Auckland FC head coach Steve Corica said he will be using Daniel Arzani’s “disrespectful” comments as motivation heading into Saturday’s Isuzu UTE A-League Semi-Final second leg against Melbourne Victory.
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Logan Rogerson’s 64th-minute header settled the contest in Melbourne as Socceroo Arzani analysed Auckland’s performance in a post-match interview.
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“It was just a tough night all round and a little bit disappointing. I don’t think the scoreline is reflective of the game at all,” Arzani told Network 10.
“They’re a little bit, in my opinion, one-dimensional in the way they play.
“I think if we can kinda overcome that first hurdle of getting on the ball, and higher up the pitch in one-v-one situations, then I think we can really give it a good crack this weekend.”
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As a blockbuster fixture beckons in what is expected to be a sell-out crowd at Go Media Stadium, Corica and Auckland are fully aware of the Victory star’s comments.
“I think that’s his opinion,” Corica told reporters. “I suppose I’ll just make sure the players know about that.
“I think we’re a little bit more than that. I think we’ve been the most consistent team over the course of the season. So that shows that we’re the best team at the moment, and we want to get to a final and prove that.”
Corica added: “I think they’ve (players) heard it. Some of them have heard it already.
“I’ll bring it up a little bit closer to the game, just to remind them. But at the end of day, that’s his comments – a little bit disrespectful. But we focus on the game. We’re winning the game 1-0. We just got to finish the job off.”
Auckland left-back Francis de Vries was the architect of the team’s goal in Melbourne last week – his cross picking out Rogerson.
On that goal, Arzani also said: “I think it’s just so disappointing for us – the goal comes from nothing really, it’s just a nothing ball from the sideline.”
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In response, Corica told media: “Definitely not (a nothing ball).
“Obviously that came from a throw-in as well, long throw, which then he beat his man and put a fantastic ball into the box.
“That’s one of our strengths. Putting balls into the box, and obviously Francis’s crossing is one of his strengths as well. That’s part of our game. Logan was in the right spot and finished off really well. And that’s a great goal for us.”
Arzani was the player marking De Vries when he delivered that assist.
“Actually I did know that, but that’s why it was probably a nothing ball (for him),” Corica added.
