Adelaide United are confident they can control Gold Coast’s deadly strike force of Shane Smeltz and Bruce Djite, declaring it the key to winning their A-League minor semi-final on Sunday.
The Reds have rediscovered their form in the past fortnight, beating Melbourne Victory and winning their opening finals clash with a 1-0 triumph over Wellington Phoenix last weekend.
Another bumper crowd looms at Adelaide’s Hindmarsh Stadium for a clash with Gold Coast, who surprisingly frogmarched the Victory out of the competition with a last-gasp goal last weekend.
In-form Reds defender Nigel Boogaard believes they will need to keep New Zealand international Smeltz and ex-Reds striker Djite quiet to ensure victory.
“They’re the two that can probably change the game,” Boogaard said of Smeltz and Djite, who have scored 16 goals between them this season.
“Smeltzy is quite dangerous all over the park and Bruce is quite a handful in the box as well.
“So hopefully whoever is in at the back can do the job and keep them scoreless, because we know we’ve always we’ve got goals in us regardless of who we’re playing against.
“If we play the way we know how to, as a squad we’re quite confident we can get over the line.”
The Reds continue to sweat on the fitness of Uruguayan midfielder Francisco Usucar, who was restricted to non-contact work at training on Friday.
Should he fail to overcome a groin injury, Usucar’s likely replacement is Paul Reid, which would complete a remarkable week for a player who wanted out of the Reds ahead of last weekend’s final.
“(Usucar) is out there doing a few things for us and he’s done well for us lately, so hopefully he’ll be out there on the park,” Boogaard said.
“It’s one of those injuries you take day by day.”
A decision on Usucar could come as late as match-day.
The winners of the Adelaide United-Gold Coast clash will meet the losers of the Brisbane Roar-Central Coast semi-final in next weekend’s preliminary final.
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