Adelaide United FC will welcome back a trio of starting regulars as they prepare to face a fired up Western Sydney Wanderers outfit at Coopers Stadium tomorrow.
Adelaide United FC will welcome back a trio of starting regulars as they prepare to face a fired up Western Sydney Wanderers outfit at Coopers Stadium tomorrow.
In form defender Osama Malik, midfield maestro Marcelo Carrusca and key forward Bruce Djite return to the squad after completing all training sessions this week while full back Daniel Bowles has been ruled out wafter aggravating his ankle last week and is likely to miss just this game. Meanwhile the Wanderers have included Mathew Spiranovic but will be missing Jerome Polenz, Iacopo La Rocca and Mateo Poljak for the big match.
Coach Josep Gombau now has a good selection headache with the return of key players and the good form shown by the squad that beat the high flying Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium last Saturday it won-t be an easy task deciding on the starting eleven but it-s the way he prefers it.
“Of course it-s difficult to make changes when a team wins but we have to think very carefully about the best line up against each team and I think for me Malik, Carrusca and Djite they are all ready and are the type of players that can make a difference in this game”, Gombau said.
The Wanderers will provide a tough test for a Reds outfit, which has arguably been the form team of the competition after three wins and two draws in its last five outings. Coach Tony Popovic is sure to have them primed for a big effort after losing 3-1 to the Melbourne Victory at AAMI Stadium last Tuesday and with an opportunity to close the gap on league leaders Brisbane Roar.
Gombau says that the Reds will need to be at the top of their game to get all three points in this one.
“It will be a very difficult game because Western Sydney are a team that is very physical and they don-t allow you time on the ball and they can also play some good football. We need to match them physically but more important for us is to play our football, keep possession, attack them and try and control the game, this is the key. Who control the game is more chance to win. Also because they lost last game I am sure they will come to Adelaide very motivated to try and win against us but we have to be very strong also”.
While not in the red hot form of last season, the Wanderers are still one of the toughest teams to beat in the Hyundai A-League, with their miserly defenders conceding less goals than any other team, fourteen in fifteen matches, an average of less than one goal a game. With a host of stars such as Japanese wizard Shinji Ono patrolling the midfield and the ever dangerous Tomi Juric and Youssef Hersi up front, Western Sydney will provide the Reds a stern test and the fans with plenty of entertainment.
Gates open at the earlier time of 2.30pm on Sunday 19th January at Coopers Stadium, with the Martyn Crook Foundation Celebrity match kicking off at 2:45pm followed by the big match at 4:30pm.
Sunday, 19 January 2014
Adelaide United v Western Sydney Wanderers
Coopers Stadium, Adelaide
Kick-off: 4:30pm local (5:00pm AEDT)
Referee: Peter Green
Assistant Referee 1: Nathan MacDonald
Assistant Referee 2: Stephen Toth
Fourth Official: Rick Schneider
TV Broadcast: 7.30pm (AEDT) Live and exclusive coverage on FOX Sports 1HD and Sky Sport 3 (New Zealand).
Radio Broadcast: ABC Radio Coverage Full coverage Online/Mobile phone app
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #ADLvWSW
To purchase tickets visit www.aleague.com.au/tickets
Adelaide United squad: 1.Eugene GALEKOVIC (GK) (c), 3.Nigel BOOGAARD, 4.Jon McKAIN, 5.Osama MALIK, 7.JERONIMO, 8.ISAIAS, 10.Marcelo CARRUSCA, 11.Bruce DJITE, 13.Steven LUSTICA, 14.Cameron WATSON, 16.Daniel BOWLES, 17.Awer MABIL, 18.Michael ZULLO, 20.Paul IZZO (GK), 21.Tarek ELRICH, 23.Jordan ELSEY, 26.Anthony COSTA, 31.Ryan GRIFFITHS,
**Two to be omitted**
Ins: 5.Osama MALIK (returns from suspension), 10.Marcelo CARRUSCA (returns from injury), 11.Bruce DJITE (returns from injury)
Outs: 32.Nathan KONSTANDOPOULOS
Unavailable: 6.CASSIO (hamstring tendon – indefinite), 9.Sergio CIRIO (hamstring 1-2 weeks)12.Antony GOLEC (China), 15.Jacob MELLING (knee – 5 weeks), 19.Jake BARKER-DAISH (international duty – Young Socceroos), 22 Fabio FERREIRA (groin – test)
Western Sydney Wanderers Squad: 1.Ante COVIC (gk), 2.Shannon COLE, 3.Adam D-APUZZO, 4.Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY, 5.Michael BEAUCHAMP (c), 7.Labinot HALITI, 9.Tomi JURIC, 10.Aaron MOOY, 11.Brendon SANTALAB, 13.Matthew SPIRANOVIC, 17.Youssouf HERSI, 19.Mark BRIDGE, 20.Jerrad TYSON (gk) , 21.Shinji ONO, 22.Dean HEFFERNAN, 23.Jason TRIFIRO, 28.Alusine FOFANAH, 32.Daniel ALESSI
**Two to be omitted**
Ins: 13.Matthew SPIRANOVIC (promoted), 28.Alusine FOFANAH (promoted), 2.Shannon COLE (promoted), 7.Labinot HALITI (promoted)
Outs: 14.Kwabena APPIAH, 12.Tahj MINNIECON
Unavailable: 6.Jerome POLENZ (injured – 1 week), 18.Iacopo LA ROCCA (injured – 2 weeks), 8.Mateo POLJAK (injured – 1 week)
Adelaide United vs. Western Sydney Wanderers – Hyundai A-League HEAD TO HEAD Record
Played 4 – 1 win, 3 losses
1-Nov-2013… L 1-2… 2013/14 Rd 4 (Pirtek Stadium)
3-Feb-2013… L 2-4… 2012/13 Wk 19 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
21-Dec-2012… L 1-6… 2012/13 Wk 12 (Pirtek Stadium)
12-Oct-2012… W 1-0… 2012/13 Wk 2 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
At Hindmarsh Stadium
Played 2; Adelaide United 1, Western Sydney 1
At Pirtek Stadium
Played 2; Western Sydney 2
Last time they met in the Hyundai A-League
1-Nov-2013 Round 4, Hyundai A-League 2013/14 Season at Pirtek Stadium
Western Sydney Wanderers 2 (Juric 61-/80-)
Adelaide United 1 (Carrusca 55-)
