A-League Match Preview – Western Sydney Wanderers vs Adelaide United

A-League Match Preview – Western Sydney Wanderers vs Adelaide United [VIDEO]

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Two teams with things to prove at opposite ends of the table meet tomorrow night as Adelaide United travel to Pirtek Stadium to do battle with the Wanderers.

Western Sydney enter this clash off the back of a 1-0 loss to Central Coast Mariners last weekend. In many ways the match summed up the Wanderers’ horror season as a whole – defensive errors and missed chances. Tony Popovic only has two rounds left to steer his club off the bottom of the table and away from dreaded wooden spoon honours. A win against Adelaide United would do a lot to ease the Red and Black faithful’s fears of a finish in last place this season.

Melbourne Victory’s loss to the Newcastle Jets gave Adelaide United a golden opportunity to take top spot last Saturday night, provided they disposed of the Roar at home. However, the Reds faltered at the final hurdle and lost 3-2 to a spirited Brisbane side. The South Australian club is trailing first-placed Melbourne Victory by four points in a tight and thrilling premiership race, and a win against Western Sydney is essential in case the A-League throws up another surprising result.

Key Battle – Kerem Bulut vs Bruce Djite

It seems like the narrative for this match will focus heavily on the two strikers from each team. There have been questions raised over Bruce Djite’s lack of goals this season for the Reds, although the Adelaide target man’s current dry spell has been compounded by a lack of quality service of late. Perhaps a run against the cellar dwelling Wanderers could bump up Djite’s goal tally.

Contrastingly, Kerem Bulut has impressed in a lone-striker role for Western Sydney. The 23-year-old has scored five goals in seven matches, and has quickly become Tony Popovic’s first choice striker ahead of Socceroo Tomi Juric. Bulut’s appetite for the net could be more pronounced than ever against Adelaide United, following reports that he is in-demand by several A-League and overseas clubs.

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Team News

A host of senior players have been included in the Wanderers’ extended squad for the match against Adelaide. Japanese duo Yojiro Takahagi and Yusuke Tanaka are likely to return to the starting line-up. Mark Bridge also makes a return from injury, and will notch up his 200th A-League game in the midfield for Western Sydney. Captain Nikolai Topor-Stanley will again be rested, and the partnership of Jonathan Aspropotamitis and Matthew Spiranovic in central defence should remain.

Western Sydney Wanderers expected XI (4-2-3-1): Covic (GK), Gallaway, Aspropotamitis, Spiranovic, Tanaka; Takahagi, Poljak; Rukavytsya, Bridge, Castelen; Bulut.

Adelaide United will again be without their x-factor in Argentinian maestro Marcelo Carrusca, who is sidelined with a quad injury, it is likely that Sergio Cirio will be tasked with the crucial playmaker role in Carrusca’s absence. Josep Gombau will also be without the services of injured youngster Awer Mabil, and as a result will have some interesting selections to make in midfield.

Adelaide United expected XI (4-3-3): Galekovic (GK), Marrone, McGowan, Boogaard, Elrich; Isaias, Jeggo, Cirio; Palanca, Djite, Goodwin.

Head-to-head

Adelaide United have the edge in this fixture, with four wins to the Western Sydney Wanderers’ three. There has been one draw between the two clubs.

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Last Meeting

Labinot Haliti opened the scoring with a tap-in in the last encounter between these two A-League sides. However, the Wanderers’ relinquished the lead in the 51st minute after Tomi Juric failed to control a careless long ball from the Western Sydney defence, allowing Bruce Djite to smash home a long-range equaliser. Interestingly, there was no love lost between Matthew Spiranovic and Isaias, with an altercation between the pair resulting in Spiranovic being shown a red card. Minutes later, the Reds secured all three points after Sergio Cirio converted from a Craig Goodwin cross in stoppage time.

Prediction

The end of the season could not come soon enough for the ailing Western Sydney Wanderers, and Adelaide should come back from their shock loss against Brisbane Roar to secure a win in Parramatta.

Adelaide United 2 Western Sydney Wanderers 1

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