Inaugural FFA Cup final is one for the history books

Two of the A-League’s inaugural clubs will fittingly battle out the inaugural FFA Cup final on Tuesday night. But among the flashy lights of modern Australian football, both clubs also represent a vital link to the game’s past.

While they don’t hark back to the 1970s, and the origins of national football, or represent the raw nature of the grassroots, Perth Glory and Adelaide United still hold links to the old National Soccer League.

It would have been something special to see Sydney United or South Melbourne in the final, but Perth versus Adelaide is close to the next best thing. They are two of just three A-League clubs that appeared in the NSL.

While Adelaide only competed in one season, Perth Glory, founded in 1995, were a powerhouse in the competition’s final years.

That the contest therefore predates the A-League and pays tribute to the NSL, is appropriate given the competition’s main objective was to reconnect to Australian football’s past.

History
The two clubs first met on November 16, 2003, in the final season of the NSL. Adelaide’s inaugural campaign had started with a bang and they were unbeaten in eight games.

Yet Perth soon put an end to the party, dealing out a clinical 4-1 defeat with a double from Tom Pondeljak and one apiece for legends Bobby Despotovski and Damian Mori. Matthew Kemp grabbed the consolation goal for Adelaide, and all four scorers would take part in the A-League’s first year.

Perth also came out on top in the return match, with Mori scoring a brace, as Glory stormed to the top of the table to win the premiership, Adelaide finishing 17 points behind in third.

The two teams met up in the preliminary final, Perth romping to a 5-0 win at Subiaco Oval in front of 17,500. Despotovski and Mori were again the thorns in Adelaide’s side, scoring a brace apiece with Nik Mrdja grabbing the fifth.

Yet since the start of the A-League, Adelaide have dominated the tie, winning 13 of the next 28 games to Perth’s eight, with seven ties resulting in stalemates.

Despite the Reds’ dominance, Mori and Despotovski continued their fine form against the South Australians. Mori is top goalscorer in the rivalry with seven goals, closely followed by Travis Dodd on six and Despotovski on five.

Perth’s 3-0 whitewash in the 2011-12 season, the season they made the grand final, signaled the end of a brief Glory resurgence and Adelaide have won three and drawn four of the past seven matches.

The latest was in October this year, Adelaide defeating Glory 2-0 thanks to goals from Sergio Cirio and Awer Mabil. Expect goals on Tuesday, with clashes between these two sides serving up a juicy 84 in just 31 games – an average of 2.7 per game.

Recent form
That defeat to Adelaide in October was Perth’s last of the season so far and the club sit pretty atop of the A-League, dropping just five points and holding a three-point advantage over second place.

They’ve won eight games, drawn one and lost won, scoring 17 goals and conceding 10.

Adelaide went on a seven-game unbeaten streak at the start of the season, but have since lost two of their last three games, conceding five goals in the process.

Despite being known for their attacking flair, Adelaide have kept four clean sheets this season, boasting the league’s best defence and trumping Perth’s two shutouts.

This is the first time the two teams have appeared in a knock-out fixture since the 2004 NSL preliminary final, having never been drawn together during A-League finals.

Road to the Cup

Adelaide
Adelaide started their FFA Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Wellington Phoenix in the Round of 32.

Despite missing coach Josep Gombau and a raft of players due to the A-League All Stars match, Cirio grabbed the winner from a Mabil cross, while youngster Paul Izzo made a number of vital saves in goal.

A 2-0 win over Brisbane Roar followed in the Round of 16, with goals to Bruce Djite and Cirio continuing the Reds’ blistering start to the season.

Sydney FC were next, and Adelaide required extra time to see off the in-form Sky Blues. Cirio and Alex Brosque traded goals before Ben Williams dubiously sent Nikola Petković off for a challenge on Fabio Ferreira.

That allowed the Reds to take control, Djite scoring a brace in extra time and sealing a semi-final showdown with the Central Coast Mariners.

A resolute Mariners defence looked solid in the first half of the semi-final, but a fantastic free-kick routine from Marcelo Carrusca and Pablo Sánchez sent Cirio free for his fourth consecutive goal in the competition, before Mabil doubled the lead shortly prior to halftime.

Matt Simon’s introduction and goal sparked a short-lived Mariners comeback, but Cirio sealed the tie after great play from Mabil, making a late Josh Rose strike obsolete and running out 3-2 winners to charge towards the final.

Perth
Perth Glory kick-started their run to the final with a routine win over the Newcastle Jets, new Irish hero Andy Keogh grabbing a brace with some typical goal poaching.

Next up they saw off a plucky St Albans outfit, Serbian Nebojša Marinković announcing himself with a superbly taken free kick and a last-minute individual effort in a 4-1 rout.

A fiercely contested 4-2 victory over Melbourne Victory followed, with a Keogh double cancelled out by an early piledriver from Fahid Ben Khalfallah and a 90th minute Gui “Kaka” Finkler free kick.

Perth came out the better side in extra time, however, substitutes Daniel De Silva and Marinković finishing off counter attacks as Victory saw both Adrian Leijer and Daniel Georgievski sent off.

Bentleigh Greens provided the opposition for Perth’s semi-final, and despite a shaky start the professionalism of A-League outfit shone through. Marinković again provided the breakthrough with a top-class free kick and went home with a brace, Glory running out 3-0 victors.

Key battles

Isaías Sánchez versus Rostyn Griffiths
These two players are probably the best performing midfielders in the A-League so far this season, and both have played crucial roles in their club’s success.

Isaías, at just 27, is on his way to becoming the A-League’s best import. His role as a defensive lynchpin, cleaning up in front of Nigel Boogaard and Osama Malik, is essential to Gombau’s tactics and he’s equally capable of sparking attacks with his broad passing range.

Griffiths is more of a traditional defensive midfielder, but is equally crucial in boss Kenny Lowe’s gameplan. He was particularly dominant against Newcastle on the weekend.

Marcelo Carrusca versus Nebojša Marinković
Set pieces could indeed decide this match, and Carrusca and Marinković represent the best dead ball specialists in the A-League at the moment.

Adelaide’s Argentine winger holds a remarkable understanding with Spanish teammates Sánchez and Isaías, and his quick thinking will require Perth’s defence to remain on their toes.

Marinković provides an entirely different proposition, and his pin-point deliveries and exquisite shots from the dead ball will fully test out Eugene Galekovic, the best keeper in the A-League.

Bruce Djite versus Michael Thwaite
Both players can be completely unplayable when at their peak, and the battle between the former Socceroos will be critical in the final result.

Djite can fashion chances from nothing and is capable of truly sensational goals when he’s in the mood. Michael Thwaite, meanwhile, has experienced a resurgence in the heart of the Glory defence this year.

Likely line-ups
Adelaide have mixed things up this season, changing from a 3-4-3 to a 4-3-3 throughout their A-League and FFA Cup campaigns.

They played with three at the back in their win over Perth in October, Cirio taking on the striker’s role in the absence of Djite.

However, with Osama Malik almost certainly ruled out, and injury clouds over Nigel Boogaard, it’s more likely Gombau will stick with a back four of Craig Goodwin, Dylan McGowan, Michael Marrone and Tarek Elrich.

However, if Boogaard passes a fitness test, Goodwin could be pushed forward and Marrone dropped to the bench to accommodate a back three.

Up front, expect Djite to lead the line with the support of Cirio and Carrusca, while the trio of Pablo Sánchez, James Jeggo and Isaías will likely control the centre of the park.

Perth Glory’s scintillating start to the season has been based around the goals of Keogh, but also their consistent starting 11. They’ve played the same back five in every A-League game this season bar one – Danny Vukovic, Scott Jamieson, Thwaite, Dino Djulbic and Josh Risdon – while Rostyn Griffiths and Marinković have been ever-presents in midfield.

Daniel De Silva has secured a first team spot at the detriment to both Mitch Nichols and Richard Garcia, but with Youssouf Hersi out for the season, Perth’s starting 11 should contain all three with Keogh up front.

Prediction
In front of a sell-out crowd at Hindmarsh Stadium, it really is difficult to go past Gombau’s Reds. They’ve looked a little sluggish in recent weeks, and their finishing has left a lot to be desired at times this season.

They could also be without their two best defenders – Boogaard and Malik – who are both key figures in the way Adelaide play. If Boogaard doesn’t feature, Perth will have a massive advantage.

It’s also dangerous to write off Perth based on current form. Keogh is a typical poacher, popping up in the right place at the right time, and De Silva and Marinković provide multiple threats in the channels.

The game will likely feature a few goals, Adelaide prospering in a 2-1 victory with Awer Mabil taking out the Mark Viduka Medal.

Either way, it should be a cracker, and another milestone for Australian football. Kick-off is 8pm (AEST) and televised on Fox Sports.