After Brisbane Lions Roar swept Melbourne City 5:1 in their last match, people were expecting them to continue their strong performance in the league, however, an unexpected reversal of fortune made everyone's heart tighten. Just in the last 20 minutes of the game, the Lions were leading Perth Glory 2:1, but ended up losing 2:3, a scene that was deeply regrettable.
Despite the ups and downs of the Lions, they have two big pluses in my opinion as they prepare for this game. Firstly, they have won 2, drawn 1 and lost 1 of their last 4 home league matches, showing that they tend to play their best when cheered on by their own fans. Secondly, young scorer Thomas Waddingham has been on a tear in the AFC Cup, and despite a mediocre start to the season, he has scored three goals in his last two league matches, and seems to have regained all his confidence.
Leader Sagovic has high hopes for his team, and he is likely to ask wing players such as Milioszli and Henry Holley to increase the frequency of their crosses, as Thomas Waddingham's scoring prowess is not to be underestimated.
However, the Lions' defensive end struggled a bit against Perth Glory's passing game, and the overall defensive decision-making was not decisive enough. As a result, Western Union are expected to capitalize on these weaknesses to launch a surge.
Western Union unexpectedly beat Newcastle Jets in the last round of matches, which was their 3rd win of the season. Nonetheless, the team's overall performance is still unsatisfactory. Young striker Noah Baudy has scored two goals in his last four matches, and his play is crucial.
Aside from hoping that Noah Baudy can continue his scoring momentum, Western Union's front line needs to play consistently, after all, the team is too reliant on the play of their best player, Daniel Pensia.
