Their season is on the line but Canberra Olympic coach Frank Cachia never thought twice about playing a showdown with A-League club Newcastle on Tuesday night.
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Olympic will play the Newcastle Jets at Deakin Stadium, on the eve of a must-win Capital Football preliminary final against Gungahlin United on Saturday.
Olympic were two minutes away from a one-way ticket to the grand final and a week-off before a penalty shootout loss against Belconnen United threw a spanner in the works.
It means Olympic will play three games in eight days but Cachia has no regrets and hopes the clash will launch his side to another Capital Football treble.
"Teams would be falling over themselves to be honest, to be playing A-League opposition," Cachia said.
"This is what Canberra players all want to do. We've given ourselves the opportunity of doing it.
"[Newcastle are] coming out here to perform and obviously the people in their squad are all looking to secure places in Newcastle's final line-up as well. It's a really good hit-out."
Olympic burst onto the national stage last year and hosted Sydney FC in the FFA Cup semi-final, but bowed out in the round of 32 of the prized tournament this season.
Now Olympic will get another chance against an A-League side and it looms as a huge opportunity for the likes of Capital Football's leading goal scorer Stephen Domenici.
Preparations are heating up for the Jets after they beat Melbourne City 3-1 last week, and recently put 16 goals past a regional team, with the A-League season set to begin on October 16.
"I think it's a great opportunity," Cachia said.
"To be honest, giving guys an opportunity to play against high-level opposition is just [huge]… it's a privilege for us to be identified by an A-League side to be part of their pre-season preparation.
"We'll obviously take that into the game against Gungahlin. It's important that guys play against high levels and get exposed to these sorts of things, I think it's only a good thing."
Olympic have opened the door for rival players to test themselves against A-League opposition with Tuggeranong's Nick Faust and Canberra FC junior Roko Strika set to play.
Strika has been training with Olympic for some time but arrived in Canberra after the National Premier League transfer deadline.
He's been playing in Croatia's top flight competition for the past few seasons having being overlooked by the Australian Institute of Sport and A-League clubs, with another Olympic import to be confirmed.
"[Strika is] a local Canberra Deakin junior, he's been playing in Croatia, so he'll get a run," Cachia said.
"Young Nick Faust from Tuggeranong has been given permission from Tuggeranong to come and play with us as well.
"I just think it just adds to the opportunity and to what we're doing to support local football across Canberra."
The capital was in danger of losing A-League action completely after the Central Coast Mariners skipped town, but Olympic delivered through Socceroos star Tom Rogic's manager Andy Bernal.
A-LEAGUE FRIENDLY
Tuesday: Canberra Olympic v Newcastle Jets at Deakin Enclosed, 6.30pm
PREMIER LEAGUE PRELIMINARY FINAL
Saturday: Canberra Olympic v Gungahlin United at Deakin Enclosed, 4pm.
