After experiencing the full-blooded 90 minutes that is the Portland Seattle derby back home in the NWSL, Sydney FC shot stopper Michelle Betos is raring to go in the Sydney Derby this Sunday at Lambert Park, Leichhardt (kick off 4pm).
Missing the first derby of the season through injury, Betos said she can’t wait to experience her first clash against the Wanderers as she praised the Sky Blues fans for the spectacle they create on a home match day.
“I play for Portland and on the men’s and women’s side the Portland and Seattle derby is the biggest thing,” she said.
“It’s huge for the fans and players and no matter how many friends you might have on the other team, on that day it’s kind of just a bloodbath.
“It’s something I’ve enjoyed and experienced at home and now come to learn about being here. Besides how badly we need the points there’s that extra motivation when it’s a derby.
“I’m very excited, it was hard to watch [last time].I’m so excited to be out there with the team, I think we’re in a good way right now and I can’t wait for Sunday.
“The Sydney FC fans are incredible,” she continued.
“Since day one, they’ve been so receptive and so excited and that’s what you want to see in the women’s game. They’ve been very welcoming and they bring so much to the home games it makes them a special day.”
Halfway through her first ever season in Australia, Betos praised the quality of the Westfield W-League while also heaping praise on her adopted home city of Sydney.
“I really love Sydney,” Betos said.
“I haven’t got to do too much around the city just yet but I have a couple of friends coming in from the states and my plan is to be the tourist with them throughout the month of December.
“Things have been great, I think that as a whole we’ve had good games, we’ve had bad games, but we’re starting to find our way. I really enjoying playing with the girls and everything the country has to offer.
“I think the biggest parity between the NWSL and the W-League is that every game is competitive, you look at the table and you don’t necessarily know who’s going to win a game going in to it and I think that’s always an exciting thing. There’s a requirement to be at your best every game.
“There’s a tonne of talent, the biggest difference you see here compared to home is the young talent,” she continued.
“We have younger talented players in the US but they’re not competing at the level we all are straight out of college.
“You have girls here like Princess and girls across the league that are 15, 16 ,17 year olds and I they’re playing at the top level and to me that’s so impressive and indicative of the bright future Australian football has.”
Sydney FC’s Westfield W-League squad take on the Western Sydney Wanderers in the second Sydney Derby of the 2015/16 season at Lambert Park, Leichhardt on Sunday 6 December (kick off 4pm). Tickets are available at the gate or you can follow @SydneyFC on Twitter for match updates.
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