Melbourne City FC will round out the 2020/21 W-League season with a home clash against Perth Glory at Frank Holohan Reserve this Thursday night, with the home side looking to cap off its recent good form with a third-consecutive win and clean sheet to end the campaign.
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Securing a positive result would guarantee seventh place for City, but the team will have ambitions of a big win to sneak past Western Sydney Wanderers into sixth place.
Thursday’s game will also serve as a farewell to Rhali Dobson, who announced on Wednesday her decision to retire from professional football following 12 years in the W-League.
This Thursday's @WLeague match will be the last of Rhali Dobson's career.
She will finish up on 109 appearances and was a part of our championship winning squad in 2018 and our double winning squad last season.
We wish Rhali all the best for the future!
More 👇
— Melbourne City FC (@MelbourneCity) March 24, 2021
The clash
City were able to back up their circuit-breaking 1-0 win over Newcastle Jets by securing another 1-0 result away from home against ninth-place Perth Glory on Friday night.
The visiting team were able to dominate the game for large periods and created several great chances, but the game was ultimately decided by Rhali Dobson’s 67th-minute winner which was assisted by Alex Chidiac following an excellent bit of individual play.
𝙄𝘾𝙔𝙈𝙄: We took the points away from home against Perth thanks to a Rhali Dobson goal! 👏
📺 Catch up on all of the highlights! 👇#CmonCity pic.twitter.com/z8w1gmhsLQ
— Melbourne City FC (@MelbourneCity) March 19, 2021
Another strong defensive performance ensured a second-consecutive clean sheet for City, despite Naomi Chinnama being forced off the field with injury before half-time. Chinnama has recovered with Rado Vidosic confirming in his pre-match press conference that she will start again on Thursday.
Despite a packed schedule following several early-season fixture postponements, Perth won’t have played a game between its meetings with City, but will remain in Victoria to round out their campaign against Melbourne Victory a few days later.
Team News
After missing City’s last two fixtures due to illness, Hollie Palmer is on track to make her return to the line-up and has been included in the squad. Missing since suffering an ankle injury back in Round 7, Harrier Withers is also on track to return and has been named, while at this stage there are no outs.
Melbourne City FC squad
5.Tori TUMETH, 6.Noor ECKHOFF, 8.Hollie PALMER, 9.Alex CHIDIAC, 10.Chinatsu KIRA, 11.Rhali DOBSON, 12.Harriet WITHERS, 13.Sarah CAIN, 14.Margot ROBINNE, 15.Emma CHECKER (c), 17.Samantha JOHNSON, 18.Leah DAVIDSON, 19.Tyla-Jay VLAJNIC, 20.Lia MULDEARY, 21.Jenna McCORMICK, 22.Naomi THOMAS-CHINNAMA, 23.Melissa BARBIERI (gk), 30.Sophia VARLEY (gk).
**2 to be omitted**
In: 8.Hollie PALMER (promoted), 12.Harriet WITHERS (returns from injury).
Out: Nil
Unavailable: 1.Teagan MICAH (knee), 3.Teigen ALLEN (foot), 4.Chelsea BLISSETT (ACL), 16.Sofia SAKALIS (ACL).
What was said?
“I thought our last match was our best game is terms of controlling it although maybe we still didn’t creative enough chances but I was pleased with the way we were able to control the ball and keep possession over the 90 minutes.”
-Head Coach Rado Vidosic
Match Details
Melbourne City FC vs Perth Glory
Frank Holohan Reserve
Friday 26 March, kick-off 7.05pm AEDT
