A-League: Melbourne City’s Bruce Kamau fit to face Adelaide United

Bruce Kamau is fit could start for Melbourne City against his former side Adelaide United tonight.

Melbourne City’s Bruce Kamau suffered a knock against Perth Glory which left him with concussion, however he is fit to face Adelaide United tonight.

Bruce Kamau has recovered from concussion and could start for Melbourne City against former club Adelaide United in tonight’s A-League match at AAMI Park.

However, fellow City winger Nicolas Colazo will miss another match after coach John van’t Schip revealed that the Argentinian had undergone surgery for a perforated ear drum. Colazo would be absent for “a few weeks”, the coach said.

It’s less than ideal for van’t Schip, who must reshape his side for Adelaide’s visit just three days after their bruising FFA Cup win over Melbourne Victory. But the Dutch coach, who has overseen an impressive start to City’s season, says he has the depth to deal with their rigorous schedule of three games in eight days.

“From the start we’ve said we have a strong group,” van’t Schip said. “We’re going to see how players feel, and if we have to make changes to freshen up or because there are players that aren’t completely recovered, we know we can do that.”

Kamau’s availability certainly helps. The 21-year-old was the first of van’t Schip’s off-season signings, agreeing to move to Melbourne just days after United’s A-League triumph last May.

A heavy knock against Perth Glory ruled him out of the Cup derby, and van’t Schip said he was delighted to have him back.

“The wingers are having a very important role,” he said. “They’re all giving us a lot so we can play a certain style.”

Kamau wasn’t the only player to leave the Reds after landing the 2015-16 title, in contrast to the wave of players arriving at the City Football Academy.

Reds coach Guillermo Amor lost seven senior players in the weeks after breaking their title drought, while City’s transform­ation to title contenders came with the arrival of 11.

There will also be a deeper revenge element at play tonight. It was Adelaide that stymied City’s bid to finish in the top two last season with a heated 2-0 win in round 27, and then knocked them out of the finals with a 4-1 humbling at Cooper’s Stadium.

City sit third on the ladder with six points, while Adelaide have just one point from three matches.

AAP