W-League: Victory bolstered by European signings

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Melbourne Victory Women will be boosted this weekend following the signing of two European players; Welsh Captain Jessica Fishlock and Swede Petra Larsson.

Melbourne Victory Women will be boosted this weekend following the signing of two European players; Welsh Captain Jessica Fishlock and Swede Petra Larsson.

Fishlock, a 25 year old midfielder, is of the highest pedigree having played 59 times for the Welsh National Team and is the reigning FA Women-s Super League Player of the Season; England-s top women-s division.

Coming directly from Bristol Academy, the goal scoring midfielder has also spent time at Dutch club AZ Alkmaar where she won two Eredivisie titles.

Joining Melbourne Victory as a guest player, Fishlock will fly into Melbourne tomorrow and will look to take the field in Saturday-s “Big Blue” against Sydney FC, pending FFA approval.

Larsson, another midfielder, is coming from Linköpings FC where she has played over 80 matches in arguably the world-s best league, the Damallsvenskan, even winning the title in 2009.

The 24 year old was convinced to join Melbourne Victory after conversations with her Linköpings teammate Lisa De Vanna.

Having flown into Melbourne this week, Larsson has been training and will line-up against Sydney FC on Sunday. She will take Melbourne Victory-s third and final visa position.

With these two players, Melbourne Victory-s squad is now complete and is as follows;
1: Brianna Davey
2: Danielle Johnson (USA)
3: Maika Ruyter-Hooley
4: Rebekah Stott (NZL)**
5: Laura Spiranovic
6: Petra Larsson (SWE)
7: Stephanie Catley
8: Ashley Brown*
9: Tiffany Eliadis
10: Jessica McDonald (USA)
11: Caitlin Friend
12: Jacqueline Vogt
13: Louisa Bisby*
14: Enza Barilla
15: Amy Jackson
16: Georgie Koutrouvelis
17: Gulcan Koca (TUR)***
18: Cindy Lay
19: Rachel Alonso
20: Cassandra Dimovski
TBC: Jessica Fishlock (WAL)

*Ashley Brown and Louisa Bisby unavailable due to season-ending ACL injuries.
**Despite being a New Zealand international, Rebekah Stott does not take a visa position due to holding Australian citizenship.
*** Despite being a Turkish international, Gulcan Koca does not take a visa position due to holding Australian citizenship