Canberra United coach Vicki Linton has likened this season's COVID-hit A League Women's season to an international tournament following her side's stalemate with Perth Glory in Sydney on Wednesday.
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It was the team's second road trip in less than a week, after it travelled north on New Year's Eve for a January 1 fixture against the Wanderers which was cancelled due to positive COVID cases in the home team's camp.
Next on the schedule is a clash with Adelaide United at Viking Park on Saturday, where Linton's charges will desperately hunt their first win of the season.
"This is like an international tournament where you play in this rhythm. Myself and a number of players are used to doing that," Linton said.
"You don't have time to be frustrated. You just readjust the plan and go from there.
"They've done really well at adjusting. When we didn't play on Saturday we drove straight back and rather than having a day off on Sunday, we were training at 9am.
"The players have taken that in their stride and they've just remained focused and switched on and have worked really hard. Three games in eight days, even though we didn't play one, there's a lot going on so we just keep moving forward."
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Linton's side notched 16 shots against the Glory on Wednesday, but couldn't find a way through.
Michelle Heyman hit the crossbar midway through the second half, but it was United keeper Keeley Richards who was the star of the show for her side, parrying two first-half Glory chances to keep her side in the game.
Canberra was forced into a late defensive shift,after left back Emma Ilijoski tested positive to a rapid antigen test the day before the game.
She hadn't received her PCR test result before the squad departed for Sydney, so was forced to stay behind. As of Thursday afternoon she still hadn't received her test results.
Should she test negative, she'll be available to take her place in the backline against sixth-placed Adelaide.
"This is affecting every team and we've just got to be able to be prepared for it and be flexible," Linton said.
"[It's] trying to help players prepare for positions.
"Considering it was a late decision I think the players did really well in adjusting to that, so really proud of them for that."
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James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
