One of the traditional highlights of the Westfield W-League calendar will provide a fitting and dramatic finale to the league season.
Brisbane Roar v Sydney FC
Saturday 14 January
Queensland Sports & Athletics Centre, Brisbane
Local kick-off: 2pm
Live: ABC TV
One of the traditional highlights of the Westfield W-League calendar will provide a fitting and dramatic finale to the league season.
Bragging rights will, as always, be on the line, but so too is second place and an all-important home semi-final. Playing at home Brisbane Roar are in the box seat and need just a draw to hang on to their one-point margin over their rivals.
The last time the pair met was way back in round one when Sydney had the better of a 1-1 draw on home turf. Much has changed since then with both teams boosted by the return of key personnel either from injury or overseas.
Brisbane though should be confident after a potentially season-defining 3-1 win on the road last weekend against Newcastle Jets. Defeat could have meant an unimaginable failure to reach the finals, however victory – such are the fine margins in this season-s Westfield W-League – left the Roar holding down second.
The 3-1 win in Newcastle contrasted sharply with Sydney-s 2-1 defeat against the same opponent just a week earlier.
Much selection interest will focus on whether super sub Emily Gielnik is kept on the bench after bagging her seventh goal of the season, six of which have incredibly come after entering the fray.
Despite winning 3-0 in Perth last weekend Sydney were held scoreless in the second half, in stark contrast with their 11-0 defeat of the Glory last month. Coach Alen Stajcic however fielded a somewhat experimental line-up, perhaps mindful of the suspensions hanging over the head of some important players in the lead up to the finals series.
