With two of the toughest games of the season under their belts, Michael Zullo believes a win over Wellington Phoenix at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday will be crucial in kick-starting Brisbane Roar’s campaign.
Brisbane hold only one point after two rounds, but Zullo said it was too early to criticise the club’s early season form.
“After this weekend if we don’t get the result you can say it’s been a bit of a slow start but we’re two games in – two tough games,” the zippy left winger said.
“So you have to look at it, we’ve played the champions and the Gold Coast in their first game which they were going to be really revved up for.”
“I think we’ve played two of the hardest games of the season already, got those out of the way and now we’ve got to kick on.”
Wellington has never beaten the Roar in the Hyundai A-League and Zullo said the team should have every reason to expect that record to continue, especially in front of a home crowd on Sunday.
“I think expectations are we have to win this one,” he said. “This weekend’s an important one for us and I’ll be very disappointed if we don’t get the result.”
After watching the Phoenix pick up their first win of the season against Perth last weekend, Zullo said the Kiwis’ hard-working style would make the match a difficult one.
“They’re not going to really blow people away with big players but they’ve shown they’re a good side and they’ve got some quality in there,” he said.
“(Paul) Ifill looks like a pretty decent player and (Leo) Bertos is pretty dangerous as well so they’ve got some good players.”
“I think people shouldn’t write them off, that’s a bit of a dangerous game to play. We’re going to take it as seriously as every other game we’ve played.”
Zullo is still nursing a sore ankle from the first round of the season but said he was confident he would be fit to play at least some role in the match.
