Canberra will play Adelaide United on Sunday as they start the last leg of their campaign and prepare to fight for the championship title.

In an usual preparation, Canberra had just two training sessions before arriving in Adelaide and coach Elisabeth Migchelsen only rejoined the team on Saturday after visiting family in the Netherlands.

The players were given an extended break over Christmas and were spread around Australia and overseas.

US import Kendall Fletcher spent almost 70 hours travelling on a whirlwind trip back to North Carolina, but the defender insists her time on planes and in airports can reboot her W-League campaign.

''It was a big bonus for me to be able to go home for Christmas,'' Fletcher said.

''It's been a crazy year. I was in Sweden before Canberra. I've done a few whirlwind tours back to the US.

''This Christmas break was amazing. It's allowed me to regroup and get my legs back underneath me. I feel so much better now so hopefully that's the bonus of some time off.''

Canberra only returned to training on Thursday after being given almost two weeks to recover after an impressive start to the season.

Canberra has lost just one of its five games, despite a change in coaches and a roster overhaul.

Migchelsen granted the players extra time off with a view to have them fresh for a hectic seven-game run to the W-League finals.

Migchelsen also returned home in the holidays and assistant Raeanne Dower took the reins for the team's two training sessions before playing Adelaide.

Star and Matildas veteran Sally Shipard is still being eased back into action and her comeback from chronic knee injuries has been pushed back another week.

''We've planned for these days to get everyone over their niggles and so that the girls are fresh,'' Dower said.

''We know they're fit and we've already seen that. The idea of having a few days away from football is that they're mentally and physically rejuvenated because we have got a lot of football now.

''A lot of the girls are away from family, so they went back to places like Dubbo, Wollongong, the United States and [Migchelsen] went home, too.

''It's the perfect break and now they're champing at the bit.''

Fletcher, 29, spent Christmas with her family in Caryville.

She had only five days at home in the US before joining Canberra's W-League title bid last November.

Canberra has been unfazed by a disruptive draw, which included a two-week bye, and is second on the ladder.

''When we come back together everyone's going to be re-energised for sure,'' Fletcher said.

''You have to be cognisant of the breaks in momentum. But we're just focused on the next checkpoint. Momentum and wins are nice to have.

''But we can't rest on what we've done. Adelaide have a lot of backbone and they're going to be fighting. We know we have to be at our best to beat Adelaide. But when we take on the best, we play our best.''

■ W-LEAGUE ROUND SEVEN

Sunday: Adelaide United v Canberra United at Burton Park, Adelaide, 3.30pm.