Adelaide United Head Coach, Guillermo Amor, and midfielder, Isaias, are determined to secure a positive result in their penultimate AFC Champions League Group H away clash with Gamba Osaka on Tuesday night.
A win for the Reds would significantly enhance their aspirations of reaching the knockout stages for a record fourth time by an Australian club.
Adelaide currently sit equal second with South Korean outfit Jeju United in Group H on four points.
But if United prevails over Gamba, while the Koreans lose to Jiangsu Suning, Amor’s men will advance to the last 16 with a game in hand, due to a superior head-to-head record.
Amor said his side have travelled to Japan to secure a victory but is wary of Gamba’s attacking prowess.
“When you play (Asian) Champions League, every game, every team is good and difficult,” he said.
“And we’re here to try and win the game.”
Adelaide’s depth will be tested against the Japanese giants, missing three regulars from the starting XI through suspension.
Centre-back’s Dylan McGowan and Taylor Regan are absent, as too is midfielder Riley McGree.
However, Amor is confident whichever players replace the trio are more than capable of doing the job.
“We have the numbers, we have a good squad and we’re here with some new players,” Amor said.
“We have confidence in every player and we’re prepared for the game.
“It’s true other players are in Adelaide (absent through suspension), but the players here in this moment are prepared for the game.”
Amor reflected on the Reds’ 3-0 home defeat to Gamba on matchday one and believed his team have improved since then.
“The first game is always more difficult,” he continued.
“It’s possible we played with too much respect to Gamba and they controlled (the match) with experience.
“The team is good in this moment (playing) with more confidence … It’s true the team want to win and be in this competition and we have been playing well.”
Meanwhile, Reds star midfielder, Isaias, insisted the team will do everything it can to clinch a crucial victory.
“For us tomorrow it’s a very important game,” Isaias said.
“We know that tomorrow will be a really tough game because they need the points as well.
“But we’re ready, we have come here to fight and come here to get the three points.”
The Spaniard acknowledged the quality in personnel at Gamba’s disposal, however he said the team is mainly concentrating on themselves.
“I think every player is important and we’re not focusing on any (Gamba) player in particular,” he explained.
“We need to respect every player because any player can damage us, so I think from our point of view we need to think about our game.”
Adelaide United will face Gamba Osaka in their fifth AFC Champions League 2017 group stage match on Tuesday, 25 April at the Suita City Football Stadium. Kick-off is at 7.30pm ACST. Live coverage on Fox Sports 505.
