Glory set to face tough test
Perth Glory face the toughest test of their pre-season tomorrow when they take on Spanish outfit Malaga CF in a friendly at nib Stadium.
The fixture is Malaga's second on their pre-season tour of Australia, after demolishing Adelaide United 5-1 at Adelaide Oval last night.
It forms part of the second annual world tour to promote Spanish soccer and increase La Liga's global popularity.
It is also Glory's final hit-out before their first competitive match of the new season, away to Newcastle Jets in a first-round FFA Cup match on Tuesday, August 5.
The Glory opted not to play in a pre-season friendly against Sydney Olympic on Wednesday, pulling out at the last minute after finding arrangements at Olympic's ground were unsuitable.
Malaga signalled their intentions for the tour by bringing a full-strength squad to Australia.
The team is led by Paraguay captain Roque Santa Cruz and features on-loan Liverpool winger Luis Alberto, Venezuela international Roberto Rosales, Ivory Coast's Arthur Boka and emerging Portuguese star Ricardo Horta.
Glory have launched an ambitious off-season recruiting drive that netted Republic of Ireland striker Andy Keogh and proven A-League players Mitch Nichols, Youssouf Hersi, Ruben Zadkovich, Diogo Ferreira and Dino Djulbic.
Glory defender Scott Jamieson said the match would be a feast for fans.
"Malaga are a fantastic outfit and it's a big game, so hopefully there's a big crowd," Jamieson said. "We've got a few new players and it's a good chance for the fans to see them."
Jamieson has played against Malaga once before, in a pre- season friendly match during his time at Bolton Wanderers.
The left-sided defender will make his third appearance of the pre-season after recovering from a torn Achilles tendon that kept him sidelined for the majority of last season.
"It was my first big injury and it's one of those ones where you can draw from it every day and try to use it for motivation," Jamieson said.
"I know it's still a long process for me to get back to career-best form, but that's the blessing of a long off-season. I've got the time now and I'm making no excuses.
"I'm a normal player and I've got to fight for my position."
·Perth Glory women will open the 2014-15 W-League season at home to Brisbane Roar on Sunday, September 14.
Brisbane will be expected to pose a stern test for a new-look Glory side, having finished runners-up to Melbourne Victory last season.
Glory will play their home games at Ashfield Sports Club.
The W-League season consists of 12 home-and-away rounds and culminates in a top-four finals series in December.
It has been brought forward two months to allow the staging of the 2015 men's Asian Cup.
"Malaga are a fantastic outfit and it's a big game, so hopefully there's a big crowd." " *Scott Jamieson *
