Muscat confident of upset ACL win

Kevin Muscat is under no illusions about the size of the task facing Melbourne Victory on Wednesday night in his last-ever match on Australian soil.

Muscat rates Japanese powerhouse Gamba Osaka the standout team in their Asian Champions League group and one of the very best in Asia.

But the ultra-competitive Muscat remains convinced the Victory’s best will be enough to secure the win necessary to keep alive their hopes of advancing to the knockout stage.

Victory currently sit last in the Group E standings with four points, but wins in the last two games against Gamba Osaka on Wednesday at Etihad Stadium and away to South Korea’s Jeju United next week would lift them to second spot and into the round of 16.

The Victory started the competition in the worst possible way, losing 5-1 away to Gamba in early March – a result that led to the sacking of coach Ernie Merrick.

“It was a hammering, it was probably the lowest point of being at the football club, how we performed – we really let everyone down on the night,” said Muscat, who has been at the club since its inception six years ago.

“I just hope tomorrow night we can put on a good performance, stick to the structure that Mem (stand-in coach Mehmet Durakovic) has asked us to do and hopefully the result will look after itself.

“Gamba are a very good side and without doubt, for me, the best side in the group.

“So we’re going to have to be at our best, or somewhere near our best, to get a result and the right result is three points.

“They’re a good side, but they’re beatable.”

The Victory have been forced to make three changes from the side that beat group leaders Tianjin Teda 2-1 in the last round, with suspended trio Grant Brebner, Robbie Kruse and Surat Sukha making way for striker Danny Allsopp, defender Rody Vargas and youngster Diogo Ferreira.

Durakovic listed Gamba’s Brazilian striker Adriano – who scored two goals in their last-start 3-1 win over Jeju – Japanese World Cup star Yasuhito Endo and skipper Tomokazu Myojin as the visitors’ three most important players.

Gamba have lost both of their away games in the ACL this year, but have brought a full-strength squad to Melbourne for Wednesday’s match.

If the Victory advance to the ACL knockout stage, the 37-year-old Muscat’s last game will be the round-of-16 clash, which is almost certain to be played on foreign soil.

Otherwise, he will end a decorated and controversial career away to Jeju United in Korea next week.