Adelaide United determined not to let sliding Melbourne Victory off the hook
Adelaide United don’t want to waste the chance to extend Melbourne Victory’s disappointing run of A-League form.
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Adelaide United is intent on continuing Melbourne Victory’s ordinary run under interim coach Arthur Diles, wary that should the visitors prevail on Saturday night at Coopers Stadium, it could re-energise their season.
Since the sudden departure of coach Patrick Kisnorbo last month, the Victory are without a win in five matches under the club’s former assistant coach Diles.
It has led to the Melbourne outfit slipping out of the top six, and has also put Diles under pressure, with speculation mounting that the Victory are keen to lure either current Western United boss John Aloisi or former Central Coast Mariners mentor Nick Montgomery – both A-League championship-winning coaches – to the club before the start of next season.
However, Adelaide United coach Carl Veart, whose side had only lost once this season, said the Victory’s form had been better under Diles than results – including a 4-3 loss to Western United last Friday – suggested.
“They were winning with a few minutes to go,” Veart said in reflecting on the Victory’s failure to hold on to a 3-2 lead late in the match against United.
“They’ve had some really good moments in games – we’ve been down that path ourselves.
“It’s important we keep our focus, discipline, and play the way we have been.
“These kinds of games can change the course of your season.”
Veart said the Reds’ “Original Rivalry” with the Victory was the closest thing Adelaide had to a derby.
“The intensity will be higher than usual. The mental side is crucial in these big matches,” he said.
“Our boys know what’s at stake, and we’ve worked hard on staying sharp and disciplined. It’s all about handling the pressure, especially in front of a full house.”
The Victory were on Friday waiting for an international clearance for ex-Socceroos goalkeeper Mitch Langerak, who has returned to the club after finishing his stint in Japan with Nagoya Grampus.
Diles said Jack Duncan, who has been between the posts all season, was again likely to start.
Adelaide’s side is set to include former Victory winger Ben Folami, who joined the Reds in the off-season in the search for regular first-team football.
“Victory is always a strong team … but with the way we’ve been playing, we’re more than up for it,” Folami told Channel 10.
“We’re ready to take it to them. If we win, it would be absolutely huge.
“It’s not just about the rivalry. A win would really set us up for the rest of the season.”
Adelaide goalkeeper James Delianov missed training on Friday due to a “little bit of soreness” following the Reds’ 2-1 win over the Phoenix in Wellington last Saturday,
“We’ll assess him (on Saturday) to see where he’s at,” Veart said.
Originally published as Adelaide United determined not to let sliding Melbourne Victory off the hook
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