John van ‘t Schip’s men are finals bound and in good form with the Finals Series fast approaching. Can they take advantage of Perth Glory’s off-field woes to register a rare victory in WA?
MATCH DETAILS
Sunday, 19 April 2015
nib Stadium, Perth
Kick-Off: 3:00 PM (Local) (5:00 PM AEST)
SQUADS
Perth Glory FC squad: 1.Danny VUKOVIC (gk), 4.Riley WOODCOCK, 5.Rostyn GRIFFITHS, 6.Dino DJULBIC, 9.Andy KEOGH, 10.Nebojsa MARINKOVIC, 11.Richard GARCIA, 13.Diogo FEREIRRA, 14.Chris Harold, 15.Jamie MACLAREN, 18.Jack DUNCAN (gk), 19.Josh RISDON, 20.Daniel DE SILVA, 21.Scott JAMIESON, 23.Michael THWAITE (c), 25.Mitch OXBORROW, 27.Dragan PALJIC, 28.Denis KRAMAR
***two to be omitted***
Ins: 4.Riley WOODCOCK (promoted), 13.Diogo FEREIRRA (promoted)
Outs: 16.Sidnei SCIOLA (not selected)
Unavailable: 7.Youssouf HERSI, 8.Ruben ZADKOVICH (2 weeks)
Melbourne City FC squad: 1.Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 4.Connor CHAPMAN, 5.Erik PAARTALU, 6.Aaron MOOY, 7.Iain RAMSAY, 8.Massimo MURDOCCA, 9.Harry NOVILLO, 10.Robert KOREN, 13.Jonatan GERMANO, 15.David WILLIAMS, 16.Josh KENNEDY, 18.Paulo RETRE, 20.Tando VELAPHI (GK), 22.Jack CLISBY, 24.Patrick KISNORBO (c), 26.Marc MARINO, 28.Nick SYMEOY
***one to be omitted***
Ins: 7.Iain RAMSAY (promoted), 22.Jack CLISBY (promoted), 26.Marc MARINO (promoted), 28.Nick SYMEOY (promoted)
Outs: 25.Jacob MELLING (suspended, card accumulation – 1 match), 27.Kew JALIENS (suspended, card accumulation – 1 match), 29.Safuwan BAHARUDIN (tbc)
Unavailable: 3.Robbie WIELAERT (ankle – 2 weeks), 11.Damien DUFF (ankle/calf – indefinite), 14.James BROWN (foot – 5-6 weeks), 19.Ben GARUCCIO (ankle – 6-7 weeks)
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
Hashtag: #PERvMCY
Referee: Chris Beath
Assistant Referee 1: Mathew Cheeseman
Assistant Referee 2: Josh Mannella
Fourth Official: David Bruce
BLUFFER’S GUIDE
– Glory have failed to win any of their last three against Melbourne City (D2 L1).
– City have lost their previous four visits to Perth to nil (including playoffs).
– Only Wellington’s Nathan Burns (7) has scored more home goals this season than Perth Glory’s Andy Keogh (6).
– Both of the previous meetings this season between these two sides have ended as a draw.
– Perth have shipped at least two goals in each of their last seven home games.
– City have kept clean sheets in four of their last five matches.
ROUTE TO GOAL
Damien Duff and James Brown are sidelined for City but they’ve still got plenty of attacking firepower to call on. Just about every member of their midfield and forward line had a crack at breaking down Wellington Phoenix in a 0-0 draw at AAMI Park last Sunday evening, but they either left their shooting boots back at the training ground or found Glen Moss in assured form between the sticks.
Josh Kennedy, Robert Koren, Harry Novillo and David Williams are all available, while Iain Ramsay and youngster Marc Marino have also been included in the match-day squad.
Surely that’s enough to get past the demoralised Glory backline?
There will be two changes in defence for City due to Kew Jaliens’ suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards. Safuwan Baharudin has also been omitted.
Perth have released Cerezo Osaka’s Mitch Nichols early from his season-long loan, but Andy Keogh, Jamie Maclaren, Richard Garcia, Chris Harold and Dragan Paljic are a group of forwards not to be underestimated.
Concentration may understandably have been an issue at nib Stadium last weekend. If their focus is better on Sunday, the hosts are more than capable of worrying City.
WHO’S BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT THIS WEEK?
City goalkeeper Tando Velaphi has impressed since taking over from Andrew Redmayne earlier this season. Now the 27-year-old will be taking on the team he made 74 appearances for between 2007 and 2011.
