Roar Pro
On paper, tonight’s Round 9 clash between Adelaide United and Brisbane Roar seems equivalent to a David and Goliath battle. Join us for live scores and commentary 7.30pm AEDT.
In one corner, we have Adelaide. The Reds are a side accustomed to consistency over the years.
However, this season has proven to be a tumultuous one for Josep Gombau’s men, with United currently languishing in eighth place and without a win since the opening weekend.
At the other end, the story could not be more different. Mike Mulvey is enjoying a purple patch in his second season at the helm of the Roar, as his outfit comfortably sits at the top of the table, three points clear of reigning premiers Western Sydney.
The last time these two sides met was in last season’s Elimination Final at Coopers Stadium, where Brisbane managed to bundle Adelaide out of the playoffs with a convincing 2-1 victory away from home.
In fact, Adelaide has been a happy hunting ground for the outfit in recent years. Brisbane has gone unbeaten in the City of Churches since February 6, 2010, including three wins from three outings last season.
Jon McKain returns to the Adelaide squad after being sidelined with a virus, and United fans will be hoping the former Socceroo will help shore up the Reds’ leaky defence, which has conceded 15 goals this season – the highest in the A-League.
Meanwhile, in the Brisbane camp, Mulvey’s starting side which defeated Perth last week remains unchanged, with second-gamer Matt Acton continuing to stand between the posts in place of injured and usual shot-stopper Michael Theo.
In a further boost for the competition leaders, Liam Miller makes his return off the bench after being sidelined with injury for the last six weeks.
Despite the seeming mismatch on paper, Gombau’s side is under enormous pressure to deliver results, and could be inspired to perform with the backing of a passionate home crowd.
Brisbane’s only two losses from this season came away from home, and if Adelaide can take advantage of their strong possession-based game, they may be a chance of claiming an unlikely result against their more-fancied opponents.
If the Reds fail to do so, and provide yet another insipid performance, then Gombau could be out of the door by Monday.