Adelaide United midfielder Dario Vidosic knows there is arguably no bigger game to make his Hyundai A-League debut for the Reds than in front of a full house at Hindmarsh Stadium against Melbourne Victory.
Adelaide United midfielder Dario Vidosic knows there is arguably no bigger game to make his Hyundai A-League debut for the Reds than in front of a full house at Hindmarsh Stadium against Melbourne Victory.
After Vidosic missed the loss in Perth last weekend due to an interrupted pre season schedule due to injury, Reds Head Coach Rini Coolen all but confirmed that his Australian marquee signing would see his first game time of the season tomorrow night as the Reds attempt to topple their fierce rivals.
“It-s a good game for him (Vidosic) to come in, whether that-s from the bench or in the starting eleven,” Coolen said.
“One thing is for sure, we can-t ask him to play 90 minutes, but he-s fit, he feels good, so he will be there for part of the game.”
Due to the disruptions with his pre season which restricted his availability for a host of United-s lead up games, Vidosic cannot wait to play a part in the match against Melbourne and assert his influence to help the Reds try to record a third favourable result in a row over the Victory.
Whether he is required to fulfil the playmaker-s role as a traditional number 10 or in another position, he is determined to give it his all, particularly as he understands the added passion that comes with Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory matches and what they mean to the Reds faithful.
“At the moment I-ve only played 45 minutes against a local side and about 25 minutes against Melbourne Victory in the friendly, so I feel pretty good…but I think we-ll have to wait until tomorrow night and assess it afterwards,” Vidosic said of his match fitness.
“If I-m needed in that (playmaker) role I-ll definitely try to create as much as possible and hopefully score a few goals…so I just want to do anything to help us get the win tomorrow night.”
“We know what the derby is all about, I-ve seen what it all means, so we-ve had a good build up and the boys really want to put last week behind them and we-re really looking forward to tomorrow night.”
The addition of Australian football pinup Harry Kewell making his second appearance in Adelaide since signing with Melbourne Victory is the cherry on top to what already shapes as one of the most highly anticipated matches of the season for the Reds.
Kewell showed against Sydney FC last weekend that he still has much of the skill and talent that has made him a household name, not only in Australian but world football. But while there will again be attention on the former Liverpool and Leeds star, Vidosic says the Reds are not going to be overawed by the big stage.
“Like I said the last time when we played them (Melbourne) in the friendly, we want to treat it as though there are 11 Harry Kewells out there. Every single player brings quality to their team…so tomorrow night we-re looking for a scalp and it-s one for our fans as well,” Vidosic said
“We want to put on a good show tomorrow night for our fans and for ourselves, and we want to prove to everyone that last week was just a small hiccup, but now we-re at home, this is our fortress and we-re not going to let any team come away from here with an easy three points.”
Vidosic is the only inclusion into the squad that travelled to Perth from last week, with Coolen leaving Daniel Mullen out of consideration for tomorrow night due to the hamstring injury the defender suffered against the Glory.
Of the 24 matches they have played, this will be just the tenth time the sides have met at Hindmarsh Stadium, the last meeting at the venue between the sides coming back in September 2009.
All match day tickets for tomorrow night-s clash have been sold, however there is still an opportunity to fans to secure entry to the game by purchasing an Adelaide United season ticket through Ticketek. Gates open at 6.00pm with kick-off at 7.30pm.
Hyundai A-League 2011/12 Season – Week 2
Adelaide United FC v Melbourne Victory
Friday 14 October 2011, Hindmarsh Stadium
Kick-Off: 7.30pm ACDT (8.00pm AEDT)
Referee: Ben Williams
TV: Live and exclusive on FOX Sports 2
Radio: ABC Radio (891 ABC Adelaide, ABC SA, Grandstand Digital, online at abc.net.au/adelaide)
Adelaide United: 1.Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 2.Osama MALIK, 4.Jon McKAIN, 6.CASSIO, 7.Zenon CARAVELLA, 8.Evgeniy LEVCHENKO, 9.Sergio VAN DIJK, 10.Dario VIDOSIC, 11.Bruce DJITE, 14.Cameron WATSON, 16.Spase DILEVSKI, 17.Iain RAMSAY, 20.Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk), 21.Francisco USUCAR, 22.Milan SUSAK, 23.Andy SLORY
*one to be omitted*
In: Dario VIDOSIC (promoted)
Out: Daniel MULLEN (hamstring – 1 week)
Unavailable: Nigel BOOGAARD (ankle – 4 weeks)
Melbourne Victory: 2.Matthew Foschini, 3.Fabio, 4.Petar Franjic, 6.Leigh Broxham, 7.Matthew Kemp, 8.Grant Brebner, 9.Jean Carlos Solorzano, 10.Archie Thompson, 11.Marco Rojas, 12.Rodrigo Vargas, 13.Diogo Ferreira, 15.Tom Pondeljak, 16.Carlos Hernandez, 17.Jimmy Jeggo, 19.Isaka Cernak, 20.Lawrence Thomas (GK), 21.Ante Covic (GK), 22.Harry Kewell, 23.Adrian Leijer (c)
*five to be omitted*
In: Carlos HERNANDEZ (returns from international duty), Diogo FERRIERA
Out: Billy Celeski (corked thigh), Danny Allsopp (omitted)
Unavailable: Tando Velaphi (stress fracture)
Adelaide United vs. Melbourne Victory – Hyundai A-League HEAD TO HEAD Record
Played 24 – 7 wins, 3 draws, 14 losses
11-Feb-2011… W 2-1… 2010/11 Wk 27 (Adelaide Oval)
9-Jan-2011… W 4-1… 2010/11 Wk 22 (AAMI Park)
29-Oct-2010… L 1-2… 2010/11 Wk 12 (Etihad Stadium)
23-Jan-2010… L 0-2… 2009/10 Rd 24 (Etihad Stadium)
24-Oct-2009… L 1-3… 2009/10 Rd 12 (Etihad Stadium)
18-Sep-2009… L 0-2… 2009/10 Rd 7 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
28-Feb-2009… L 0-1… 2008/09 Grand Final (Etihad Stadium)
14-Feb-2009… L 0-4… 2008/09 Major Semi Final 2nd Leg (Etihad Stadium)
7-Feb-2009… L 0-2… 2008/09 Major Semi Final 1st Leg (Hindmarsh Stadium)
6-Jan-2009… L 0-1… 2008/09 Rd 15 (Etihad Stadium)
31-Oct-2008… L 2-3… 2008/09 Rd 10 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
12-Sep-2008… L 0-1… 2008/09 Rd 4 (Etihad Stadium)
8-Dec-2007… D 2-2… 2007/08 Rd 16 (Etihad Stadium)
12-Oct-2007… W 4-1… 2007/08 Rd 8 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
7-Sep-2007… D 1-1… 2007/08 Rd 3 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
18-Feb-2007… L 0-6… 2006/07 Grand Final (Etihad Stadium)
4-Feb-2007… L 1-2… 2006/07 Semi Final 2nd Leg (Etihad Stadium)
28-Jan-2007… D 0-0… 2006/07 Semi Final 1st Leg (Hindmarsh Stadium)
1-Dec-2006… L 1-3… 2006/07 Rd 15 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
15-Oct-2006… W 1-0… 2006/07 Rd 8 (Etihad Stadium)
25-Aug-2006… L 0-2… 2006/07 Rd 1 (Olympic Park, Melbourne)
5-Jan-2006… W 1-0… 2005/06 R 17 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
28-Oct-2005… W 1-0… 2005/06 Rd 10 (Olympic Park, Melbourne)
9-Sep-2005… W 1-0… 2005/06 Rd 3 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
At Hindmarsh Stadium
Played 9; Adelaide United 3, Melbourne Victory 4, Draws 2
Last time they met
11-Feb-2011 Week 27, Hyundai A-League 2010/11 Season at Adelaide Oval
Adelaide United FC 2 (Reid 6-, Dodd 78-)
Melbourne Victory 1 (Thompson 65-)
