Wanderers will be desperate for maximum points to get off the bottom of the Hyundai A-League. United, on the other hand, will still be in the race for the Premier’s Plate.
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MATCH DETAILS
Saturday, 18 April 2015
Pirtek Stadium, Parramatta
Kick-Off: 5pm (Local), (5pm AEST)
SQUADS
Western Sydney Wanderers FC 1.Ante COVIC (gk), 3.Yusuke TANAKA, 6.Antony GOLEC, 8.Mateo POLJAK, 9.Tomi JURIC, 10.Yojiro TAKAHAGI, 13.Matthew SPIRANOVIC, 14.Kerem BULUT, 16.Jaushua SOTIRIO, 17.Romeo CASTELEN, 18.Iacopo LA ROCCA, 19.Mark BRIDGE, 20.Dean BOUZANIS (gk), 23.Jason TRIFIRO, 25.Sam GALLAWAY, 33.Nick KALMAR, 37.Jonathan ASPROPOTAMITIS, 42.Adrian MADASCHI
***two to be omitted***
Ins 3.Yusuke TANAKA (promoted), 10.Yojiro TAKAHAGI (promoted), 16.Jaushua SOTIRIO (returns from injury), 19.Mark BRIDGE (promoted), 42.Adrian MADASCHI (promoted)
Outs 31.Alusine FOFANAH (not selected), 38.Steve KUZMANOVSKI (not selected), 39.Shayne D’CUNHA (not selected)
Unavailable 2.Shannon COLE (collarbone), 5.Brendan HAMILL (thigh), 11.Brendon SANTALAB (shoulder), 12.Nikita RUKAVYTSYA (hamstring), 22.Nick WARD (knee – indefinite), 34.Golgol MEBRAHTU (knee – indefinite)
Adelaide United 1.Eugene GALEKOVIC (GK) (c), 2.Michael MARRONE, 3.Nigel BOOGAARD, 4.Dylan McGOWAN, 5.Osama MALIK, 7.PABLO SÁNCHEZ, 8.ISAÍAS, 9.Sergio CIRIO, 11.Bruce DJITE, 14.Cameron WATSON, 15.Ben WARLAND, 16.Craig GOODWIN, 18.Jimmy JEGGO, 19.Miguel PALANCA, 21.Tarek ELRICH, 24.Bruce KAMAU, 32.Nathan KONSTANDOPOULOS, 30.John HALL (GK)
***two to be omitted***
Ins 15.Ben WARLAND (promoted), 32.Nathan KONSTANDOPOULOS (promoted)
Outs Nil
Unavailable 10.Marcelo CARRUSCA (quadricep – 1 week), 17.Awer MABIL (quadricep – 1 week), 23.Jordan ELSEY (knee – indefinite)
Hashtag: #WSWvADL
TV broadcast – Live coverage on FOX SPORTS 505 from 5.00pm (AEST) and Sky Sport 4 (New Zealand)
Radio broadcast – Online/ABC Radio Mobile phone app
Referee Jarred Gillett
Assistant Referee 1 Ryan Gallagher
Assistant Referee 2 Owen Goldrick
Fourth Official Luke Withell
BLUFFER’S GUIDE
There’s been a red card in both previous encounters this campaign and the Wanderers haven’t forgotten being beaten 2-1 by Sergio Cirio’s injury-time strike in the most recent clash.
It should all make for a ripping contest which is important for both sides, for very different reasons.
The Wanderers slipped back to the bottom of the ladder after Newcastle’s shock win – coupled with their loss to Central Coast – last weekend.
They have just two games to ensure they don’t end the season with the wooden spoon.
Adelaide missed the chance to take top spot in going down to Brisbane Roar last Saturday and need all three points if they want a coveted top-two position.
Tony Popovic is taking this one seriously, leaving out youngsters Alusine Fofanah, Steve Kuzmanovski and Shayne D’Cunha. The likes of milestone man Mark Bridge and Japanese duo Yusuke Tanaka and Yojiro Takahagi return.
The interesting feature of the Reds XI will come in the front third, with the likes of Craig Goodwin, Sergio Cirio, Miguel Palanca, Pablo Sanchez and Bruce Kamau vying for the three spots behind striker Bruce Djite.
OPTA DATA STATS
-Western Sydney Wanderers have failed to beat Adelaide United in their last four attempts (D1 L3), but have gone 11 Hyundai A-League games without recording a clean sheet.
-If Adelaide United win this game, it’ll be the second time this campaign they have managed three successive away wins.
-Western Sydney Wanderers FC have been fouled 304 times; a Hyundai A-League-low.
-Reds attacker Pablo Sánchez has the best shooting accuracy in the Hyundai A-League this season, hitting the target with 77.3 percent of his shots (minimum six shots).
ROUTE TO GOAL
Adelaide’s attacking game has lacked some real penetration in recent weeks, coinciding with the injury to playmaker Marcelo Carrusca. Terrible timing for the Reds.
It’s seen Sergio Cirio have to play a more central role – rather than his preferred left-wing – and as a result Adelaide haven’t been as fluent going forward.
With Carrusca still sidelined, they’ll need to find something extra to get something out of this one.
Encouragingly, the Wanderers created a number of chances in the loss to Central Coast last week only to fail to take any of them. Kerem Bulut, who is top scorer with five, was guilty of most of those misses.
But his work-rate and ability to get in between defenders makes him a real threat to the Reds back four.
Romeo Castelen is also providing plenty of pace and power down the right but will he get much space and time on the ball up against Adelaide’s Socceroos defender Tarek Elrich?
WHO’S BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT THIS WEEK?
Mark Bridge. The Wanderers attacker will become just the ninth player in Hyundai A-League history to chalk up 200 appearances if he gets on the pitch against the Reds. Despite an injury-plagued campaign, the two-time championship winner is one of the Wanderers’ most important player. Can his team-mates lift to ensure he celebrates his milestone with a win?
