United returns home to McKellar Park this weekend for Round 2 of the WWL as we welcome Western Sydney Wanderers.
Canberra United returns home to McKellar Park this weekend for Round 2 of the Westfield W-League as they welcome Western Sydney Wanderers to Canberra. And United will be in buoyant mood following their first round demolition job on Brisbane Roar last weekend.
Elisabeth Migchelsen could hardly have hoped for a better start to life as Head Coach of Canberra United as the team stormed the previously impregnable fortress Queensland and returned South with an emphatic 3-0 win, a statement of intent if ever there was one, and redemption for a record 5-1 loss to the same opponents at the tail-end of the 2012/13 campaign.
With hot-shot goal-scorer Michelle Heyman back in the grove the hosts will be hoping for goals and a repeat of the last time that the Wanderers came to Canberra, a record equaling 5-0 home victory. Heyman-s brace at AJ Kelly Fields in Kippa in Round 1 took her to 26 goals for the club and increased her lead at the top of the all-time Westfield W-League goal scoring charts and could strike fear into the hearts of the Wanderers defenders.
The Wanderers themselves needed a stoppage time equaliser from Catherine Cannuli to rescue a point in a 1-1 home draw with Adelaide United in Round 1, the point being only the Lady Reds 20th from fifty-two matches, and was hardly the start to the campaign that Wanderers- coach Stephen Roche would have been hoping for.
The loss of Westfield Matildas star striker Kyah Simon to a season ending knee injury and the absence of former Canberra United goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, is a big loss for the Wanderers who will arrive in Canberra hoping for a smoother ride than their maiden visit. On that occasion the match, scheduled for a 2pm kick-off, was pushed back to late in the evening due to soaring temperatures, only to be eventually abandoned early on in proceedings after a lightning storm threatened player safety.
United duly cruised to victory in the re-arranged match on the following Tuesday evening equaling their best ever score of 5-0 as United found their goal-touch. This time though the Wanderers will be better prepared for the unique atmosphere generated at McKellar Park by the passionate home crowd and can call on the experience of former United players Caitlin Cooper and Emily Van Egmond to lead the charge.
Canberra will be without Sally Shipard who continues to recuperate from her knee injury but otherwise can select from a full squad. Admission to the match is just $10 for adults and $5 for concessions with children under-12 admitted free. The match will be broadcast live on ABC TV.
CANBERRA UNITED SQUAD
1. Lydia WILLIAMS, 2. Catherine BROWN, 3. Georgia YEOMAN-DALE, 4. Kendall FLETCHER, 5. Grace FIELD, 6. Caitlin MUNOZ, 7. Ellie BRUSH, 8. Meg McLAUGHLIN, 9. Grace GILL, 11. Michelle HEYMAN, 12. Sally ROJAHN, 13. Nicole SYKES, 14. Ashleigh SYKES, 16. Lori LINDSEY, 17. Holly HOUSTON, 19. Jennifer BISSET, 20. Trudy BURKE, 22. Stephanie OCHS
In: 3. Georgia YEOMAN-DALE, 17. Holly HOUSTON
Out: None
Unavailable: 15. Sally SHIPARD (injured)
LAST TIME OUT
Tuesday 8th January 2013
Canberra United 5 (Hayley Raso 34-, Michelle Heyman 44-, Caitlin Munoz 74-, Vanessa Hart (og) 82-, Kristie Mewis 89-) Western Sydney Wanderers 0
COMPLETE RECORD
11/11/12: Western Sydney Wanderers 1 Canberra United 1
08/01/13: Canberra United 5 Western Sydney Wanderers 0
OVERALL: Played 2, Won 1, Drawn 1, Lost 0
HOME:Played 1, Won 1, Drawn 0, Lost 0
AWAY: Played 1, Won 0, Drawn 1, Lost 0
