Bobby Despotovski is backing his side to continue their recent upsurge in form when they take on high-flying Sydney FC at Wollongong’s WIN Stadium on Saturday (kick-off at 4pm local time (1pm WST)).
Glory will head east off the back of successive 4-2 wins over Newcastle Jets and Brisbane Roar during which they played some of their best football of the season to date.
And the Head Coach is quietly confident that they can upset a Sky Blues outfit for whom three points would lock in a finals berth.
“We’re looking for more of the same,” he said, “it’s as simple as that.
“Sydney have lost Chloe Logarzo and Caitlin Foord, I believe, so they are a weaker side than when we played them earlier in the season and even in that game, it was in the balance for a long period of time and it was only a silly penalty that cost us.
“So we are going over there quietly confident. If the players by now don’t have the confidence to go there and try and win the game, they’re in the wrong sport.
“In the last two games we’ve scored eight and conceded four and we have nothing to lose.
“So we’ll go there, give it a shot and look to prove something because Sydney are sitting second in the league.”
Saturday’s game will be a particularly significant one for Natasha Rigby who is set to make her 50th Westfield W-League appearance for the club and Despotovski was quick to pay tribute to his skipper.
“Tash has played in every game for the past three seasons and this year as well.” he said, “and that is an incredible achievement.
“It’s like something from a movie script. She moves up to Perth from a country town in Margaret River, plays in the State League, gets spotted by a professional club and ends up becoming the captain.
“That’s what it’s all about; providing an opportunity for girls to play and see how far they can go with their football.
“Will they all end being Tash Rigbys? No they won’t.
“But the more opportunities you give people to succeed, the more success stories like this will emerge.”
In terms of historical omens heading into Saturday’s game, meanwhile, Glory will be looking to secure what would be a first away win over Sydney FC since November 2014 and in doing so, avenge last season’s Grand Final defeat.
Match Details
Saturday, 22 February 2020
Sydney FC v Perth Glory
WIN Stadium (Wollongong)
Kick-Off: 4:00pm (Local)( 1:00pm (WST))
Referee: Kelly Jones
Assistant Referee 1: Nia Southwell
Assistant Referee 2: Lauren Hargrave
Fourth Official: Rebecca Mackie
Stream Broadcast: Live coverage on FOX SPORTS (www.foxsports.com.au) , Kayo Sports (www.kayosports.com.au) and MyFootball Live App, Live Fast and Data Free for Telstra mobile customers
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #SYDvPER
To purchase tickets visit www.w-league.com.au/tickets
Sydney FC squad: 1.Aubrey BLEDSOE (gk), 2.Teresa POLIAS (c), 5.Ally GREEN, 7.Ellie BRUSH, 8.Lindsay AGNEW, 10.Remy SIEMSEN, 11.Sofia HUERTA, 12.Natalie TOBIN, 13.Veronica LATSKO, 14.Alanna KENNEDY, 15.MacKenzie HAWKESBY, 16.Julia VIGNES, 17.Angelique HRISTODOULOU, 18.Taylor RAY, 19.Amy SAYER, 20.Princess IBINI, 30.Trudy BURKE (gk)
**two to be omitted**
Ins: 14.Alanna Kennedy (promoted), 16.Julia VIGNES (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 4.Elizabeth RALSTON (hamstring)
Perth Glory squad: 1.Eliza CAMPBELL (gk), 3.Kim CARROLL, 4.Ayesha NORRIE, 5.Shannon MAY, 6.Arianna ROMERO, 7.CELIA, 8.Morgan ANDREWS, 9.Crystal THOMAS, 11.Leticia MCKENNA, 13.Jamie-Lee GALE, 14.Caitlin DOEGLAS, 16.Isabella WALLHEAD, 19.Hana LOWRY, 21.Morgan AQUINO (gk), 24.Natasha RIGBY (c)
Ins: Nil
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: Nil
#OneGlory
