Three reasons why you should watch the W-League Melbourne derby
The first W-League Melbourne derby of the season has finally arrived and City is out for revenge on Victory. Here are three reasons why this match shouldn’t be missed.
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Melbourne W-League fans have had to wait until Round 5 to catch live action, but it starts with a bang with the first Melbourne derby of the season.
David Davutovic outlines the three reasons why you should catch Thursday night’s Melbourne derby, the prelude to Saturday week’s A-League Christmas cracker at AAMI Park.
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1. KYAH’S MATILDAS MISSION
Matildas great Kyah Simon headlines the Matildas-focus, as she edges closer to full fitness with Melbourne City.
Capped 87 times by the Matildas, Simon heartbreakingly missed the 2019 World Cup and a calf injury kept her out for three months, hampering her W-League pre-season.
But Simon is back and nearing her next milestone – her first 90-minute outing - after playing 80 minutes last week, with a sharp finish among her three appearances. She is fighting for a recall ahead of next year’s Tokyo 2020 qualifiers.
City’s new Matildas signings Emily van Egmond and Ellie Carpenter have shot out of the blocks.
Van Egmond has relished playing further up the park, netting three goals in four games, while Carpenter has replicated the fearsome fullback pairing with superstar Steph Catley.
Midfielder Aivi Luik returns alongside gun keeper Lydia Williams and recent call up Emma Checker, to make it seven Matildas in total, amid a host of current and former internationals.
Serbian Milica Mijatovic, who’s netted twice, striker Claire Emslie, who scored Scotland’s first World Cup goal, and ex Japan midfielder Yukari Kinga headline the visa stars.
AFLW Premiership winner Jenna McCormick, who’ll feature in her first Melbourne derby, headlines Victory’s Matildas after Emily Gielnik’s exit to Bayern Munich.
McCormick has followed up her Matildas debut games with some solid Victory outings. Defender Teigen Allen is the only Victory player to have made the final 2019 World Cup squad.
Goalkeeper Casey Dumont is in stunning form and looking to secure her spot back in the Matildas set up, with incumbent Williams at the other end.
2. REVENGE ON CITY’S MENU
Star-studded City dominates the Matildas representatives, underlining last season’s underachievement.
That was exacerbated by two losses to the arch enemy, with Victory keeping a clean sheet on both occasions, providing the platform for Jeff Hopkins’ side to go on and claim the Premier’s Plate.
Although Victory could not go on and win the grand final, it was a vital milestone for a team that’s played second fiddle since City joined the W-League scene, claiming three titles in its first three seasons.
City has learnt from last season’s slow start, sitting in second on goals difference, six points ahead of Victory, which has a game in hand.
Both coaches, Victory’s Jeff Hopkins (an ex-National Soccer League coach with Gippsland Falcons) and City’s Rado Vidosic (ex-Brisbane Roar A-League coach) have strong pedigree, and have spent the week planning for various scenarios their respective opponents may dish up.
3. BOUTIQUE BLISS
While the poor W-League players continue to live a nomadic existence so far as home grounds go, ABD Stadium is perfect sized venue for W-League games.
Hume City’s home ground has played host to some FFA Cup classic over the years, and the compact grandstand makes it a pleasurable experience whether one is in attendance or watching via Fox Sports or Kayo.
The players will relish the atmosphere in this high stakes encounter, while fans could be in for an intense duel in Melbourne’s first W-League encounter of the season after both sides played their only home games of the season thus far in country Victoria.