Fresh from a thrilling draw in the AFC Champions League (ACL), Adelaide United will look to hurt fellow continental competitors Brisbane Roar in the Hyundai A-League on Sunday.
MATCH DETAILS
Sunday, 19 March 2017
Adelaide United v Brisbane Roar FC
Coopers Stadium, Adelaide
Kick-Off: 4:30PM (Local) (5:00PM (AEDT))
Referee: Stephen Lucas
Assistant Referee 1: Paul Cetrangolo
Assistant Referee 2: James Tesoriero
Fourth Official: Rick Schneider
TV Broadcast: Live coverage on Fox Sports 505 from 4.30pm (AEDT) and Sky Sport 3 (New Zealand)
Radio Broadcast: ABC Grandstand ABC Radio Adelaide, ABC Radio SA, Grandstand Digital, Online & via the ABC Radio Mobile App – A-league Live
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #ADLvBRI #FFW
To purchase tickets visit www.aleague.com.au
Adelaide United squad: 1.Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk) (c), 4.Dylan McGOWAN, 5.Taylor REGAN, 7.Jae-sung KIM, 9.Baba DIAWARA, 11.Sergio CIRIO, 12.Mark OCHIENG, 13.Marc MARINO, 14.George MELLS, 15.Ben WARLAND, 16.Jesse MAKAROUNAS, 17.Nikola MILEUSNIC, 18.Riley McGREE, 19.Ben GARUCCIO, 21.Tarek ELRICH, 24.Jordan O’DOHERTY, 30.Daniel MARGUSH (gk), 92.Eli BABALJ
**two to be omitted**
Ins: 1.Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk) (returns from injury), 13.Marc MARINO (promoted), 14.George MELLS (promoted), 15.Ben WARLAND (promoted), 17.Nikola MILEUSNIC (promoted)
Outs: 2.Michael MARRONE (not selected), 10.Marcelo CARRUSCA (not selected), 20.John HALL (gk) (not selected)
Unavailable: 3.Iacopo LA ROCCA (hip – 3 weeks), 8.Isaìas (knee – indefinite), 22.Ryan KITTO (hamstring – 2 weeks), 23.Jordan ELSEY (knee – season)
Brisbane Roar FC squad: 1.Michael THEO (gk), 5.Corey BROWN, 6.Avram PAPADOPOULOS, 7.Thomas KRISTENSEN, 8.Jacob PEPPER, 9.Jamie MACLAREN, 10.Brett HOLMAN, 13.Jade NORTH, 15. ARANA, 17.Matt MCKAY (c), 19.Jack HINGERT, 20.Shannon BRADY, 21.Jamie YOUNG (gk), 25.Kye ROWLES, 26.Nick D’AGOSTINO, 28.Brandon BORRELLO, 29.Joe CALETTI, 46.Cameron CRESTANI
**two to be omitted**
Ins: 7.Thomas KRISTENSEN (promoted), 20.Shannon BRADY (promoted), 25.Kye ROWLES (promoted), 28.Brandon BORRELLO (promoted)
Outs: 11.Tommy OAR (hamstring – 3 weeks), 22.Thomas Broich (ankle – 1 week)
Unavailable: 3.Luke DEVERE (calf – 1-2 weeks), 4.Daniel BOWLES (knee – season), 24.Connor O’TOOLE (ankle – 3 weeks)
BLUFFER’S GUIDE
Both teams were involved in the ACL this week, with Roar losing 3-0 away to Kashima Antlers on Tuesday night and the Reds completing a thrilling 3-3 draw with Jeju United at home 24 hours later.
How Brisbane handles the trip back from Japan and onwards to South Australia could decide this match.
Promisingly for coach John Aloisi, Roar have yet to lose in the A-League after their two previous trips in Asia this year, notching a draw and a win.
Aloisi’s men will be aiming to leapfrog Melbourne City into third in the table if the latter fail to beat Newcastle Jets on Saturday night.
Brisbane (33 points) trail City on goal difference with five rounds remaining before the A-League finals.
Adelaide’s domestic form has been dreadful in 2016/17 – they have won just three games in their defence of the premiership-championship double – and few will expect the Reds to triumph at Coopers Stadium on Sunday.
In their favour, however, is a decent recent record against Brisbane – Adelaide have only lost once in their past four meetings with Roar, although that came in the most recent fixture in December when Aloisi’s side triumphed 4-0.
In the first clash of the season between these teams, Adelaide came from behind to draw 1-1 at home.
Adelaide coach Guillermo Amor has named an unchanged squad to the one that took on Jeju this week.
Thomas Broich drops out of Roar’s squad with an ankle injury, while Thomas Kristensen is added to the group that were involved against Kashima.
Brisbane will look to continue their improving form away from home in the A-League as they haven’t lost in four road trips.
In fact, Roar have lost just two of their past 11 domestic fixtures outside Suncorp Stadium.
OPTA DATA
- Brisbane have won only one of their last four games against Adelaide (D1, L2), though that victory came in a 4-0 rout of the Reds in their last encounter.
- Adelaide have lost only one of their last 13 Sunday games played on home soil, falling to the Mariners in November 2016.
- Brisbane Roar are undefeated in their last four games away from home (W2, D2), with both of those wins in that span coming after not leading at the break (level once, behind once).
- Adelaide United have won 52.4% of duels contested so far this season, the second-most of any team in the competition behind Perth Glory (53.3%).
ROUTE TO GOAL
Roar have yet to score in three games in Group E in the ACL, with Muangthong United, Ulsan and Kashima highlighting Brisbane’s weakness this season.
Of the A-League’s top-six clubs, only Western Sydney Wanderers (24 goals) have scored fewer than Brisbane’s 31 goals in 2016/17.
With Jamie Maclaren (13 goals) having scored over 40 per cent of Roar’s goals this term, Aloisi’s side are more than a little one-dimensional up front.
Adelaide’s three goals against Jeju were uncharacteristic of Amor’s men – the Reds have only scored multiple goals in two of their previous 25 games in all competitions this season.
Baba Diawara and Sergio Cirio opened their respective accounts on Wednesday night, while youngster Mark Ochieng produced the equaliser to strengthen his status as a fan favourite in Adelaide.
WHO’S BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT THIS WEEK?
Eugene Galekovic. Adelaide’s captain was quoted in the Adelaide Advertiser this week indicating he may leave the Reds at the end of the season as the South Australian club is reportedly on the verge of signing Paul Izzo from Central Coast Mariners.
FORM LINES (last five league games)
Adelaide United: LLWLD
Brisbane Roar: DDDLW
PREDICTION
Adelaide United 1-1 Brisbane Roar
