Adelaide United prepare to face Victorian National Premier League side Melbourne Knights in the FFA Cup 2019 Round of 32 on Wednesday night.
An intriguing contest is on the cards against one of the country’s most historic clubs, so here is an overview of our opponents.
History
Founded in 1953 as SC Croatia by a small group of Croatian immigrants in the western Melbourne suburb of Footscray, the Knights have been one of the most successful football teams in Australian history. They won three state championships prior to changing their name to Melbourne Croatia in 1982 and two years later finally entered the National Soccer League (NSL), where they would be a dominant force in the early to mid 1990s.
The Melbourne club would clinch the minor premiership in 1990/91, 1991/92 and 1993/94 – their first season as Melbourne Knights – but in each of those years they lost the Grand Final.
However, their fortunes would change in 1994/95 when they claimed a premiership and championship double, inspired by largely the prodigious Mark Viduka. A second successive title followed a year later after a 2-1 win over Marconi Stallions.
The Knights have also won the local Dockerty Cup a record nine times with their most recent success occurring in 2014.
Current season
The Knights currently occupy seventh spot with 31 points and progressed to the Dockerty Cup final against Hume City after beating Bullen Lions 2-1. The domestic decider will be played three days after their FFA Cup meeting with the Reds.
FFA Cup record
The 2019 iteration of the FFA Cup will be the Club’s third appearance in the competition after featuring in the 2014 and 2016 editions. They suffered a first-round exit in their first season and reached the Round of 16 in 2016 after defeating Cockburn City 2-1.
Key players
Former Wellington Phoenix striker Hamish Watson is on their books and has scored nine goals in 22 matches. Midfielder Gian Albano has also contributed heavily from a goal-scoring perspective, finding the net six times, while defender Corey Sewell has been a regular in defence.
Adelaide United face Melbourne Knights in the Round of 32 of the FFA Cup 2019 on Wednesday, 7 August at Knights Stadium. Kick-off is at 7.00pm ACST. Live and Exclusive on Fox Sports.
