Adelaide United Head Coach, Guillermo Amor, and defender, Tarek Elrich, said the Reds will be doing everything they can to win when they host Brisbane Roar at Coopers Stadium.
The Reds have struggled to find the back of the net with regularity this season, but scored three goals against Jeju United in the AFC Champions League midweek.
Amor and Elrich are hopeful of repeating their attacking display in Sunday’s third encounter between the two sides this campaign, following a 1-1 draw in Round 6, before United suffered a heavy defeat a month later.
Amor said he is expecting a tough game against a Brisbane side desperate to stay in the top four.
“They played the other day in Japan and the travel (might affect them) it’s possible,” Amor said.
“I think Brisbane in this moment will come here for the win.”
Meanwhile, Elrich said he was delighted with the way Adelaide were able to be more clinical in front of goal on Wednesday night compared to previous games.
“It gives us a lot of confidence in terms of getting a little hoodoo off our back,” Elrich said.
“In terms of scoring goals I think that’s been our biggest problem is finishing and we showed that we’ve scored three.
“To come from behind as well gives us plenty of confidence.”
Although Adelaide’s chances of reaching the finals remains mathematically possible, Elrich insisted, playing for pride is the most important thing regardless of the outcome.
“We need a win and it’s not so much looking to finish and make finals,” Elrich said.
“It’s more let’s have some personal pride as a team, as a Club.
“Where we’re on the table is not where Adelaide deserve to be.
“We just need to win this game and get a bit of confidence in the team and build on that.
“For us this game is massive… against a team that’s fighting to stay in that top four in Brisbane they’re going to come out hungry.”
Adelaide are unbeaten in their last two home games against the Roar, with their previous home defeat to the Queensland outfit occurring in April 2015.
The versatile defender also attributed the recent run of auspicious performances to playing with more fight in order to salvage some pride.
The Reds impressed against Jeju and were unfortunate to have returned home empty handed against Melbourne Victory and Jiangsu Suning three weeks’ ago.
“I think it’s what we speak about every day to salvage some pride,” Elrich continued.
“Obviously where we’re on the table it upsets us every day, we come to training wanting to fight as much as we can to try and fix things.
“Sometimes we talk about, ‘look let’s put pretty aside’, and now let’s go out there and fight.
“It’s shown in patches we’ve got some half decent results.
“We want to win games, there’s nothing worse than running out for 90 minutes and giving your all and coming off the pitch with a point or losing.”
Elrich also urged fans to come out and show their support in what has been a frustrating season for all parties involved.
“We’re struggling out there on the pitch and we know that in terms of results,” Elrich said.
“But we need the support… especially more than ever in these moments when things aren’t going so well.”
Adelaide United host Brisbane Roar in Round 23 of the Hyundai A-League 2016/17 season on Sunday, 19 March at Coopers Stadium. Kick-off is at 4.30pm ACDT.
