Western United returns to Victoria for the first of three straight Liberty A-League Women matches on home soil, taking on Brisbane Roar in search of a fourth straight win.
Match Details
Liberty A-League Women Round 16
Western United vs Brisbane Roar
Sunday, 11 February
Kick-off: 5:00pm AEDT
City Vista Pavilion and Sports Field, Fraser Rise
Broadcast: The match will be broadcast live and free on 10Play, and on Paramount+
Western United Team News
Aimee Medwin provides the headline piece of team news for Western United as she is named in the 20-player extended squad for the first time since her ACL injury last year.
After officially rejoining the Club this week, Medwin has completed her rehabilitation and will be looking to make her return to the pitch in the Liberty A-League.
Fresh from her recall to the Matildas squad, Chloe Logarzo will be hoping to dominate again while Kahli Johnson will be eager to continue extending her minutes after featuring off the bench in the last two games.
After being named in the extended squad in the last two weeks, American attacker Catherine Zimmerman has unfortunately suffered a minor setback in her recovery and will be eying a return to the squad in the coming weeks.
Western United squad: 1. Alyssa DALL’OSTE (gk), 2. Stacey PAPADOPOULOS, 4. Jaclyn SAWICKI, 5. Aimee MEDWIN, 6. Chloe LOGARZO, 7. Kiara DE DOMIZIO, 9. Hannah KEANE, 10. Kahli JOHNSON, 11. Emma ROBERS, 12. Lucy RICHARDS, 13. Avaani PRAKASH, 14. Natasha DAKIC, 15. Adriana TARANTO, 16. Melissa TARANTO, 18. Grace MAHER, 19. Tyla Jay VLAJNIC, 20. Keiwa HIEDA, 21. Hillary BEALL (gk), 22. Alana CERNE, 24. Julia SARDO
Last time out
Western United put on a show for the fans in Hobart last week, grinding through a difficult match to earn a brilliant 2-1 win over Central Coast Mariners.
It was a case of opposites in terms of the goal scorers as Jaclyn Sawicki scored her first Western United goal to open the scoring before the team’s all-time top scorer, Hannah Keane fired in the decisive strike on the stroke of half-time.
The Opponent
Brisbane Roar currently sit in 10th place but are firmly in the mix for finals football in what continues to be a remarkably competitive Liberty A-League season.
Only five points out of the top six, Brisbane have scored the same amount of goals as third-placed Sydney FC and conceded less than league leaders Melbourne City, indicative of how tight this season is.
Brisbane are led by their star Matilda Tameka Yallop in midfield while Jenna McCormick continues to marshal the defence.
Striker Mia Corbin has scored an impressive seven league goals, and Western United’s defence will be needing to keep an eye on her in order to secure the win.
Brisbane will be without their captain Ayesha Norrie and fellow midfielder Hollie Palmer for this clash, both missing due to suspension.
Key Matchup: Chloe Logarzo vs Tameka Yallop
Fitting with her current run of form, Logarzo is often involved in the key matchup on any given matchday for Western United, but Sunday’s meeting with Yallop brings particular intrigue.
Both named in Tony Gustavsson’s Matildas squad for the upcoming Olympic qualifiers, Logarzo and Yallop will be looking to outshine the other before uniting as teammates in less than two weeks.
Logarzo has been one of the Liberty A-League’s best players this season with five goals and two assists, and that’s not to discount the impact she has on United with her leadership and drive to succeed.
READ MORE: Matildas returnee Chloe Logarzo credits Western United support
Playing with freedom and full fitness, Logarzo will be seeking to prove her quality up against her long-time international teammate.
Three years Logarzo’s senior, Yallop remains one of the best all-round midfielders in the competition, capable of impacting a game in an instant on either side of the ball.
She will be looking to stifle Logarzo’s impact and dominate the midfield, but Western United’s No.6 will have other ideas as she hopes to guide her team to another big home win.
Western United Player to Watch: Hillary Beall
Since losing to Western Sydney Wanderers in November, Western United has kept two straight clean sheets at City Vista and Hillary Beall will be eager to secure a third in succession.
The American goalkeeper has been in outstanding form of late, earning a nomination for the Liberty A-League Player of the Month award for January.
A shutout against Adelaide United came thanks to a remarkable one-on-one save and Beall followed that up with another tremendous display the following week against Melbourne City with a number of saves at crucial points in the match.
Failing to concede multiple goals in a game since the 4-2 defeat to Newcastle Jets in mid-December, Beall has led United’s defensive resolve and will be looking to keep Brisbane out once again, just as she has done twice in the past.
Words from Kat Smith
On Chloe Logarzo’s call-up to the Matildas during the week
“It’s super exciting, isn’t it? The input and the influence that the playing group, the club, the staff, the fans – everyone has had in terms of supporting her on her journey, it’s fantastic to see.
“It’s great to have the ability to stretch players beyond what they thought they were capable of. To get players back into that form and to be able to step back into the national team is excellent.”
On ensuring the team doesn’t rest on its laurels amidst the current run of form
“We spoke about it earlier this week, around evolving what we’re doing – what got us here won’t get us where we want to go.
“We’re not letting off in terms of what we’re demanding from this group and the expectations we have on their performances going forward. We’ll keep wanting to level up.”
