Mackay and Whitsundays will play Edge Hill for a chance to host an A-League side in the next FFA cup round
The Magpies Crusaders will play Edge Hill in the FFA Cup, with the winner advancing to potentially host an A-League side in the next round of the knockout tournament.
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The prospect of hosting an A-League side in Mackay is the motivator for the Magpies Crusaders as they gear up for a huge FFA Cup clash on Saturday.
Mackay and Whitsundays will play Edge Hill FC in the round-of-64 match at Sologinkin Oval, with the knockout tournament occurring across Australia.
Magpies Crusaders coach Tom Ballantyne said the side understood the importance of the clash.
“The reality set in on Tuesday about the grandeur of the game, it’s a winner takes all match,” he said.
“We’re going into the match knowing that if we win and make the round-of-32, we could have a massive home draw against an A-League side, or we could be drawn away in Sydney or any other capital in Australia and off we go to play a really interesting game of football.”
Edge Hill had won 30 straight matches stretching back to September 2019, before losing in its last contest.
Ballantyne said he was wary about Edge Hill, with little footage available for scouting purposes.
“We’ve been trying to (scout them), but there’s no footage of their games other than the two FFA Cup games,” Ballantyne said.
“Looking at team sheets you can mesh together an idea of what their line-up is, but I think we’ve been able to build a picture of what they’re going to do.”
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The cup atmosphere is not lost on Magpies Crusaders defender Marko Milutinovic, but he said the side was focused on approaching it as just another game.
“It’s just like any other game for us really, but that cup atmosphere is obviously a bit different,” Milutinovic said.
“Edge Hill has nothing to lose but we have to focus on ourselves.
“I think there’s the same sort of pressure in every game that you want to win.”
The FFA Cup clash kicks off on Saturday at 7pm at Sologinkin Oval.
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Originally published as Mackay and Whitsundays will play Edge Hill for a chance to host an A-League side in the next FFA cup round