Round 6 A-League match previews

Preview of round six of the A-League this weekend.

FRIDAY
ADELAIDE UNITED v CENTRAL COAST MARINERS at Hindmarsh Stadium, 8pm
Head to Head: Adelaide 5, Central Coast 5, Draw 3
Last meeting: Adelaide United 1 bt Central Coast Mariners 0 at Bluetongue Stadium, Jan 2009.
TAB Sportsbet: Adelaide $2.30, Draw $3.30, Central Coast $2.90

Adelaide United dodged another bullet in New Zealand last weekend, hanging on for a 1-1 draw when a disallowed goal and some wayward finishing denied Wellington. It’s been a difficult season for last season’s grand finalists and the injuries keep coming with uncertainty over striker Lloyd Owusu’s neck problem. Skipper Travis Dodd and Cassio are expected to recover from calf injuries to play, but there’s no Robert Cornthwaite because of disciplinary reasons. The Mariners continue to ride high after sealing a late 2-1 win over Perth and the return of influential left-back Dean Heffernan is a big inclusion. United will also be attempting to restore the reputation of “Fortress Hindmarsh”, which is starting to become a place teams pinch points regularly.

Key: Adelaide are still struggling for goals, and Dodd’s return looms as vital to getting some.
Tip: Adelaide United

SATURDAY
NEWCASTLE JETS v BRISBANE ROAR at EnergyAustralia Stadium, 5.30pm
Head to head: Newcastle 6, Brisbane 5, Draw 2
Last meeting: Queensland Roar 2 bt Newcastle Jets 1 at Suncorp Stadium, Dec 2008
TAB Sportsbet: Newcastle $2.30, Draw $3.30, Brisbane $2.85

Newcastle will be buoyed by good results in successive weeks against front-runners Gold Coast and champions Melbourne. They are a far better side than last season under the clever coaching of Branko Culina, and there is an interesting sub-plot to this match going back more than a decade. When Culina had Sydney United playing superb football in the 1996-97 NSL season, they lost the grand final to the Brisbane Strikers – player-coached by the then-inexperienced Farina. The Roar keep picking up yellow cards at an alarming rate and their performances are up-and-down. There’s a real solidity about the Jets right now, and the return of marquee Italian Fabio Vignaroli and striker Sasho Petrovski only makes things better. The Roar have also lost winger Robbie Kruse in a surprise mid-season switch to Melbourne.

Key: Vignaroli impressed in his opening two matches for the Jets and will be a handful for an undermanned Roar midfield.
Tip: Newcastle Jets.

SYDNEY FC v NORTH QUEENSLAND FURY at Sydney Football Stadium, 7.30pm
Head to head: Sydney FC 1, North Queensland 0, Draw 0
Last meeting: Sydney FC 3 bt North Queensland Fury 2 at Dairy Farmers Stadium, Aug 2009
TAB Sportsbet: Sydney FC $1.48, Draw $3.85, Townsville $6.75

Gold Coast lowered Sydney FC’s colours for the first time this season, but normal service should resume against the Fury. The newcomers have been good the past two weeks and striker Robbie Fowler has shown his quality. But Sydney FC look serious championship challengers, playing more disciplined and smarter football than they have since season one under coach Vitezslav Lavicka. Already they have a win over the Fury in round one to their credit. Socceroo midfielder Stuart Musialik extends Sydney’s bench depth, which is also likely to include skipper Steve Corica.

Key: Fowler versus Sydney FC’s John Aloisi will be intriguing, with both in decent form. Who nets, wins.
Tip: Sydney FC

SUNDAY
MELBOURNE VICTORY v WELLINGTON PHOENIX at Etihad Stadium, 3pm
Head to head: Melbourne 3, Wellington 1, Draw 2
Last meeting: Melbourne Victory 2 bt Wellington Phoenix 0 at Etihad Stadium, Jan 2009.
TAB Sportsbet: Melbourne $1.55, Draw $3.65, Wellington $6.00

All change at the Victory. Danny Allsopp is off to the Middle East, while wide attacker Robbie Kruse comes in as a surprise mid-season signing from Brisbane Roar. But losing midfield string-puller Billy Celeski with a serious knee injury, as well as the injury to Kevin Muscat are searching tests of depth for the champions. Wellington’s hurdle is six of their players and coach Ricki Herbert are on New Zealand international duty in Jordan, and only arrive in Melbourne 48 hours prior to kickoff. The trump cards may be strikers Paul Ifill and Chris Greenacre, who put themselves about. Physicality is something the Victory’s defence hasn’t dealt with well this campaign. If Muscat is fit after a month out with a hamstring problem, that will help.

Key: Phoenix winger Leo Bertos has had a great start to the season and his quality delivery and workrate have helped Ifill and Greenacre to be dangerous.
Tip: Melbourne Victory.

PERTH GLORY v GOLD COAST UNITED at ME Bank Stadium, 5pm
Head to head: First meeting
TAB Sportsbet: Perth $3.25, Draw $3.30, Gold Coast $2.10

While much has been made of the return of Gold Coast’s marquee man Jason Culina and the brilliant form of striker Shane Smeltz, the Coast face a test without a player arguably just as impressive this season – Joel Porter. His ability to hold the ball up, deliver a cross and bring others into the play has been a huge part of Gold Coast’s march to the summit and Smeltz being able to score the goals he has. Porter’s calf injury may be a bigger blow to the Coast than many think. Glory will be stung by their last-gasp defeat to Central Coast off a goalkeeping howler. Club stalwarts Jamie Coyne and Jamie Harnwell have both been included after overcoming injury, adding further defensive steel.

Key: Will international commitments this week in the Middle East take the edge off Smeltz? The Kiwi has more goals this season himself than any other A-League club.
Tip: Draw