Canberra United has the opportunity to walk away with nine points in eight days and the hero behind the side's comeback last round says they are embracing the chance to turn their season on its head.
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The side kicks off their eight day journey on New Year's Day against Western Sydney Wanderers, before a postponed fixture against Perth Glory is played on January 5, and they face Adelaide United on January 8.
Canberra's Grace Maher said she saw it as an opportunity to secure nine points in eight days.
"That's an opportunity to really swing the momentum and all of a sudden you can see yourself being quite pretty on the table. So that's how we see it," she said.
"We know that biggest challenge is going to be physical and mental for us to turn around, but we've shown our fighting spirit and I think that's something we'll take in our stride."
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United are aiming to kickoff their winning streak by securing their first win of the season during the three games.
The two-game winless streak to start the season was a reality check for the side, Maher said, but there was a different attitude at training this week following the 3-3 comeback fight.
"It gives a little bit more belief," she said.
"The whole 90 minutes is super important. We'd like to start like that and push to get ourselves in a good position. So we don't have to do the comeback.
"We don't take any game lightly and every point is so vital."
The 22-year-old's contribution on the ball breathed new air into United's tyres against Brisbane Roar, with her set pieces scoring the second goal and setting up the third.
The same pressure to perform from set pieces will be on the young midfielder on January 1 but she is ready.
"I love it. I mean, at the end of the day, the person on the ball has got all the power," she laughed.
"That delivery is really important for the team. I enjoy the pressure, 'pressure's a privilege' is something we say in the team and I hope we can convert more of those.
"It takes one moment, or two moments, in a game and that can actually flick the switch for the season. We haven't been playing at our best and we know that. So we've really put the essence of what was good last game into this week and really focusing on that."
United's head coach Vicki Linton agreed the Roar game identified areas to work on, including control of the ball and constructive build up, heading into the Wanderers fixture.
"We've obviously been able to think about that and work on that, and there has been a really positive and engaged approach to training since that game," she said.
"[Wanderers] have got some individual ability we need to be aware of, and they play a big team game, so we need to try and break that down and be ready for a battle."
Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
