Second placed Adelaide United can put the pressure back on runaway leader Brisbane Roar with a win at Hindmarsh Stadium on Sunday night according to Reds coach Rini Coolen with his side currently eight points off the pace.
Brisbane have only lost once this season – a 3-0 defeat against Melbourne Victory mid September -and have racked up a record 18-match unbeaten run but Coolen remains confident the Reds can beat the Roar.
When the sides met earlier this season, they shared the points in their first encounter at Suncorp Stadium before the Roar smashed Adelaide 4-0 a month later.
Coolen admitted a third defeat against the Roar on Sunday would almost certainly seal the race for the minor premiership with the Dutchman adding only a Brisbane catastrophe would deny the club their first piece of silverware.
“If we win tomorrow, and we can, it will bring back the pressure on Brisbane,” he said.
“There are still a lot of games to go so we’ll focus on second spot and if we want to look at top then we have to win the game tomorrow.”
“There’s not a big gap between us and Brisbane, there is in points at the moment and if we lose that game then they will more than likely finish top.”
Coolen acknowledged Brisbane have been the standout team in the competition, even labelling Ange Postecoglou’s men as high a level as a European club after the 4-0 drubbing.
While the Reds have also produced some brilliant attacking football this season, Coolen conceded the Roar have maintained a superior level throughout entire campaign.
“I think from the start of the season they have played the best football in the league,” he said.
“We’ve come real close to them, we’ve played good football games but they’ve done it for the whole season.”
“They are real hard to beat. They’re a good level team and they have a lot of confidence. They keep the ball for long periods and they create a lot of chances.”
The Reds boss all but conceded he will be without his new imports, Uruguayan midfielder Francisco Usúcar and Dutchman Andy Slory, for the Brisbane clash, with United sweating on their FIFA International Transfer Clearance to come through.
Coolen hinted he will start with the same XI that beat Sydney FC 2-0 on Wednesday and has prepared the Reds as if Usúcar and Slory are not available.
“If it’s positive news we’ll find out tomorrow but more than likely they are not in the game,” he said.
“We’ve spoken about it all week, maybe they are there. If we use them, they will be on the bench and we can use them during the game. But I can’t wait until tomorrow (Sunday) to prepare my team for the day’s game.”
“The players that played against Sydney will get another chance, there’s no reason to change something. If I can use them (Usúcar and Slory) off the bench, that’s what I will find out tomorrow.”
Reds captain Travis Dodd will also return after missing the midweek clash after copping a knock on his ankle against Central Coast last week.
“It was too soon for him to play against Sydney but he’s ok now and more than likely he’ll be on the bench tomorrow,” he said.
