A nine-day turnaround has John Aloisi confident Brisbane Roar will be up for the fight in Tuesday night’s AFC Champions League soccer clash with Japanese side Kashima Antlers.
An exhausted Roar were smashed 6-0 by Ulsan Hyundai in their most recent continental outing but this time around, Aloisi believes they’re poised to give a full and proper account of themselves at the Kashima Stadium.
After a run of six games in all competitions without a win, Brisbane returned to form with a 3-1 A-League victory over the Newcastle Jets more than a week ago – their 13th match since the start of the year.
Tommy Oar (hamstring) and Thomas Kristensen (thigh) won’t play in Japan, but the rest of the squad is refreshed, recharged and ready to reverse a worrying trend of Australian capitulations in the Champions League.
“We got through that hard period. The positive is we’ve had a big break,” Aloisi told AAP.
“In terms of the players we’ll put out there, they’re going to be fresh and ready to go – unlike the Ulsan game.
“That was a hard slog for us, but this time we’re much better prepared.”
Veteran Thomas Broich is likely to move onto the left wing to replace Oar, who tore his hamstring against the Jets and was initially feared to be out until the start of the A-League finals.
However, the injury is not as bad as first thought and Aloisi said the fringe Socceroos winger is likely to recover well before then.
Key midfielder Kristensen should be back for Sunday’s A-League trip to Adelaide, while centre-back Luke DeVere (calf) is also closing in on a return.
Back-up gloveman Jamie Young will start in goal with Michael Theo left behind in Brisbane.
Fresh off his double against Newcastle, Jamie Maclaren is likely to have a point to prove after he was left out of Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou’s 30-man squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Iraq and the United Arab Emirates.
“He’s been sharp at training and in Newcastle he actually felt at his best again, in terms of his sharpness and getting into those goalscoring positions,” Aloisi said.
“He ended up doing really well this time last year, towards the end of the season.
“Obviously, he’s disappointed that he didn’t get selected, but I think he’s the type of player who’ll want to show on the pitch what he can do.”
j binnie
Guest
marcel - There is a huge divide between negativity and constructive criticism and it is up to the reader as to which is which. When people pay up to a hundred dollars for entry into a football match they are entitled to ask questions if what they see does not please them.That is not grumbling discontent,,it is the paying spectators privilege. Cheers jb.
marcel
Guest
Cmon Guys...Seems only last week everyone was moaning that there is too much negativity in the media. Grumbling discontent now appears to be the defining quality of the Australian character
j binnie
Guest
Waz - Your first sentence says it all. There are around 15,000 people have been watching every Roar game this season and it's time certain individuals stopped treating them as "football illiterates',coming up with excuse after excuse for results that are almost beyond comprehension. Roar have scored 34 goals in 22 games, but when the 7 goals scored in 2 games is removed one is left with 24 goals in 20 games, and there- in is a season long problem that has not been addressed,end of story.. Cheers jb.
Waz
Guest
Talk about putting a positive spin on things: Goalkeeper Michael Theo, Dane Ingham, Joey Katebian, Nathan Konstandopoulos, Tommy Oar (hamstring), Thomas Kristensen (quadriceps), Luke DeVere (calf) and Daniel Bowles (knee) are reported injured by the club and not travelling to Japan. That’s 8 players out of a squad of 29 injured or pretty much a third. But those left standing are at least rested. Hopefully all three sides have better performances this round to justify the split round!