROWN, 9. Georgie KOUTROUVELIS, 10. Jodie TAYLOR (c), 11. Caitlin FRIEND, 12. Jackie VOGT, 14. Enza BARILLA, 15. Amy JACKSON, 16. Louisa BISBY, 17. Gulcan KOCA, 18. Stephanie TANTI, 19. Laura SPIRANOVIC, 20. Cassandra DIMOVSKI (gk)
* four to be omitted
In: None
Out: Katrina Gorry (suspended – one match)
Unavailable:
Canberra United squad: 1. Lydia WILLIAMS (gk), 2. Caitlin COOPER, 3. Georgia YEOMAN-DALE, 4. Christine WALTERS, 6. Caitlin MUNOZ, 7. Ellie BRUSH, 8. Hayley RASO, 9. Grace GILL, 10. Snez VELJANOVSKA, 11. Michelle HEYMAN, 12. Sally ROJAHN, 13. Nicole SYKES, 14. Ashleigh SYKES, 15. Sally SHIPARD, 16. Ellyse PERRY, 18. Taryn HEMMINGS, 19. Jennifer BISSET, 20. Aroon CLANSEY (gk)
* three to be omitted
In: None
Out: Kahlia Hogg (USA – scholarship)
Unavailable: Leah Blayney (injured)
Sydney FC v Newcastle Jets
Saturday 31 December
Campbelltown Stadium, Sydney
Local kick-off: 3pm
Live: ABC TV
Sydney FC will be warm favourites on paper but the recent transfer of the match to Campbelltown will perhaps leave the Sky Blues recalling memories of defensive nightmares on the last two occasions that Lisa De Vanna, then with Brisbane Roar, visited.
The Jets speedster returns after a one-match suspension and will be hoping to reprise her match-winning performances for Brisbane Roar against Sydney in the grand final at the same venue and prior to that, in the last New Year-s round.
The Jets also won on the last occasion they visited the venue with a famous Tara Andrews winner sealing victory last season and ending a lengthy Sydney unbeaten streak.
Nevertheless, the form book says Sydney should start with confidence having easily dispatched the Jets with a 4-1 scoreline just six weeks ago. While the last time the Sky Blues took the field at home they famously routed Perth Glory with a record breaking 11-0 scoreline.
Last year-s player of the year Kyah Simon will be in the running for a first start this season after a lengthy return from injury however, on the debit side, fullback Servet Uzunlar sits out the match with suspension.
With a four-point margin separating the Jets and a finals berths the visitors have little margin for error. They will however take confidence after returning to winning ways with victory just prior to Christmas against Perth Glory in a postponed fixture. The match did prove costly as Hannah Brewer was dismissed and will be forced to sit this one out.
Sydney FC squad: 1. Allison LIPSHER (gk), 15. Thea SLATYER, 3. Danielle BROGAN, 5. Estelle JOHNSON, 4. Renee ROLLASON, 10. Kylie LEDBROOK, 2. Teresa POLIAS, 9. Sarah WALSH, 12. Teigen ALLEN, 8. Caitlin FOORD, 13. Brittany WHITFIELD, 7. Heather GARRIOCK, 19. Leena KHAMIS, 16. Alisha BASS, 14. Rachael SOUTAR, 17. Kyah SIMON, 21. Chloe LOGARZO, 30. Sham KHAMIS (gk)
* three to be omitted
In: None
Out: Servet Uzunlar (suspended – one match)
Unavailable: Victoria Balomenos (injured – season), Monique Jackson (injured – season)
Newcastle Jets squad: 1. Melissa BARBIERI (gk), 3. Alanna KENNEDY, 4. Gemma PEARCE, 5. Alex HUYNH, 6. Nicola BOLGER, 7. Gema SIMON, 8. Linda O’NEILL, 9. Tara ANDREWS, 10. Emily VAN EGMOND, 11. Lisa DE VANNA, 12. Monnique KOFOED, 13. Stacey DAY, 14. Bronte BATES, 15. Rhali DOBSON, 16. Cassandra KOPPEN, 17. Ariane HINGST (c), 20. Alison LOGUE (gk)
* two to be omitted
In: None
Out: Hannah Brewer (suspended – one match)
Unavailable:
Bye: Adelaide United, Brisbane Roar, Perth Glory
