Goal.com - Home

thumbnail Hello,
 
Played
February 3, 2013 5:00 PM EST
Hindmarsh Stadium — Adelaide
Referee:‬ C. Beath‎
Attendance:‬ 9686‎
 

A-League preview: Adelaide United v Western Sydney Wanderers

It has been a week to forget for the Reds, so how will they perform when the in-form Western Sydney Wanderers visit Hindmarsh Stadium on Sunday

Michael Beauchamp - Western Sydney Wanderers - Jeronimo Neumann - Adelaide United
Getty
GOAL.com Indonesia   By GOAL AUSTRALIA

  PROBABLE LINEUP
ADELAIDE UNITED

Galekovic
Bowles, Fyfe, Boogaard, Cassio
Watson, Barbiero, Ramsay
Kostopoulos, Djite, Vidosic

WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS

Covic
Cole, T-Stanley, Beauchamp, D'Apuzzo
Hersi, Ono, Poljak, Mooy
Kresinger, Bridge

It has been a week of accusations, name-calling and outright drama at Adelaide United in the build-up to this one, after coach John Kosmina quit the club and right-hand man Michael Valkanis filled the breach.

And the former Reds defender faces a tricky first-up task.

Not only are his side heading in the wrong direction on the A-League table on the back of a two-game losing streak and facing a dilemma on the selection front, but the Reds also welcome the in-form side of the completion to Hindmarsh.

Western Sydney leapfrogged Adelaide on the table last weekend thanks to their gutsy 1-0 win over Melbourne Heart on Saturday, despite playing more than 75 minutes of the match with 10 men.

Tony Popovic's side will be without right-back Jerome Polenz after his red card against the Heart, with Shannon Cole, Tarek Elrich and Iacopo La Rocca all possibilities to take the spot.

Adelaide could have averted a crisis in attack, with Jeronimo Neumann suspended but Bruce Djite back in the squad after recovering from injury.

Iain Fyfe is also back, and could replace Antony Golec in defence.

The two sides have a win apiece in their two meetings this season, but the Wanderers ran riot the last time they played, winning 6-1 at Parramatta Stadium.

It is hard to know what type of Adelaide will front up against the Wanderers on Sunday, with how they recover from Kosmina's resignation a huge factor in the side's performance and result.

Valkanis has been there since the start of the season so one would assume the transition will be as smooth as possible, but the drama is sure to still be in the back of the players' minds.

The Reds will also have revenge on their minds following their heavy 6-1 drubbing at the hands of the Wanderers before Christmas.

But with Adelaide's off-field drama, there is no reason why the visitors will not continue their sensational run.

Goal Australia now has its own and account, so for all the latest news and features on Australian football follow us by clicking on the above links



Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
Head to Head
Australia - A-League ‎(AUS1)‎ 03/02/2013 Adelaide United 2 - Western Sydney Wanderers 4
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
Australia - A-League ‎(AUS1)‎ 21/12/2012 Western Sydney Wanderers 6 - Adelaide United 1
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
Australia - A-League ‎(AUS1)‎ 12/10/2012 Adelaide United 1 - Western Sydney Wanderers 0
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
Last Five Matches
Odds
Team News
Available Squads
1Eugene GalekovicGoalkeeper
3Nigel BoogaardDefender
4Jonathan McKainDefender
6José de Abreu OliveiraDefender
12Antony GolecDefender
8Marcelo Adrian CarruscaMidfielder
10Dario VidosicMidfielder
14Cameron WatsonMidfielder
16Daniel Bowles
17Iain RamsayMidfielder
23Evan KostopoulosStriker
38John HallGoalkeeper
5Iain FyfeDefender
19Jake Barker-DaishMidfielder
11Bruce Jose DjiteStriker
-Ante CovicGoalkeeper
12Shannon ColeDefender
3Adam GriffithsDefender
6Nikolai Topor-StanleyDefender
-Jacopo La RoccaDefender
-Mateo PoljakMidfielder
17Youssouf HersiMidfielder
-Shinji OnoMidfielder
8Aaron MooyMidfielder
-Dino KresingerStriker
19Mark BridgeStriker
-Jerrad TysonGoalkeeper
-Jason TrifiroMidfielder
25Labinot HalitiStriker
-Kwabena Appiah-KubiStriker
Results