If Sergio van Dijk scores to help the Reds to victory over Gold Coast United, he will also have an additional reason to celebrate.
If Sergio van Dijk scores to help the Reds to victory over Gold Coast United, he will also have an additional reason to celebrate.
Heading into the weekend, van Dijk has scored 49 times in the Hyundai A-League, meaning he needs just one to reach the half century. His tally comprises of 25 goals for Brisbane Roar and 24 since he joined the Reds ahead of the 2010/11 season.
Admitting he only realised when someone told him after training yesterday, van Dijk needs one more goal to become only the third player to reach the 50 goal milestone in the Hyundai A-League, with Perth sharp shooter Shane Smeltz and Victory forward Archie Thompson the others to have achieved the feat.
Currently into his fourth Hyundai A-League season, van Dijk has 49 goals from 96 appearances, an impressive record of better than a goal every two games.
After winning the Hyundai A-League Golden Boot in 2010/11, van Dijk sits equal fourth on the league-s goal scoring tally this season having netted a third of the Reds- goals in the club-s 20 games so far.
On how he has managed to build a reputation as one of the Hyundai A-League-s most lethal marksman, van Dijk could not put a finger on it.
“If I knew the secret I-d try and do it the whole year. Sometimes the balls come in your place and you-re in the right spot,” van Dijk said.
Van Dijk admits he had not contemplated getting close to the 50 goal mark initially, but says he owes much of his success in finding the back of the net to the players that have helped him get there.
“The Hyundai A-League is a really tough league and I thought it would be really hard to score,” van Dijk said.
“But I think I settled in well and adapted to the playing style and my team mates have obviously helped me a lot.”
“When I score a goal it-s always because team mates around me do great things and I-m at the end to finish it so it-s also credit to them.”
Van Dijk-s road to reaching 49 has also required patience along the way. The target man, who with his brother runs their own fashion label in their spare time, went without scoring in seven games earlier in the season. But just when there may have been cause for concern for such a prolific goal scorer, he came back with a bang, piling on six goals in the next five games.
Van Dijk was never too worried when the number of games without a goal started building up during his dry spell. The 29 year old says he was confident his fortunes would change once the Reds started playing a more attacking style of football and that it was just a matter of hanging in there.
“As soon as we started playing a little bit differently, playing more attacking and creating more chances, I started scoring as well and I knew that I-m a striker that needs good delivery,” van Dijk.
“Of course when I get a chance I have to score, but it has been good because we-re creating more chances and it gives me more opportunities to score.”
Interestingly, only one of van Dijk-s 49 goals has come against Gold Coast United, but he will be determined to add to that at on Sunday and not only notch up goal number 50 but more importantly see the Reds come away with all three points.
