Melbourne Victory has turned its focus to a Westfield W-League clash against Brisbane Roar next week, head coach Jeff Hopkins said.
Victory suffered a late 1-0 Derby loss to City at ABD Stadium on Thursday, conceding an 89th-minute goal.
While Hopkins said that was a setback, he is looking ahead to hosting the Roar at Epping Stadium on December 20.
“It was a real blow to us losing the game that late,” he said.
“With the way that we set up, we gave them possession in certain areas of the field as we’ve done in the past, they’re a good quality side, probably in the second half we dropped just a little bit too deep and then we didn’t give ourselves a chance to push up again so we got deeper and deeper.
“I most probably look at myself and say did I give players enough opportunity to go forward and win the game, probably the way we set up we most probably set up that way for a reason, but maybe got it a little wrong the way I set the team up.
“I’m bitterly disappointed for the girls because they worked so hard, to lose it the way they did and as late as they did, it was a hard one to take, but we’ve had a chat and we’ve got to move on, we’re coming into a good run of games.
“We haven’t really been able to train over the last few weeks, we’ve just been game, game, game, so we’ll get a week’s worth of preparation for the Brisbane game and we’ll learn a few lessons from the City game.
“But we’re really now already starting to focus on Brisbane next week and how we can go and win that game.”
Victory goalkeeper Casey Dumont produced her second penalty save of the season, denying Emily van Egmond from the spot in the Derby.
❌✋@CaseyDumont kept us level #MelbDerby 0-0 #WLeague @FOXFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/birspSKrgF
— Victory W-League (@victorywleague) December 12, 2019
Hopkins praised the shot-stopper’s form for Victory, which had won three straight derbies before Thursday, this season.
“She’s been very good for us over the past few weeks,” he said.
“Obviously with the two penalty saves, she really kept us in the game there, that one and the Brisbane game as well a few weeks ago they were crucial saves at crucial times of the game.
“She’ll say she’s just doing her job, but both saves were pretty special, not just the penalty saves, her general form has been very, very good so long may it continue.”
