These two teams met just two weeks ago on a cold afternoon in Mt Gambier, and produced a rather uninspiring 0-0 draw.
Date: Sunday August 17
Kick-off (local time): 4:30pm local, 5pm AEST
Venue: Hindmarsh Stadium
TV and Radio:
TV: Live & Exclusive Fox Sports 3 (www.foxsports.com.au) – Match broadcast commences 5.00pm AEST (4.30pm ACDT, 3.00pm AWST), Sky Sports 3 (www.skytv.co.nz) – Match broadcast commences 7.00pm NZST.
Radio. Fresh FM (Adelaide) 92.7FM www.freshfm.com.au
Head-to-head
Nine Hyundai A-League meetings: Adelaide – 4 wins, Perth – 2 wins, 3 draws
Previous Hyundai A-League meeting
Perth Glory 3 Adelaide United 2, Members Equity Stadium, Round 20, January 2008
Pre-Season Cup Results
Adelaide:
Round 1: Melbourne Victory 1 Adelaide United 2, Aurora Stadium, Sunday July 20
Round 2: Newcastle Jets 0, Adelaide United 0, Baddeley Park, Cessnock, Saturday July 27
Round 3: Adelaide United 0, Perth Glory 0, Mt Gambier, Saturday August 2
Perth:
Round 1: Perth Glory 1, Newcastle Jets 1, Hyundai Stadium, Mandurah, Saturday July 19
Round 2: Perth Glory 0 Melbourne Victory 1, Members Equity Stadium, Saturday July 26
Round 3: Adelaide United 0, Perth Glory 0, Mt Gambier, Saturday August 2
Analysis
These two teams met just two weeks ago on a cold afternoon in Mt Gambier, and produced a rather uninspiring 0-0 draw, but both Aurelio Vidmar and David Mitchell were at pains to express it would be a very different story in this match.
Both are coming off underwhelming seasons last year and there is a real desperation to improve in both camps, so you can expect there to be plenty of passion in this match. Adelaide was unbeaten in the Pre-Season, and as such was a little unlucky to miss out on the final. Perth collected two draws and a defeat, but Mitchell was reasonably pleased with his side’s effort, particularly with several new players into the side.
Adelaide has lost Brazilian pair Cassio (calf) and Diego (hamstring) for this match, in a major blow, while Michael Valkanis is also out with a knee injury and Kristian Sarkies won’t be back from the Olympics in time. Daniel Beltrame will miss the entire season with a knee injury, while Isyan Erdogan is out indefintely with a hamstring injury.
On the positive side, Paul Agostino and Sasa Ognenovski come in to the side from the Mt Gambier clash, adding some experience, Robert Younis and Paul Reid have a chance to play their first games for the club as part of a 17-man squad.
Perth gets back reliable defender Dino Djulbic for the season opener, but is still missing Olympic reps Nikita Rukavytsya, Tando Velaphi and Nikolai Topor-Stanley as well as injured veterans Jamie Harnwell and Hayden Foxe and Josip Magdic.
That means each side are missing four first-choice players apiece, which makes the nature and outcome of this clash very hard to predict. Adelaide looks a lot more assured is defence this season, and that will give it plenty of confidence against a Perth side missing it’s main attacking weapon in Rukavytsya.
Adelaide United Squad: 20. Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 2.Robert CORNTHWAITE, 3. Alemao, 4. Angelo COSTANZO, 7. Lucas PANTELIS, 9. Paul AGOSTINO, 10.Cristiano, 11. Robert YOUNIS, 12. Paul REID, 13.Travis DODD (capt.), 14. Scott JAMIESON, 15.Jonas SALLEY, 16.Daniel MULLEN, 18.Fabian BARBIERO, 19. Sasa OGNENOVSKI, 21.Jason SPAGNUOLO, 30 Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk). * 2 to be omitted
In. Paul Agostino (returns from injury), Sasa Ognenovski (returns from injury), Robert Younis (promoted), Paul Reid (promoted)
Out. Cassio (calf – 2 weeks), Michael Valkanis (knee – 2 weeks)
Unavailable. Diego (hamstring – 2 weeks), Kristian Sarkies (international duty – 1 week), Daniel Beltrame (knee – season), Isyan Erdogan (hamstring – indefinite)
Perth Glory Squad: 1.Jason PETKOVIC (gk), 3.David TARKA, 4.Jamie COYNE, 6.Dino DJULBIC, 7.Nick RIZZO, 8.James ROBINSON, 9.Adrian TRINIDAD, 10.AMARAL, 11.Scott BULLOCH, 14.Eugene DADI, 15.Hayden DOYLE, 16.Adriano PELLEGRINO, 17.James DOWNEY, 19.Naum SEKULOVSKI, 20.Frank JURIC (gk), 21.Mark LEE.
*One to be omitted.
In. Dino Djulbic (promoted)
Out. Nil
Unavailable. Nikolai Topor-Stanley (International Team Duty), Jamie Harnwell (Hip – Test), Josip Magdic (Ankle – Test), Nikita Rukavytsya (International Team Duty), Hayden Foxe (Foot – 3 Weeks), Tando Velaphi (International Team Duty)
