On the eve of tomorrow night’s Elimination Final date with Adelaide United at AAMI Park, Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat says his side are peaking at the right time of the season.
Following Wednesday’s AFC Champions League triumph over Shanghai SIPG the Victory have won their last six matches in all competitions at home and Muscat says the midweek performance typifies his side’s spirit heading into the crunch match with the Reds.
“Wednesday’s given us a nice shot in the arm,” he said.
“The night showed the unity of the group and the way the older players in the team looked after the younger players showed that they cared.
“It was just a real good performance from us and again just a good show of how united the group is and I think it will hold us in good stead.”
Victory’s dominance in Melbourne has been one of the key factors in the side hitting their stride as the Hyundai A-League campaign reaches its climax.
Muscat’s men have never won five in a row at AAMI Park before and as the Victory boss gears up for his eighth Finals match at the helm,he suggested his charges have been slowly building for the high-stakes nature of Finals football throughout the campaign.
“The way this football club wants to play football it’s always been proactive and wanting to win games wherever you play so if you have that mindset you’re almost playing sudden death football week-in week-out,” he said.
“If anything that’s prepared us – this season, 27 rounds have prepared us for the opportunity and the game tomorrow night certainly won’t be anything different from our perspective.”
If the Melbourne club are entering the clash during their best form of the season they’ll certainly be bolstered by the fact Muscat and Victory have won four out of their last five matches against the Reds at AAMI Park – while never losing to Adelaide in a Finals match.
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