Hyundai A-League leaders Perth Glory are buzzing after two wins on the bounce. They meet Adelaide United with the Reds determined to ensure the visitors don’t have it all their own way on Sunday.
Sunday 26 October 2014
Coopers Stadium, Adelaide
Kick-Off: 4:30 PM (Local) (5:00 PM AEDT)
Referee: Kris Griffiths-Jones
Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Cream
Assistant Referee 2: Paul Cetrangolo
Fourth Official: Rick Schneider
TV Broadcast: Live and exclusive coverage on FOX SPORTS 1HD & 1 from 5.00pm (AEDT) and Sky Sport 3 (New Zealand)
Radio Broadcast: 891 ABC Adelaide, Local Radio SA, ABC Grandstand Digital, Online/A-League Live Mobile phone app
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #ADLvPER
Adelaide United squad: 1.Eugene GALEKOVIC (c) (GK), 2.Michael MARRONE, 3.Nigel BOOGAARD, 4.Dylan McGOWAN, 5.Osama MALIK, 6.CÁSSIO, 7.PABLO SÁNCHEZ, 8.ISAÍAS, 9.Sergio CIRIO, 10.Marcelo CARRUSCA, 11.Bruce DJITE, 16.Craig GOODWIN, 17.Awer MABIL, 18.Jimmy JEGGO, 20.Paul IZZO (GK), 21.Tarek ELRICH, 22.Fabio FERREIRA, 32.Nathan KOSTANDOPOULOS
***two to be omitted***
Ins: 6.CÁSSIO (promoted), 17.Awer MABIL (return from international duty), 20.Paul IZZO (GK) (return from international duty), 32.Nathan KOSTANDOPOULOS (promoted)
Outs: 24.Bruce KAMAU (omitted), 30.John HALL (GK) (omitted)
Unavailable: Cameron WATSON (toe – 2-3 weeks), Jordan ELSEY (wrist – 5 weeks), 15.Ben WARLAND (ankle – 4 weeks)
Perth Glory squad: 1.Daniel VUKOVIC (GK) 2.Jack CLISBY, 3.Brandon O’NEILL, 4.Riley WOODCOCK , 5.Rostyn GRIFFITHS, 6.Dino DJULBIC, 7.Youssouf HERSI, 9.Andy KEOGH, 10.Nebosja MARINKOVIC, 11.Richard GARCIA, 13.Diogo FERREIRA, 15.Jamie MACLAREN, 17.Mitch NICHOLS,18.Jack DUNCAN (GK), 20.Daniel DE SILVA , 21.Scott JAMIESON, 23.Michael THWAITE (c), 24.Matt DAVIES
***two to be omitted***
Ins: 4.Riley WOODCOCK (promoted), 18.Jack DUNCAN (GK) (promoted), 20.Daniel DE SILVA (promoted), 24.Matt DAVIES (promoted)
Outs: 19.Josh RISDON (ankle – 1 week), 30.Jordan THURTELL (omitted)
Unavailable: 16.Sidnei SCIOLA (calf), 8.Ruben ZADKOVICH (back), Chris HAROLD (thigh), 26.Harry O’BRIEN (groin)
BLUFFER’S GUIDE
The Hyundai A-League’s early frontrunners will be put to the test when they make the journey to Coopers Stadium this weekend. Glory have announced themselves as a force to be reckoned with after taking maximum points from the first two rounds.
Adelaide are also looking good and have been touted in some quarters as being in the mix for the title, so we should learn a little more about whether these two are pretenders or genuine contenders by the final whistle on Sunday evening.
OPTA DATA STATS
The Reds need to tinker with their radar ahead of this week’s match. Adelaide had a whopping 14 shots to Victory’s four on Friday, five from outside the box and nine within it. Four were blocked, but excluding those, Josep Gombau’s men were five percent less accurate in front of goal than their opponents, with the failure to take their chances – as well as some slack defending at the death – forcing them to settle for a point.
ROUTE TO GOAL
Expect Glory to go down the flanks at Coopers Stadium. Perth swung in 22 crosses to the Roar’s nine at nib Stadium last weekend and had six corners to the Roar’s four. With talents like Youssouf Hersi out wide and target man Andy Keogh in the centre, it makes plenty of sense for Kenny Lowe’s side to employ those tactics. How will Adelaide’s flexible 3-4-3, which so effectively suppressed Besart Berisha last time out, cope with a more physical centre-forward?
WHO’S BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT THIS WEEK?
Keogh has impressed us all by adapting to the competition so quickly, netting once against the Phoenix and banging three past Brisbane. There was plenty of debate over whether or not the second goal in his hat-trick against the Roar should have been awarded to the Irishman, with a sizeable deflection helping the ball on its way past Jamie Young.
FORM LINES
Glory go into Round 3 sitting pretty atop the table courtesy of a 2-1 win over Wellington Phoenix in the opening round and an even more impressive 3-2 victory at home to champions Brisbane Roar.
Adelaide have also taken maximum points off the title-holders, beating Mike Mulvey’s men 2-1 at Suncorp in Round 1, before being held to a 1-1 draw at home to Melbourne Victory last time out.
The Reds were in Westfield FFA Cup action on Tuesday, beating 10-man Sydney FC 3-1 in extra-time at Allianz Stadium. Gombau played close to a full strength side to earn a spot in the last four. Could fatigue have a role to play in the outcome this weekend?
DID YOU KNOW?
Andy Keogh is the first player to score four goals in his first two Hyundai A-League matches. Will the 28-year-old add to his tally in South Australia on Sunday?
PREDICTION
Adelaide 2-2 Perth Glory
Both these teams know how to score, with the Reds netting six goals in their last three matches across all competitions, while Glory have struck five times in two league games.
By the same token, neither of them have been able to keep a clean sheet. Adelaide conceded a soft goal to Thomas Broich’s innocuous free-kick at Suncorp and should have done better for Fahid Ben Khalfallah’s late equaliser in the draw with Victory.
They also looked vulnerable when Sydney FC got their act together in the second half of the mid-week Cup clash.
Glory’s vulnerability was demonstrated when Wellington Phoenix played their way through the Perth midfield and backline to score in Round 1, while the Roar also troubled them last weekend.
If one side can continue to attack with the same potency while tightening up at the back, the points will be theirs for the taking.
