Coach John Kosmina’s concentration is solely on what his team needs to do to continue its impressive run, both in the Hyundai A-League and against their old foes.
Adelaide United FC-s match against Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park tomorrow night may have a touch of added sentiment for John Kosmina, but the Reds coach-s concentration is solely on what his team needs to do to continue its impressive run, both in the Hyundai A-League and against their old foes.
In what will be his first game against the Victory as Adelaide United-s coach since the infamous 2006/07 Grand Final following a number of memorable and often heated contests between the sides when he was in charge, Kosmina believes there is a strong chance of the ‘old rivalry- coming back tomorrow night.
“I would hope that the Melbourne Victory fans turn out in big numbers because they-ve got a new coach, Musky (Kevin Muscat) was involved last week and did a good job and he was fairly fired up on the bench, so I think a little bit of the old rivalry might come back but it might be a little bit more tempered as well,” Kosmina said.
But while this game promises to be yet another intriguing episode with Kosmina-s return and new Victory coach Jim Magilton-s first game in charge, Kosmina is not getting caught up with the hype.
Kosmina remains measured and believes this game is another stepping stone to where the Reds want to get to after showing a resilience to come from behind against Brisbane Roar last Saturday.
“From our point of view we want to get what we do right, and we want to do that well and do it consistently well and then you can build from there,” Kosmina said.
“It-s another game we have to do well in. Even if we don-t get the result we want, as long as we start to show some structure and commitment and consistency in terms of how we approach the game, then we-ll develop comfortably over time.”
With the likes of Harry Kewell, Archie Thompson and Carlos Hernandez to name but a few, the Victory have one of the most lethal arsenals in the league and their squad will be determined to prove their worth to Magilton, much in the same way the United players were put on notice when Kosmina came in.
Kosmina-s introduction was proof of how a new coach can galvanise a team, and while now it is Melbourne in this situation, Kosmina is not overtly concerning himself with what is happening over the border.
“I think you can spend too much time sometimes worrying about the opposition, what they-re going to do and who they-ve got, sometimes you can do it so much you think you-re playing Barcelona and you-re cactus before you go out there,” Kosmina said.
The Reds go into the match with the same squad of 15 that drew with the Roar, the only change set to be the promotion of Osama Malik to the starting eleven in place of Francisco Usucar.
Interestingly, there is some prevalence around the number 4 for the Reds tomorrow night. Yet to lose under Kosmina after four games, the Reds currently hold a four game unbeaten run against Melbourne, while they also managed to put four goals past the Victory when the teams last met at AAMI Park in the corresponding fixture last season. The Reds will be hoping the same can be said about the number five at the end of the 90 minutes. Kick-Off is at 7:30pm (ACDT).
Hyundai A-League 2011/12 Season – Week 15
Melbourne Victory v Adelaide United FC
Friday 13 January 2012, AAMI Park
Kick-Off: 8.00pm AEDT (7:30pm ACDT)
Referee: Jarred Gillett
TV: Live and exclusive on FOX Sports 1
Radio: ABC Radio (891 ABC Adelaide, Grandstand Digital and online)
Twitter: https://twitter.com/adelutd_fc (hash tag #HALmvau)
Adelaide United squad: 1.Eugene Galekovic (gk) (c), 2.Osama Malik, 3.Nigel Boogaard, 5.Daniel Mullen, 7.Zenon Caravella, 9.Sergio van Dijk, 10.Dario Vidosic, 11.Bruce Djite, 12.Antony Golec, 14.Cameron Watson, 15.Jacob Melling, 17.Iain Ramsay, 18.Fabian Barbiero, 20.Mark Birighitti (gk), 21.Francisco Usucar
In: Nil
Out: Nil
Unavailable: Spase Dilevski (groin), Milan Susak (hamstring), Cassio (ankle), Jon McKain (knee), Evgeniy Levchenko (groin)
Melbourne Victory squad: 2.Matthew Foschini, 3.Fabio, 4.Petar Franjic, 6.Leigh Broxham, 7.Matthew Kemp, 8.Grant Brebner, 9.Jean Carlos Solorzano, 10.Archie Thompson, 11.Marco Rojas, 12.Rodrigo Vargas, 13.Diogo Ferreira, 16.Carlos Hernandez, 17.Jimmy Jeggo, 18.Danny Allsopp, 19.Isaka Cernak, 20.Lawrence Thomas (GK), 21.Ante Covic (GK), 22.Harry Kewell, 23.Adrian Leijer (c)
*four to be omitted*
In: Matthew Kemp, Jean Carlos Solorzano, Jimmy Jeggo (all promoted), Adrian Leijer (returns from injury)
Out: Billy Celeski (groin), Tom Pondeljak (back)
Unavailable: (stress fracture), Billy Celeski (groin), Tom Pondeljak (back)
Adelaide United vs. Melbourne Victory – Hyundai A-League HEAD TO HEAD Record
Played 26 – 8 wins, 4 draws, 14 losses
10-Dec-2011… D 1-1… 2011/12 Wk 10 (Etihad Stadium)
14-Oct-2011… W 1-0… 2011/12 Wk 2 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
11-Feb-2011… W 2-1… 2010/11 Wk 27 (Adelaide Oval)
9-Jan-2011… W 4-1… 2010/11 Wk 22 (AAMI Park)
29-Oct-2010… L 1-2… 2010/11 Wk 12 (Etihad Stadium)
23-Jan-2010… L 0-2… 2009/10 Rd 24 (Etihad Stadium)
24-Oct-2009… L 1-3… 2009/10 Rd 12 (Etihad Stadium)
18-Sep-2009… L 0-2… 2009/10 Rd 7 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
28-Feb-2009… L 0-1… 2008/09 Grand Final (Etihad Stadium)
14-Feb-2009… L 0-4… 2008/09 Major Semi Final 2nd Leg (Etihad Stadium)
7-Feb-2009… L 0-2… 2008/09 Major Semi Final 1st Leg (Hindmarsh Stadium)
6-Jan-2009… L 0-1… 2008/09 Rd 15 (Etihad Stadium)
31-Oct-2008… L 2-3… 2008/09 Rd 10 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
12-Sep-2008… L 0-1… 2008/09 Rd 4 (Etihad Stadium)
8-Dec-2007… D 2-2… 2007/08 Rd 16 (Etihad Stadium)
12-Oct-2007… W 4-1… 2007/08 Rd 8 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
7-Sep-2007… D 1-1… 2007/08 Rd 3 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
18-Feb-2007… L 0-6… 2006/07 Grand Final (Etihad Stadium)
4-Feb-2007… L 1-2… 2006/07 Semi Final 2nd Leg (Etihad Stadium)
28-Jan-2007… D 0-0… 2006/07 Semi Final 1st Leg (Hindmarsh Stadium)
1-Dec-2006… L 1-3… 2006/07 Rd 15 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
15-Oct-2006… W 1-0… 2006/07 Rd 8 (Etihad Stadium)
25-Aug-2006… L 0-2… 2006/07 Rd 1 (Olympic Park, Melbourne)
5-Jan-2006… W 1-0… 2005/06 R 17 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
28-Oct-2005… W 1-0… 2005/06 Rd 10 (Olympic Park, Melbourne)
9-Sep-2005… W 1-0… 2005/06 Rd 3 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
At Etihad Stadium
Played 12; Adelaide United 1, Melbourne Victory 9, Draws 2
Last time they met
10-Dec-2011 Week 10, Hyundai A-League 2010/11 Season at Etihad Stadium
Melbourne Victory 1 (Thompson 59-)
Adelaide United FC 1 (Barbiero 82-)
Adelaide United last three results
Wk 14. 7-1-12… D 1-1… vs. Brisbane Roar (Hindmarsh Stadium)
Marathon. 4-1-12… W 3-1… vs. Melbourne Heart (AAMI Park)
Wk 13. 30-12-11… W 2-0… vs. Wellington Phoenix (Hindmarsh Stadium)
