Melbourne Victory is looking to bounce back when it hosts the Western Sydney Wanderers in the Westfield W-League on Friday night.
Despite going ahead through captain Natasha Dowie, Victory went down to a Sam Kerr-inspired Perth Glory 3-1 on Sunday.
Victory head coach Jeff Hopkins said his team knew it needed to improve after its errors proved costly at nib Stadium.
“The players have put their hands up and said we need to be better than that and we move onto Friday,” he said.
“There was a lot of positive stuff to come out of the game. We kept Sammy Kerr quiet for most of the game.
“Unfortunately, those few moments that we didn’t do so well, they took advantage of that which we kind of knew anyway.”
A Dowie header – her 13th goal in 22 games for the club – put Victory ahead, and it had numerous other chances against Perth.
Hopkins said his team again showed it could trouble opponents, having challenged the league leaders.
“I think we proved on the weekend, once we got it right and we could play, we played through teams,” he said.
“We’ve got players further up the field that can create chances and can hurt teams.”
Victory will be without star defender Laura Alleway, who is away on international duty with the Westfield Matildas, and midfielder Christina Gibbons.
In a boost, Gibbons’ shoulder injury is not as bad as originally thought, with the 22-year-old American cleared of a fracture.
Defender Kristen McNabb is set to return for Victory.
Victory sits eighth in the table – a spot behind the Wanderers and just three points outside the top four.
Victory members receive free entry to all Westfield W-League home games this season. For non-members, tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for concession and $5 for juniors, with kids under three free.
Westfield W-League 2017/18 Round 5
Melbourne Victory v Western Sydney Wanderers
Friday, November 24, 7.30pm AEDT
Lakeside Stadium, Melbourne
