CITY INSIDER: Double Header - 27/12/22

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SOCCEROOS STARS SHINE

Your City boys will be looking to put the events of a couple of Saturday’s ago behind them when they host Central Coast this evening.

Last time out saw just 20 minutes of play as a pitch invasion from Melbourne Victory supporters robbed fans of what was shaping up to be a great contest, with the players eventually sent for early showers following a lengthy delay.

This wasn’t before Aiden O’Neill netted one of the better City goals in recent memory, also his first for the club as he edges closer to his 50th appearance.

A ten-day break has given the City squad plenty of time to mentally refresh as it prepares for a post-Christmas clash against the Mariners. It’s set to be a ‘Socceroos Summer Showdown’ with almost a quarter of Australia’s World Cup squad in action. Jason Cummings, Garang Kuol and Danny Vukovic will all be coming to town, while we doubt we need to remind you of our representatives.

The kick-off time has been slightly pushed back given the expected extreme heat, but given our City boys have played just 110 minutes

of competitive football in the last six weeks (20 in the last 17 days), there’s no need for Rado Vidosic to even consider the idea of squad rotation. The only concern comes in the form of goalkeeper Tom Glover, but Vidosic confirmed in his pre-match press confidence that City’s number one had passed all the relevant checks and would be out there tonight.

Perhaps flying under the radar was a couple of big selection calls for the Derby, with Jordan Bos preferred at left-back over captain Scott Jamieson, while Marco Tilio started in place of Andrew Nabbout. It remains to be seen whether Vidosic will stick with the young duo, but with plenty of time on the training track between matches, the competition for spots has certainly been heating up.

Hosting the Mariners at AAMI Park will bring back fond memories for City fans, with the famous 2021 ‘Plate Night’ one of the club’s 10 consecutive wins at the venue over the Central Coast outfit.

The Nick Montgomery coached side will be eager to see the back of that record and comes into Tuesday nights clash off the back of consecutive wins over Sydney FC and Newcastle.

DANGER PLAYER

GARANG KUOL

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 12 months or so, you’ve probably heard of Garang Kuol. The 18-year-old attacker has been grabbing plenty of headlines over the last year and is now bound for Newcastle United in the Premier League. Tonight is set to be one of his last A-League Men’s fixtures and he comes into the clash off the back of receiving the first two league starts of his professional career. He’s been dangerous in his seven appearances in 2022/23, playing 10 key passes for three assists, while also finding the back of the net twice himself.

Melbourne City are set to face Central Coast Mariners for their latest A-League fixture at AAMI Park on Tuesday.

Richard Van Der Venne

Raphael Borges Rodrigues

Yaren Sozer

Brian Kaltak

Thomas Aquilina

Daniel Vukovic

CITY V PERTH GLORY

Our City Women face a quick turnaround following Friday night’s win, in action again tonight when they host Perth Glory.

It’s been a hot start to the new campaign and the team currently sit on top of the table after five fixtures, with just one match remaining in 2022. Dario Vidosic’s squad suffered its first loss of the season a little over a week ago but didn’t take long to bounce back, recording an impressive win away to Canberra United.

In terms of the goalscoring, there weren’t a whole heap of surprises based off what we’d already seen this season. Rhianna Pollicina netted her second brace of the season with a pair of classy finishes either side of half time, before Maria Jose Rojas finished a well-worked team move to join Pollicina on four goals for the season.

A memorable moment for not just City fans – but those across the league – came in the 88th minute when 16-year-old Daniela Galic scored her first professional goal, picking out the top corner from outside the box.

This capped off an impressive win for City with the defence also putting in a great showing to record a clean sheet.

Katie Bowen was reliable as ever at the back, putting herself in the right place time and time again, while Sally James was forced into some

important saves in goal.

The focus is now on Perth though, as City look to build another win streak in a clash that will now kick off at the revised time of 8:15pm due to the extreme weather forecast.

Although it is facing a brutal turnaround, Vidosic will be demanding the players leave everything on the pitch with plenty of recovery time on the horizon ahead of the teams next match, away to Western Sydney on January 8.

The process of squad rotation already began on Friday as Galic and Emina Ekic moved to the bench and Leticia McKenna and Chelsea Blissett came into the starting XI for the first time this season. There’s also set to be an interesting watch when it comes to a pair of the biggest – if not the biggest names in the squad.

Emma Checker had been building her match fitness slowly but steadily since the beginning of pre-season after arriving with a lingering knee injury, and looked just about ready for a return to the starting XI a couple of weeks ago, before an untimely bout of illness.

Last season’s top scorer, Hannah Wilkinson, is yet to appear this season due to a quad injury, but the star duo both are in contention to play tonight.

DANGER PLAYER - HANNAH KEANE

It’s been a tough start to the year for the Glory with just one win to show from their opening five fixtures, but one shining light has certainly been American attacker Rylee Baisden.

Now in her second stint down under after a season with Brisbane Roar back in 2019/20, Baisden hasn’t taken long to readjust to live in Australia. She’s already eclipsed her goal tally from that season having netted four goals in just five matches – good for equal second in the Golden Boot race.

City’s defence was in great form last Friday night against Canberra recording its second clean sheet of the season, and more of the same will be needed on Tuesday if it’s to keep Baisen quiet.

Dario Vidosic’s Women’s squad will be aiming to continue its perfect start to the season this Saturday evening when it hosts Western United.

OUR CITY WOMEN GET BACK TO WINNING WAYS

Our City Women secured another 3 points in the on Friday night with an impressive 4-0 victory over Canberra United. Once again taking the armband, Rhianna Pollicina struck either side of half time before Maria Jose Rojas and Daniela Galic both got on the scoresheet late.

Neither team quite burst out of the blocks from the opening whistle, although as it often does, City enjoyed more of the possession.

City’s relentless pressing was again a feature, while Canberra allowed the visitors a little more time on the ball up the other end of the pitch.

Katie Bowen was important for City in the first half as the central defender tidied up everything at the back, plus also showed plenty of endeavour to drive the ball forward.

Michelle Heyman was threatening up front for the hosts and came just centimetres away from opening the scoring in the 25th minute. The striker was able to get her head onto a well-placed corner, but a great reflex save from Sally James ensured scores would stay level.

It would prove to be a pivotal moment in the contest, with City going up the other end to open scoring just moments later.

Naomi Chinnama spotted Rhianna Pollicina in space and played a lovely ball through the Canberra defence which the midfielder was able to put into the back of the net with a classy first-time finish.

Bryleeh Henry’s impressive work rate was on show just moments after the opener, tracking back defensively to get an important boot in to deny Heyman a chance at an instant equaliser.

Pollicina would go close again in the dying seconds of the first half, but this time Canberra goalkeeper Keeley Richards was able to pull off a fingertip save to keep the hosts in it at the break.

City’s number 10 picked up right where she left off in the second half and had her second of the night a little before the hour mark.

It was an opportunistic finish after Henry lost her footing in the box, leaving Pollicina to pick up the scraps and again find the back of the net with a classy strike.

After entering the pitch as a half-time sub, Daniela Galic didn’t take long to get involved in the action. The 16-year-old had previously started every fixture so far this season, but only saw 45 minutes of action today with a quick turnaround approaching next Tuesday.

Galic showed she didn’t need long to make an impact, recording an assist and her first professional goal in what was an impressive cameo.

Blissett and Pollicina were both involved in the buildup of the third goal of the evening, before the latter found Galic on the edge of the box. The young midfielder then showed her class, spotting Rojas in the box who added her fourth goal of the season with a cool first time finish.

It’s been coming since Round 1, but Galic then got her own name on the scoresheet for the first time in her professional career.

You won’t see many better debut goals either, with the 16-year-old finding the top left corner from outside the box after being found unmarked by Emina Ekic.

OUR CITYROOS GRACE FOOTBALL’S BIGGEST STAGE

Melbourne City’s trio of Socceroos stars are now back on home soil after a record-breaking world cup campaign for Australia.

While we’re more than used to Mathew Leckie and Jamie Maclaren terrorising defences and entertaining fans at club level, they got their opportunity to do it on the big stage at the World Cup in Qatar. Our City trio all played varying roles, with Marco Tilio also part of the squad but sadly for many City fans who were eagerly hoping to see the young attacker on the world stage, didn’t get a chance to take to the pitch.

Places like Federation Square and AAMI Park were bustling with eager football fans, dying to get a glimpse of the Socceroos on their historic World Cup run. When Matthew Leckie curled that ball around the experienced glove of Kasper Schmeichel into the back of the Denmark net, football fans erupted - remarkable scenes given it was 3am on a Thursday.

While he’s been a much-loved figure with City fans for the last couple of

seasons, Leckie wrote his own chapter of Australian sporting history with that iconic strike against Denmark as it sealed the Socceroos unlikely emergence from the Group Stage.

In that moment, those that gathered around the nation finally began to truly believe that those mighty Socceroos were going to pull it off. There was a strong City presence amongst that memorable 26-man squad that knocked off Tunisia, Denmark and went agonisingly close to upsetting Argentina.

Melbourne City Academy graduate Nathaniel Atkinson was just one of many former City stars that saw time on the biggest stage in football, tasked with stopping none other than Kylian Mbappe in the opening Group Stage match.

With the world class Melbourne City Academy nurturing and developing the next generation of footballing talent, we well and truly could have the next batch of Socceroos heroes currently training right here on our doorstep.

20-year-old Academy product Jordan Bos certainly looms as a strong future contender for the Socceroos left back position, with the talented youngster already receiving caps in Australia’s U17, U19 and U23 squads.

Tom Glover is another who could certainly bang down the door for international honours, with the talented goalkeeper boasting immense potential at only 24 years of age.

17-year-old Max Caputo has already come on in leaps and bounds with his development in the City system, and the forward certainly looks to be one to watch in the coming years while there are plenty of other youngsters coming through the ranks that we’re sure you’ll hear about soon..

JUST AS WE REMINISCE ON THAT HISTORIC JOHN ALOISI PENALTY OF 2005 AND THAT CAHILL WONDER STRIKE IN 2014, THE NATION WILL FOREVER THE LECKIE MAGIC OF 2022.