FTS A-League Preview Round 23: Perth Glory vs Western Sydney Wanderers
This Saturday night’s A-League action sees the Western Sydney Wanderers visit the Wild Wild West to face a Perth Glory side eager to rediscover their form of late-2014. With plenty at stake for the home side, this match is sure to be an end-to-end affair filled with plenty of passion and physicality.
Kenny Lowe’s men have only one win since the turn of the year and are struggling to replicate their table-topping form before the Asian Cup intervened. But yet despite these stutters their manager still remains optimistic over his side’s chances of silverware this season. The Glory will return to nib Stadium following last weekend’s unfortunate 1-1 draw with Central Coast. A last gasp Nick Montgomery long-range rocket rescued a point for the struggling Mariners and served as another set back for the WA side looking to climb back into the top two.
Meanwhile, the Wanderers will travel across the ditch buoyed by their feats in Brisbane earlier in the week. The 4-1 victory would have done Tony Popovic’s troops the world of confidence and, although mathematically out of finals contention, they would love to carry on in similar fashion. Despite the win, Western Sydney will be without a host of key first team regulars due to injury and will once again field a blend of experience and youth at the weekend.
This somewhat understrength and fatigued Wanderers outfit is one that the Perth players will love to exploit and dominate. If ever there was a time for Lowe’s squad to find form ahead of the regular season’s final handful of significant fixtures, now is the time. A win for the home side would see them rise to as high as second in the table and reapply pressure on the Phoenix at the top. As previously mentioned, finals football is out of reach for the Wanderers so a win for the ‘red-and-blacks’ would provide them with more opportunity to rescue some lost pride and move further away from the bottom of the table.
In truth, the Perth Glory will be desperate to win this home match and the Wanderers will do their best to make their own mark. Regardless of what transpires on the pitch this Saturday night, this match of A-League football is set to be an entertaining one.
Head-to-Head:
Played: 7. Perth Glory: 1. Western Sydney Wanderers: 5.
Last Meeting: 15/11/2014 at nib Stadium. Perth Glory 2-1 Western Sydney Wanderers.
Form Guide:
Perth Glory: DDDLD Western Sydney Wanderers: LWLLW
Absentee List:
Perth Glory: Jamie Maclaren (international duty), Jack Duncan (international duty), Danny De Silva (international duty), Youssouf Hersi (hamstring – season), Diogo Ferreira (knee – 1 week)
Western Sydney Wanderers: Shannon Cole (collarbone), Brendan Hamill (thigh), Mateo Poljak (calf), Tomi Juric (international duty/injured), Brendon Santalab (shoulder), Matthew Spiranovic (hamstring), Jaushua Sotirio (international duty), Mark Bridge (injured), Nick Ward (knee – indefinite), Golgol Mebrahtu (knee – indefinite)
Possible XI:
Perth Glory: Vukovic; Jamieson; Dulbic; Thwaite; Risdon; Zadkovich; Nichols; Marinkovic; Garcia; Sciola; Keogh
Western Sydney Wanderers: Covic; Gallaway; Topor-Stanley; Madaschi; Tanaka; Kalmar; Perkatis; Takahagi; Haliti; Rukavytsya; Bulut
Prediction: Perth Glory 1-1 Western Sydney Wanderers
FTSAUS Facts:
The Glory have only taken four points out of a possible twenty-one when up against the Western Sydney Wanderers.
The Wanderers have only won four points out of a possible thirty-three when playing away from Parramatta this season.
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