Queensland completes it ‘finals warm-up’ with this rescheduled fixture completing its third match against the other top four teams in the space of ten days. Frank Farina’s men bounced back from the loss to Melbourne to outgun Central Coast in a shootout at Bluetongue Stadium on Saturday.
Date: Wednesday January 14
Kick-off: 8:00pm AEDT, 7:30pm ACDT
Venue: Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
TV and Radio:
Live and exclusive broadcast on FOX Sports 3 Hyundai A-League club radio broadcast partner is FRESH FM (Adelaide). To purchase tickets visit www.venuetix.com.au
Head-to-head
11 A-League meetings: Adelaide – 5 wins, Queensland 2 wins – Draws – 4
Previous meeting
Queensland 0, Adelaide 1, Suncorp Stadium, Round 8, October 2008
Past Five Games
Adelaide United:
Round 14: Adelaide United 6, Wellington Phoenix 1, Hindmarsh Stadium
Round 17: Perth Glory 0, Adelaide United 1, Members Equity Stadium
Round 18: Adelaide United 2, Sydney FC 0. Adelaide Oval
Round 15: Melbourne Victory 1, Adelaide United 0, Telstra Dome
Round 19: Adelaide United 2, Newcastle Jets 0, Telstra Dome
Queensland Roar:
Round 13: Sydney FC 1, Queensland Roar 1, Sydney Football Stadium
Round 14: Central Coast Mariners 1, Queensland Roar 1, Bluetongue Stadium
Round 15: Queensland Roar 2, Newcastle Jets 1, Suncorp Stadium
Round 17: Queensland Roar 3, Wellington Phoenix 2, Suncorp Stadium
Round 18: Melbourne Victory 2, Queensland Roar 1, Telstra Dome
Round 19: Central Coast Mariners 3, Queensland Roar 4, Bluetongue Stadium
Analysis
Queensland completes it ‘finals warm-up’ with this rescheduled fixture completing its third match against the other top four teams in the space of ten days. Frank Farina’s men bounced back from the loss to Melbourne to outgun Central Coast in a shootout at Bluetongue Stadium on Saturday.
There is a certain x-factor about this Roar team with the bevy of talented youngsters giving them somewhat of an unpredictable edge. On the weekend, it was Tahj Minniecon who set the team alight with a brilliant performance, which has given his team an outside chance at the premiership.
Farina’s men, who have lost just one of their past seven, are just four points behind but just about have to win this one to keep top spot within reach. A win would definitely secure them a finals spot while a loss would see Adelaide skip seven points clear. Fifth–placed Wellington would then just be just four points behind the Roar with two matches remaining.
Farina has lost experienced defensive pair Josh McCloughan and Danny Tiatto, who are carrying injuries, while Ben Griffin, Robbie Kruse, Matt Mundy and Tim Smits come into an extended squad. Smits earned his recall with a hat-trick in Saturday’s Youth League match.
Paul Agostino is likely to make a comeback for the top-of-the-table Reds who bounced back from a below-par performance against Melbourne mid-week to easily account for Newcastle. The issue for Aurelio Vidmar is that this is his team’s fourth match in 12 days and the team’s 30th since the start of the Pre-Season Cup.
That’s possibly part of the reason why he has looked to Agostino, who has made just five appearances this year, the last time when Adelaide defeated the Roar in Round 8. The former Socceroo is set to retire come season’s end and this is the club’s final home and away match at home this season.
However, on the eve of the match, Vidmar said he still wasn’t 100 per cent certain of who would come into the side for the three men who will miss through injury Daniel Mullen, Kristian Sarkies and Matthew Nash. Codey Larkin is in as Eugene Galekovic’s back-up, while Agostino is joined in an extended squad by Jason Spagnuolo and Angelo Costanzo.
Adelaide has lost just one of its past five matches against Queensland, but the only two times the Reds have been beaten by the Roar has been at Hindmarsh Stadium.
Adelaide United:
20.Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 2.Robert CORNTHWAITE, 3.ALEMAO, 4.Angelo COSTANZO, 5.Michael VALKANIS, 6.CASSIO, 7.Lucas PANTELIS, 9.Paul AGOSTINO, 10.CRISTIANO, 13.Travis DODD (capt.), 14.Scott JAMIESON, 18.Fabian BARBIERO, 19.Sasa OGNENOVSKI, 21.Jason SPAGNUOLO, 24.Paul REID, 25.Robert YOUNIS, 70.Codey LARKIN (gk)
* 2 to be omitted
In: Paul AGOSTINO (promoted), Jason SPAGNUOLO (promoted), Angelo COSTANZO (promoted)
Out: Matthew NASH (gk) (shoulder – 2 weeks), Kristian SARKIES (ankle – 2 weeks), Daniel MULLEN (knee – 4 weeks)
Unavailable: Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk) (ankle – 2 weeks), DIEGO (quad – 1 week), Daniel BELTRAME (gk) (knee – season)
Queensland Roar: 20. Griffin McMASTER, 2. Andrew PACKER, 3. Luke DEVERE, 4. Craig MOORE, 7. Michael ZULLO, 8. Massimo MURDOCCA, 9. Sergio VAN DIJK, 12. Tahj MINNIECON, 14. Ben GRIFFIN, 15. Matt McKAY, 16. Hyuk-Su SEO, 17. Mitch NICHOLS, 21. Tommy OAR, 22. Robbie KRUSE, 23. Tim SMITS, 24. Matt MUNDY, 40. Matt HAM. (*two to be omitted)
In: 14. Ben GRIFFIN, 22. Robbie KRUSE, 23. Tim SMITS, 24. Matt MUNDY.
Out: 5. Josh McCLOUGHAN (injured), 18. Danny TIATTO (injured).
Unavailable: 1. Liam REDDY (injured), 10. Charlie MILLER (injured), 11. REINALDO (injured).
