Source : ABC NEWS
Taylor Otto knows a thing or two about rivalries.
The Melbourne City defender grew up in the Midwest of America and played college soccer for North Carolina, which has a renowned rivalry with Duke University.
Then, after a stint in the National Women’s Soccer League, she found her way to Scottish heavyweights Celtic, whose intense rivalry with Rangers is one of the best known in the world.
It’s an antagonism that extends well beyond the pitch.
For their clashes, half the stadium would have to be blocked off for Celtic fans and the other half for Rangers to keep them apart.
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“They were really intense there about it. But those are the best games to be a part of,” Otto said.
“It’s what people look forward to, what the fans look forward to, everyone just absolutely loves it. It’s what the town’s talking about.”
Otto is now deeply embedded at City, where she has spent the past three seasons helping the club secure premiership plates for each of those years.
She learnt very quickly who her new nemesis was: Melbourne Victory.
Taylor Otto controls the ball under pressure from Rachel Lowe last year. (Getty: Graham Denholm)
“Whenever you get to a team, there’s always just one team that the club just doesn’t like,” Otto said.
“It has nothing to do with the players. It’s the club.
“You are like, ‘Yep, that’s a team that we never want to lose to.'”
Having played across the globe, and a keen observer of the sport, Otto sees a lot of potential in the Australian domestic league. She thinks it just needs a bigger investment to get there.
She knows she is biased.
She has taken to the lifestyle of the country she now calls home, but genuinely sees the A-League Women as a competition in which world-class players could want to play.
“The … thing that I think is really challenging for leagues on the women’s side is to have a competitive league from top to bottom, which you guys have,” she said.
“If they can really take advantage of those things and build off of those things and get big players that you guys have on the Matildas to be here and overseas players to stay here, and be able to pay them to keep them here, this could be a top league that competes with major leagues in the world.
“I would love to see that for this league. Because obviously I love it, and I enjoy playing in it, but I do think it can grow into that and I hope they’re able to do that.”
But right now, her focus lies on the championship.
Victory stand in her way of an elusive grand final spot. Despite playing in every final series since arriving in Australia, Otto has never played in a decider.
City finished top of the ladder this season, while Victory qualified for its eighth straight finals series.
Melbourne City won the A-League Women premiership title three years in a row. (Getty: Olivier Rachon/SOPA Images/LightRocket)
The semifinal will be played over two legs, with each club getting a home game.
The aggregate score of both matches will decide which team progresses.
If the teams are tied after the second leg, extra time and penalties will determine the winner.
Each side will also have the added benefit of playing at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, rather than their usual suburban home grounds.
Taylor Otto has never missed playing finals since joining City but is yet to play a grand final. (Getty: Vince Caligiuri)
“Playing at AAMI Park is perfect because the venue allows for each team to play exactly how they want to play,” Otto said.
“There’s no weather issues, winds, nothing like that. It allows us to play the game we want to play, [and] Victory play the game that they want to play.
“Having games in those stadiums makes it feel like a bigger game. Makes it feel like this is really important.”
