Sydney FC welcome high-flying Adelaide United with their A-League hopes all but crushed, hoping to restore some confidence leading into a big ACL fixture.
For 90 minutes plus, these two will be on an even footing for the contest at Allianz Stadium, but in truth, only the Reds have something serious to lose on Saturday evening. Sitting third on the table with 43 points, the South Australian club are a solitary point behind leaders Melbourne City. This is the time of the year where entire campaigns are judged successes or failures and they cannot afford a slip up here.
The hosts have managed to self destruct in a spectacular fashion for 2015-16. A 3-2 defeat to Brisbane Roar summed up everything that is wrong with the Sky Blues, creating a multitude of chances while shipping comically bad goals at the other end.
Holosko’s goal scoring form could not come at a worse time. Six points and minus six goals behind Melbourne Victory with two games left, the Slovakian marquee was not even selected by Arnold in the Asian Champions League squad, the only competition the club has left to play for.
Adelaide’s 4-2 win against the Central Coast Mariners on the other hand is affirmation of Amor’s versatile approach. They can blow a game open when required and shut up shop when the pressure from the opposition is at its peak.
But the sprint for the top spot is reaching boiling point now and the Reds will need all their skill and composure to put away a Sydney team already written off by pundits and fans alike. They could have picked an easier game to get the three points, but still should fancy their chances given current form.
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Key Battle – Bruce Djite vs Jacques Faty
Rarely does a big, target centre-forward get the opportunity to go one-on-one against a central-defender, but the contest between Bruce Djite and Jacques Faty will go a long way to deciding the result. Faty has given away late penalties on the road this season, one against the Reds in Adelaide to cost Sydney dearly. If Djite can bring his attacking midfielders into the game and keep the ball in Sydney’s half, then the Sky Blues will not be able to dictate terms. The veteran hitman has the experience and strength to utilise a Faty brain snap.
Team News
Although Graham Arnold would be best advised to rest his best players with the Pohang Steelers fixture just three evenings later, it appears he will give George Blackwood another start to make the most of his confidence in front of goal. Zac Anderson, Seb Ryall and Brandon O’Neil will all likely feature in the ACL and not on Saturday. That means the experience of Matt Simon and Shane Smeltz will be rested, while Ali Abbas and Rhyan Grant will be played in the fullback roles. Adelaide should be unchanged, unleashing young guns Stefan Mauk and Bruce Kamau on a fragile Sydney.
Head-to-head
In 35 fixtures against Sydney FC, Adelaide United enjoy a winning record of 16 wins, 13 losses and just the six draws. Allianz Stadium is not considered a daunting trip either, although they will want to improve on the seven wins, nine losses and two draws at the venue to date.
Previous Meeting
A thrilling 2-2 stalemate at Coopers Stadium back in early February was not enough to arrest the slide of Sydney or stop Adelaide’s momentum. Sergio Cirio’s brace cancelled out a goal to Matt Simon and a spectacular solo effort from Holosko. It was an encounter played at pace with plenty of intensity and ill-feeling. More of the same would be fantastic.
Prediction
Sydney FC cannot defend. The back four is a patchwork job as Graham Arnold has failed to solidify the defence against an Adelaide United outfit that comes with a potent attacking threat. However, with the pressure and expectation lifted for this encounter and Holosko playing with a point to prove, the hosts can give Eugene Galekovic a work over.
Sydney FC 2 Adelaide United 2
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