Yoogali FC One will be hoping to welcome back some of their long list of injuries when they take the field at Noe Santolin Oval to take on second-placed Hanwood Blue on Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The June long weekend gave a chance for some of the first team players who are on the sideline to recover from their niggles with coach Rocky Marando claiming it couldn’t have come at a better time.
“We needed the week off,” he said.
“We have had so many injuries so it was great to have the break came at a great time and we should get a couple back.”
The task won’t be easy this weekend with the Hanwood Blue side showing their class this season and have only dropped one game so far this season.
Marando knows the importance of this game if they want to keep their top two hopes alive.
“It is always a tough game up again Hanwood and given their position on the table this one will be no different,” he said.
“We know that we need to pick up a win or a draw if we want to keep our top two dreams alive.”
With the Musitano Cup up for grabs, Marando expects there to be extra feeling in Sunday’s game.
The trophy is named after the late Guiseppe Musitano, who had a significant influence on both clubs.
“With the Cup up for grabs this weekend the boys are really up for this weekend,” he said.
“It would mean so much to our boys since Guiseppe was such a big supporter of both clubs involved.”
Hanwood White have made changes since their loss to Yoogali SC just over a month ago, and they have been working well for the side.
In the three games since they have scored 19 goals without conceding which include a big win over Yoogali FC Two (7-0) and West Griffith (8-0).
In the meeting between the sides earlier in the season out at Hanwood Oval, two goals from Hanwood Blues’ Andrew Gamble made the difference as his team came away with a 3-1 win.
The match between the two sides is the main game out at Noe Santolin Oval and is slated to kick off at around 3pm on Sunday.
Marando said it was great to have all the games at the one ground this weekend.
“It should be really good,” he said.
“With the World Cup starting this weekend it is a great opportunity to get people in Griffith to come and watch the soccer around here again.”