FFA Cup preview: Darwin debuts on match day 3

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Westfield FFA Cup Round of 32 is in Darwin for the first time on Wednesday night.

Darwin Olympic v Adelaide United
Wednesday, 5 August 2015
Darwin Football Stadium, Darwin (NT)
Kick-off:
 8:00pm local (8:30pm AEST)
Referee:  Lucien Laverdure
Assistant Referee   1:  Wilson Brown
Assistant Referee   2:  Trent Sleeman
Fourth Official:  Mark Finestone

Tickets:   Click here  for ticketing details
Online Broadcast:  Streamed online at  www.foxsports.com.au/football/ffa-cup/ffacupondemand  and Apple TV via FOX SPORTS Now
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag  #DOLvADL

Darwin Olympic squad:  1.Kane McADAM (gk), 2.Alex TURNER, 3.Louis BUNTIN, 4.Igor ALVES, 5.Stephen AGYEI, 6.Jacob BRANDON, 7.Oldrich DUBSKY, 8.Josh HORVAT, 9.Foday MANSARAY, 10.Michael TSOUNIAS, 11.Kevin MENDA, 14.John DROHAN, 15.Matthew GOODWIN, 16.Michael REID, 17.Billy KATHOPOULIS, 20.Dean MOLOY, 21.Ross TSOUNIAS, 22.Yuki ENDO, 23.Ilias RODITIS, 24.Mitchell AMIDY, 26.James WALSH, 42.Georgios SKARTADOS (gk)

Adelaide United squad:  1.Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 2.Michael MARRONE,3.Iacopo LA ROCCA, 4.Dylan McGOWAN, 5.Osama MALIK, 7.Pablo SÁNCHEZ, 8.ISAIAS, 9.Sergio CIRIO, 10.Marcelo CARRUSCA, 11.Bruce DJITE, 12.Mark OCHIENG, 13.Dylan SMITH, 14.George MELLS, 15.Ben WARLAND, 16.Craig GOODWIN, 18.Jimmy JEGGO, 19.Eli BABALJ, 20.John HALL (gk), 21.Tarek ELRICH, 23.Jordan ELSEY, 24.Bruce KAMAU, 32.Nathan KONSTANDOPOULOS

 

BLUFFER’S GUIDE 

If Darwin’s part-timers beat the reigning Westfield FFA Cup holders, it’d be the upset of the decade. The fact that Olympic are the first and only Territory side in the FFA Cup Round of 32 adds romance to this – admittedly fanciful – scenario.

United are still digesting the shock news of coach Josep Gombau leaving the club. With new coach Guillermo Amor still adjusting to life in the hot seat, this may offer Olympic a window of FFA Cup opportunity in the Spaniard’s first competitive game in charge.

For Olympic, it’s a massive few days as they revel in their role as representatives of NT football on the FFA Cup national stage. And three days later, Olympic face Hellenic in a top two showdown that’s likely to decide who finishes top of their league.

Darwin Football Stadium is tipped to be full for the biggest game in Darwin for a long time as the FFA Cup spotlight shines on NT football.

After recent hit-outs against Liverpool and Manchester City, can the Reds from Adelaide cope with a completely different FFA Cup challenge against the Reds of Darwin in the Top End?

WHAT THEY SAY

Steve Lolias (Darwin Olympic coach)

“It’s not just about Darwin Olympic, it’s about Football NT, that’s the most important thing for us in terms of who we are representing, Hopefully we can get the crowd support behind us because the players in Olympic jumpers will be doing their absolute best out there.’’

Craig Goodwin (Adelaide United winger)

“It has been quite a luxurious pre-season for us playing Manchester City then Liverpool in front of 50,000 people. It is a bit different but we are professional and this is a competition we want to win. We will focus on our game, we are the favourites.” 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

DARWIN OLYMPIC 

· League:  NorZone Men’s Premier League

· Current ladder position:  2nd – won 10 / drawn 1 / lost 1

· Latest result:  4-0 win over Port Darwin

· Who to watch out for:  Michael Tsounias

· Official site:  www.darwinolympic.com 

 

ADELAIDE UNITED 

· League:  Hyundai A-League

· Current ladder position:  Last season, third in the Hyundai A-League

· Latest result:  Friendly: 5-0 win over Adelaide Blue Eagles (28 July)

· Who to watch out for:  Marcelo Carrusca

· Official site:  www.adelaideunited.com.au

 

 

 

**  For any goal kicked by an amateur or semi-professional club against a Hyundai A-League team during the Westfield FFA Cup, NAB will kick-back $2,500 to the goal-scorer’s club.