A third win in succession is the aim for a resurgent Canberra United when they welcome Western Sydney Wanderers to McKellar Park this weekend for Round 15 of the Liberty A-League.
This is shaping up to be a big match for United who are currently five points off the top four, with a game in hand on Melbourne Victory, and must win this encounter if they harbour ambitions to be playing Finals footballs in 2023.
Games between United and the Wanderers have often provided big talking points and wonderful goals, and this one, designated a Pride Round match, is likely to be just as exciting.
Canberra has won the last two games between the sides, without conceding a goal, a 3-0 win in late January 2021 followed by a magnificent 5-0 hammering of Western Sydney on their own turf in February last year.
Indeed, United have only lost once to Western Sydney at home since the Red and Blacks were admitted to the competition in 2012, a forgettable 0-4 home reverse in December 2019, hardly a recipe for Christmas cheer back then.
Those four goals, apart from one in a 1-1 stalemate in November 2014, account for the sum total of the Western Sydney goal tally in the national capital, with the team in green finding the net on sixteen occasions in the seven home matches that have been contested between the teams
There will be a familiarity between the squads as several players line-up against their former clubs, the most obvious will likely be taking the field in the Red and Black as defender Lauren Keir potentially makes a return to her hometown for the first time.
Clare Hunt and Holly Caspers have both also represented Canberra in recent seasons and could be involved in the fixture. Of our current squad, playmaker Vesna Milivojevic played five times for Western Sydney before heading overseas.
The Pride Cup clash against our near neighbours Western Sydney Wanderers is scheduled to take place at McKellar Park on Saturday 25 February with kick-off at 3pm. Gates will open at 2pm, so make sure you’re there to back your team in green by buying your tickets which are on sale now!
MATCH DETAILS
Pride Round
Saturday 25 February
Canberra United v Western Sydney Wanderers
(McKellar Park, 15:00)
GATES OPEN 14:00
