A-League Women: Matildas midfielder injured in massive blow to top of the ladder Western United’s title chase
Chloe Logarzo and Adriana Taranto have suffered serious injuries – with Western United teammate Emma Robers more determined than ever to win the A-League Women’s title for the injured stars, writes ERIN SMITH.
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Western United has been dealt a massive double injury blow on the eve of their second consecutive finals campaign – but Emma Robers says the devastating news has given the team extra motivation to lift the trophy.
The club, which only joined the A-League's’ women’s competition last season, is sitting on top of the competition ladder with three regular season matches to go.
Matildas midfielder Chloe Logarzo has been ruled out for an “extended period” of time with a hip injury while Adriana Taranto will be out for at least 12 months after rupturing her ACL at training this week.
Taranto is the eighth A-League’s women’s player to rupture her ACL this season.
The duo have scored 14 of Western United’s 34 goals this season and have played a key role in the side’s success.
Robers tore her ACL back in 2020.
“It is pretty devastating,” Robers said.
“There’s been a few of us now that have done it in the team and you just never wish something like that on anyone.
“We’ve all got around her. She’s a really, really strong and determined individual so if anyone’s going to get through this and come out bigger and stronger and better on the other side it’s her.
“Obviously it’s pretty devastating and a big loss for us heading into the finals series.
“But in saying that that’s what we have a big squad for and there are other girls going to be given an opportunity now and they’re ready to step up and take that chance.
“It’s not just the 16 that are named on the team sheet, there are 23 of us in the squad and we play for everyone.
“They are big inspirations for us to be playing for and having them in our mind out there.”
Robers was part of the Western United squad that narrowly missed out on the premiership and championship to Sydney FC last season.
The 25-year-old, who has twice finished Runners-Up in the A-League's women’s, is determined to have a different outcome this season.
“We keep saying it’s a redemption season for us. We let the premiership and the championship slip last year,” Robers said.
“We were proud to have got ourselves in that situation but this year we don’t want to let that slip twice so there’s a fire in the belly, there’s no chance we’re going to let that happen.
“We’re going to fight as hard as we van to ensure we get some sort of silverware this year.”
It won’t be easy.
Reigning champions Sydney FC are so close they are almost standing on Western United’s boot laces.
They sit in third, just two points behind, but with an extra game still to be played.
“Sydney have constantly tested us,” Robers said.
“But my gosh we are so ready to play them in finals if it gets to that.
“We’ve played them five or six times over the past two season and only one of those games has been in Melbourne. So we’ve been a little frustrated with that one but we can’t wait to hopefully play them on home soil and prove it to them.”
Western United will host Newcastle Jets at their new home in Tarneit on Sunday afternoon.
It will be the first match played at the new ground.
Robers said it was fantastic to finally have a place to call home and start to build a fan base in Western Melbourne.
“We’ve got a designated women’s change room, we’ve got our own gym, there are three pitches out there at the moment and they are building a bigger stadium,” Robers said.
“We’ve got everything at our fingertips which we haven’t really had for the past couple of years so it’s massively exciting.”
There is a lot riding on the game for Newcastle and Western United – with the Melbourne side desperate to hold onto top spot and the Jets looking to leap into sixth spot and keep their chances of playing finals alive.
“It’s going to be a tough one,” Robers said.
“They’re very fit and a physical team. We’ve got a lot of tactics that Kat (Smith) and the staff have given us to make sure we do get that win.
“We know we’ve got the ability and we’ve got the tactical side of it so as long as we can execute our plan I think we’re going to put on a good show.”
The game kicks off at the Tarneit stadium at 4pm on Sunday.
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