The biggest game of the NPLW this weekend will be unfolding at Casey Fields as Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory face off for the first time in NPLW history.
Melbourne City have had the upper hand in previous first encounters between the two rivals, dating back to their first ever meeting in the A-League back in 2015. City won 2–1 on the night and have followed that up with two more wins in the first NPL and Women's A-League clashes.
Watch every moment on the match on the Senol NPL Victoria YouTube Channel!
It could be Victory's time to flip the script, as they have looked like the better team this season, sitting on seven points compared to City's three. Victory's form has dipped recently, meaning it’s impossible to foresee a winner.
Victory will be looking to bounce back after three disappointing losses in a row, conceding 11 goals across the three games.
Their last games stand in stark contrast to their opening three games where they took seven points, winning against finals contenders Avondale and Bulleen.
Victory's drop in form has coincided with the A-League starting back up again after a three-week break, leading to heavy rotation for their Senol NPLW team. Defenders Mila Bulic and Jade Tam are the only players that have started all of the last three games. Over the same period, six players have started every game for City.
City have had a tough start to life in Victoria's top division and currently find themselves second last on the table, having conceded 14 goals in just five games.
Things might be turning around for the Jorge Gero’s side though, as Maia Capitanio secured her team's first points of the season last round. She netted the only goal in a 1–0 win at Casey Fields against Keilor Park in a true captain’s game.
The 25th-minute strike was Capitanio's first of the season and only City's second of the campaign. They will be looking to add to that on Saturday, hoping to capitalise on a poor Victory defence so far this season.
With two teams staring at the possibility of relegation and history on the line, it's set to be a blockbuster.