A weight will have lifted following the club’s first win but the Wanderers will need to come down from that high quickly with the wounded Heart desperate to snap their two-game losing streak.
Date: Friday, November 2, 2012
Kick-off: 7.30pm AEDT
Venue: Parramatta Stadium, Sydney
Head-to-head:
N/A
Previous encounter:
N/A
Form:
Past five matches:
Wanderers: DLLW
Heart: WDLL
The Game:
The Wanderers will be keen to give their home fans some joy after breaking through for an historic first goal and win over champions Brisbane Roar last weekend.
Given that performance the Wanderers are likely to stick with the same side for this clash, although Dino Kresinger could come into the squad after missing the Roar clash with a hip injury. Young striker Joey Gibbs was excellent in Kresinger’s absence and should keep his spot in attack.
After a strong opening fortnight, the Heart’s season has taken a turn for the worse, losing their last two games including the 1-0 home defeat against the Central Coast last Sunday.
If that wasn’t bad enough coach John Aloisi has injury concerns over a host of key players for their trip north. Skipper Fred (hamstring), midfield partner Matt Thompson (thigh) and striker Dylan MacAllister (ribs) are all battling to prove their fitness for this weekend.
Mate Dugandzic was impressive off the bench against the Mariners and could force his way back into the starting side while Josip Tadic may also get a start if MacAllister is ruled out. Aloisi will also need to find replacements for Ben Garrucio and David Vrankovic who are away with the Australian under-19 squad.
The big issue:
Wanderers – Shinji Ono has shown glimpses of his exceptional talent but has yet to put it together for the full 90 minutes. It will obviously take time for Ono to gel with his new teammates and they definitely need to play to his strengths a lot more, but Tony Popovic will want to see more from his sta import.
Heart – The Heart have been playing some of the best football in the A-League over the opening month but in the last couple of weeks haven’t got the rewards.
Much of that has got to do with their work in the final third, with the final pass or strike on goal seeming to go astray. While there’s no reason to panic just yet, they will need to find a more ruthless streak in front of goal if they are to move their way up the ladder.
The game breaker:
Aaron Mooy – The young midfielder has been receiving plenty of plaudits for his start to the season and if the Wanderers are to notch their first home win he will need to be at his best again. Mooy has shown he’s not only adept at breaking up opposition attacks but his range of passing and forward play has been a feature of his performances.
Prediction: Wanderers 1-0 Heart
There will be a great sense of relief among the Wanderers players and coaching staff to have finally secured the club’s first ever win. But they will need to come down from that high quickly with the wounded Heart desperate to snap their two-game losing streak.
Much will depend on whether the Heart medical staff can get the likes of Fred, Thompson and MacAllister over their knocks and onto the field. Even if they do there’s a good chance they will be below their best anyway, which should give the home side the edge.
