Welcome to From the Stand’s first W-League preview!

Match Details

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Last week

The W-League season kicked off last week, and one surprise that came from the opening round was Canberra United’s unexpected 3-0 victory over the Brisbane Roar. Dani Brady in The Women’s Game highlighted Canberra’s well-rehearsed structure and potent firepower up front:

“There is plenty to say about how clinical Canberra was in their execution of play; from a tight defensive pack, through to a well organised midfield.  Not to mention two blindingly fast and physical forwards in the familiar form of Michelle Heyman and the not so familiar, new American import, Stephanie Ochs.”

Foundation member Nicole Sykes, wearing the armband for Canberra after being promoted in the week before the season started, celebrated her 50^th appearance for the club with the win, and the team will be hoping to carry this momentum into this fixture against the Wander Women.

For the Wanderers team, a 6^th place finish last season wasn’t enough to spur them on to an opening round victory against the Melbourne Victory, earning a 1-1 draw after Catherin Cannuli’s stoppage-time heroics in front of the Victory goal. With the Wanderers’ supporters expected to turn out in Canberra to bring their trademark energy and enthusiasm, the team will want to step up their game in front of their typically-raucous fans.

Head – to – head

Played: 2

Wins: Canberra 1, Wanderers 0, Draws: 1

Canberra United

Their first round win will give Canberra United some much-needed impetus heading into this fixture. The last time these teams met at McKellar Park, the Wander Women were trounced 5-0. With exciting international imports like veteran midfielder Lori Lindsay and and young striker Stephanie Ochs, both American, the United team will be looking to make it two wins in a row against the Wanderers. Last season it was Sydney FC who ran away with the championship after finishing 4^th on the regular season ladder, just pipping Canberra at the post by two points, leaving United stranded in 5th place in the 8-team competition. With such quality at their disposal, Canberra knows they need to gather crucial momentum, especially after Sydney FC shot across the bow of its competitors with a crushing 5-1 win against the Victory in Round 1.

Expect Canberra to come out firing, with Lori Lindsay expected to make her home debut in the centre of midfield. With such potent strikers up front, Canberra may look to batter their ways through the middle of the park, but the Wanderers will be playing for a pride-salvaging result after their thrashing at this ground last season. It may come down to individual brilliance for Canberra to come away with a win this round.

Injury Report

Sally Shipard (injured – two weeks)

Suspension list

Nil

Canberra United’s possible starting XI

Lydia WILLIAMS

Sally ROJAHN

Kendall FLETCHER

Lori LINDSEY

Stephanie OCHS

Catherine BROWN                     ‏

Grace GILL

Michelle HEYMAN

Nicole SYKES

Ashleigh SYKES

Ellie BRUSH

Visit https://twitter.com/TheWomensGame/canberra-united/members for the Twitter accounts of the Canberra United team.

Western Sydney Wanderers

With a last-gasp draw in the first round, the Wanderers don’t want to let a loss – big or small – derail their season just two games in. While history may be against them when it comes to playing Canberra at McKellar Park, you just cannot write off the Wanderers. With such a short season – 12 regular games instead of the 27 the men’s teams enjoy – even two draws can be a huge platform in which to launch an assault on a Top 4 finish.

Caitlin Cooper will make a potentially-heated return to the club she left in the off-season if she gets a second start this season, with Servet Uzunlar returning to the squad from injury to bolster the line-up. With NSW Women’s Premier League Player of the Year and Golden Boot winner Michelle Carney also in the squad, there’s no reason why the Wanderers can’t prove that last year’s result was abhorrent and walk away with at least one point.

It will come down to the defence against a Canberra line-up boosting such attacking talents. With Matilda vice-captain Emily van Egmond in the middle of the park, potentially alongside the Wanderer’s own duo of Americans, Tori Huster and Shawna Gordon, this game could make for a close affair.

Injury Report

Mackenzie Arnold (GK) (leg – indefinite)

Heather Garriock (injury – indefinite)

Alanna Kennedy (back – two weeks)

Kyah Simon (knee – season)

Suspension list

Nil

Western Sydney Wanderers’ possible starting XI

Caitlin COOPER

Shawna GORDON

Emily VANEGMOND

Rachael SOUTAR

Tori HUSTER

Jenna KINGSLEY

Michelle CARNEY

Catherine CANNULI

Dimi POULOS

Teigen ALLEN

Jordan BAKER

Visit https://twitter.com/TheWomensGame/lists/western-sydney-wanderers for the Twitter accounts of the Western Sydney Wanderers team.

Key Players

Canberra United: Lori Lindsay

The American midfielder opened the scoring last week after just seven minutes before Michelle Heyman destroyed Brisbane with her brace, and the midfielder will again be an important cog in the Canberra midfield machine. Given her goal came from a bursting run into the box to clean up a rebound, the Wanderers will need to be careful in tracking the runs of the veteran Lindsay

Western Sydney Wanderers: Emily van Egmond

The Matilda’s vice captain’s influence and experience will be very important in this fixture, especially if the Wanderers concede an early goal. With fast attacking players like Michelle Carney up front, the midfield youngster, who has already played at multiple overseas clubs in her budding career, will need to marshal the midfield against the potent threats present in the Canberra line-up.

Fun Facts

The teams in the W-League have a salary cap of $150,000 for the entire squad. By comparison, the salary cap for clubs in the A-League is nearly $2.5 million.

Canberra United have racked up three 5-0 wins in the last 24 months: v Adelaide United (7 January 2012), v Newcastle Jets (27 October 2012), v Western Sydney Wanderers (8 January 2013)

Final Verdict

W-League fixtures have had their share of blown-out scorelines, and Canberra especially is more than capable of hitting the back of the net. History is on their side, and with one confidence-boosting win under their belts, Canberra are sure favourites to come out victorious.

However, as the A-League teams have learned, you can never write off the Wanderers. On paper the Wander Women have a lot of talent at their disposal, with multiple Matildas and international players making up the squad. With the return of midfielder Uzunlar, a Wanderers veteran, the squad should be more settled and capable of springing a surprise against their more fancied opponents.

Score Prediction

Canberra 2 – 1 Western Sydney Wanderers

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