Western United will look to get back to winning ways in the penultimate game of the Liberty A-League Women season against Western Sydney Wanderers.
Match Details
Liberty A-League Women Round 21
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Western United
Saturday, 23 March
Kick-off: 6:00pm AEDT
Wanderers Football Park, Rooty Hill
Broadcast: The match will be broadcast live and free on 10Play, and on Paramount+
Western United Team News
Kat Smith will welcome Kahli Johnson back into her squad after the 20-year-old returned from international duty this week.
Johnson helped the Young Matildas achieve a third-placed finish at the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup and will look to carry on her strong domestic form.
Chloe Logarzo and Adriana Taranto remain sidelined, with Avaani Prakash hoping to earn a second straight start and Catherine Zimmerman pushing for more involvement.
Western United squad: 1. Alyssa DALL’OSTE (gk), 2. Stacey PAPADOPOULOS, 4. Jaclyn SAWICKI, 5. Aimee MEDWIN, 9. Hannah KEANE, 10. Kahli JOHNSON, 11. Emma ROBERS, 12. Lucy RICHARDS, 13. Avaani PRAKASH, 14. Natasha DAKIC, 16. Melissa TARANTO, 18. Grace MAHER, 19. Tyla Jay VLAJNIC, 20. Keiwa HIEDA, 22. Alana CERNE, 24. Julia SARDO, 31. Kathrine LARSEN (gk), 34. Catherine ZIMMERMAN
Last time out
Western United made history last week with the first ever match at its brand-new home at Regional Football Facility in Tarneit, but the result unfortunately was not befitting the occasion.
Despite Prakash’s historic goal, Newcastle Jets came away with a 3-1 win to spoil an otherwise magical day in the West.
The Opponent
Western Sydney Wanderers are involved in an incredibly tight race for finals football, but currently have the upper-hand with a three-point lead on Newcastle.
After a disappointing run of four defeats in five matches, the Wanderers have gone unbeaten in three outings and won both of their last two.
The Wanderers ousted United last time the two sides met so Western United will be eager to flip the script and secure a crucial three points on Saturday.
Key Matchup: Alana Cerne vs Sophie Harding
Alana Cerne impresses week in, week out at centre-back and will be hoping to stand up to another difficult test this weekend.
Western United’s inaugural Liberty A-League signing has taken her game up another level in her second season as a professional, playing every minute of the campaign so far.
Integral to Kat Smith’s system in bringing possession out of defence while also consistently thwarting opposition attacks, Cerne’s impact on United’s season has been significant.
Sophie Harding has enjoyed a breakout campaign of her own for Western Sydney, scoring 10 goals so far this season and earning a call-up to the Matildas squad in February.
Her pace and direct running in behind has made her a major threat to opposition defences this season and Cerne will need to be alert to that danger.
Harding showed her quality with a goal against United in November, so Cerne and the rest of the defence will be eager to ensure she has no such joy this time around.
Western United Player to Watch: Aimee Medwin
With five straight appearances to mark her return from an ACL injury, Medwin has immediately slotted back into an important role in this Western United team.
The No.5 has already demonstrated her versatility with appearances on both left and right flanks bringing about impact at both ends of the pitch.
If not for a desperate late clearance that was eventually bundled in by Prakash, Medwin would have had her first goal of the season last week to go along with a lovely assist she had in the 3-0 win over Wellington Phoenix last month.
Her explosive pace and strength mixed with natural ability on the ball make her one of Western United’s most exciting players, and she will undoubtedly be one to watch once again on Saturday night.
