A top-of-the-table clash headlines Round 17 of the NPLWA – Women’s competition as defending champions Perth RedStar host Perth Soccer Club in Joondalup.
Leaders RedStar are three points clear with a game in hand going into Sunday’s fixture, and Carlos Vega Mena’s side know a win over their closest rivals will put them in pole position to lift a second league title in as many years.
The Azzurri go into the weekend on an eight-game unbeaten run, their latest fixture a 2-0 win away at Fremantle City last Sunday. That stretch has been compiled despite a large list of injuries and absentees, which includes early-season regulars Alyssa Van Heurck, Abbey Meakins, Ellie La Monte, Liana Cook and Faye Phillips.
The club has also been on the road for the past two months due to a front-loaded NPLWA – Women’s scedule, with Dorrien Gardens currently used as a FIFA Women’s World Cup training venue.
Despite the various disruptions, Perth head coach Pete Rakic is proud of the squad’s attitude, particularly that of the younger players who have seized their opportunity.
“Lately, I’ve been able to reflect and see that because of what’s happened with the squad, what we’ve achieved so far in terms of (winning) the Night Series and being in all three comps is an accomplishment,” Rakic said.
“Whatever happens between now and the end of the season, I can be proud of how the girls have dealt with the adversity they’ve faced, and how they’ve managed to keep pushing. I can’t really ask for much more.
“The girls on the pitch who have wanted these opportunities and fought for their spot in the team have now got it. The 11 players on the pitch are the ones who have had to get the job done every week, and they know they’ve had to work really hard and fight for each other.
“To launch into such a run of consistency has been great for us, and we’ll certainly try to continue on that wave of confidence until something else is thrown at us.”
The Azzurri won their first piece of women’s silverware in March’s Night Series Final against RedStar, having finished second in the league last season.
They have built on that to remain alive in all competitions this year.
“There was a clear objective moving into this season with how we recruited for a certain system to play a set brand of football,” Rakic said.
“We then had a bit of inconsistency in the middle part of the season where we dropped a few games, ending up in fourth or fifth at one stage. It was evidence of the plan maybe having the wind taken out of its sails with the injuries and absences.
“So it was back to square one and back to the simple things. It hit us hard, and it hit me hard as a coach because I felt I couldn’t fulfill the full potential of this team. But the results have started going our way again of late and it’s important now for us to let this confidence we have do its thing.”
Perth were one of only two teams to take points off RedStar in the league last term and this time they are undefeated against the leaders in four meetings this year.
One of those was a 3-1 win in June’s Hyundai Women’s State Cup quarter-final tie where Ella Lincoln netted twice, and Rakic believes that result could be significant for the mindset of his team at the weekend.
“The huge thing for us this week is that when we overcame them in the State Cup, it bled a line of confidence into the girls because they know it’s achievable and beating them is possible,” he said.
“We understand it’s going to take a gutsy performance and it’s always going to take a huge effort to get over the line against them. But we will approach the game with nothing to lose and hopefully the girls can go out there and cause an upset.”
Elsewhere, fourth plays fifth at E&D Litis Stadium as Hyundai NTC host Murdoch University Melville. Four points separate the pair with NTC having two games in hand on this week’s opponents.
Ben Anderton’s side returned from NTC Challenge last week and goals from Georgia Cassidy and Klaudia Houlis gave them a 2-1 win over Balcatta Etna.
David Biancuzzo’s MUM FC earned a credible 2-2 draw with leaders RedStar last Friday, and they can also take confidence from a 5-1 victory over NTC when the sides met at this weekend’s venue earlier in their rescheduled Round Three clash in May.
Balcatta Etna are also in need of a win if they are to turn around a five-point deficit to fourth and record a first post-season finish in the NPL era. This week they host a Subiaco side who will be buoyed by back-to-back wins over MUM FC and Curtin University.
The weekend’s final game sees Fremantle City take on Curtin University. Consecutive losses to the top two have seen Faye Chambers’ side slip off the title pace, but victory can help cement their place in the top four.
Curtin are still seeking their first points of the season, but have found scoring touch in recent weeks with six of their eight goals this year coming in their past three games.