Football Fern Rebekah Stott will clock up her 100th appearance in the women’s A-League when she chases Grand Final glory with her Melbourne City team.
Stott (28) will play against her former club, Melbourne Victory, in the Preliminary Final at AAMI Park on Sunday (6.05pm NZT). The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports 7.
Main photo: Stott … game 100. Image: Phototek.
She and City teammate Hannah Wilkinson, another Fern, need to beat Victory for a place in the Grand Final on Sunday March 27 when they would meet Sydney FC.
Stott’s milestone caps one of football’s most inspirational comebacks.
Last year, she underwent treatment for Hodgkins Lymphoma and returned to club football and then rejoined the Football Ferns, inspiring fans at the SheBelieves Tournament in the United States.
Ahead of the semi-final, Stott told the Melbourne City website:
“It’s been tough physically.
“My body has changed so much, so I’m still trying to get back to where I was.
“I’m stoked that I’ve been able to run out the 90 minutes but it’s still a work in progress.”
As for the semi-final?
“I’m really excited, it should be a good game and there’s just so much on the line.”
Stott played 25 games for Melbourne Victory before crossing the city for the 2015-16 season.
Since then, she’s played 74 games for City, earning four Championships and two Premierships.
Hannah Wilkinson: ‘Back to her breath-taking best’
Striker Hannah Wilkinson ended a run of three club games without a goal with a return to form after her time away at the SheBelieves Cup with the Ferns.
The Melbourne City website says:
“Since returning from international duty with New Zealand, Hannah Wilkinson has returned to her breath-taking best.”
Wilkinson has scored four goals in three games, including two against Sydney FC a week ago.
She’s now chasing the A-League Golden Boot and after only 13 appearances in Melbourne City blue, she’s poised to become the club’s all-time record goalscorer.
Will she find the net against Victory, the team she scored five goals against earlier this season?
In an interview with Stuff football writer Phillip Rollo, Wilkinson said:
“I would love that. I will definitely aim for it. We’re obviously down a couple players with red cards and injuries so we’re the walking wounded at the moment, but we’ll give it our all. We have to win to get to the final.”
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