Preview: Brisbane Roar v Adelaide United

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Two attack-minded sides meet as Roar aim to bounce back from last week’s reversal in Wellington while the Reds will be desperate to register a first win of the season.

 

MATCH DETAILS

Saturday, 31 October 2015

Brisbane Roar FC v Adelaide United

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Kick-Off:  6:30 PM (Local) (7:30 PM (AEDT))

Referee:  Chris Beath

Assistant Referee 1:  Nathan MacDonald

Assistant Referee 2:  Andrew Lindsay

Fourth Official:  Alan Milliner

TV Broadcast:  Live coverage on FOX SPORTS 505 from 7.00pm (AEDT) and Sky Sport 2 (New Zealand)

Radio Broadcast:  612 ABC Brisbane 891 Adelaide & ABC Local Radio Qld, ABC Local Radio SA, Grandstand Digital & Online & via the ABC Radio Mobile App – A-league Live.

Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #BRIvADL

To purchase tickets visit   www.aleague.com.au/tickets

Brisbane Roar FC squad : 3.Shane STEFANUTTO, 5.Corey BROWN, 6.Jerome POLENZ, 7.CORONA, 8.Steven LUSTICA, 9.Jamie MACLAREN, 13.Jade NORTH, 14.Daniel BOWLES, 16.Devante CLUT, 17.Matt McKAY (c), 19.Jack HINGERT, 20.Shannon BRADY, 21.Jamie YOUNG (gk), 22.Thomas BROICH, 23.Dimitri PETRATOS, 28.Brandon BORRELLO,    32.George LAMBADARIDIS, 36.Andre JANNESE (gk)

 ***two to be omitted***

Roar defender Shane Stefanutto suffered a groin injury against the Victory.

Ins:   3.Shane STEFANUTTO (return from injury),  20.Shannon BRADY (promoted).

Outs:  Nil

Unavailable :  1.Michael THEO (gk) (quad strain, 1 week), 10.HENRIQUE  (knee, 2 weeks),  33.Luke DE VERE (quad, 4 weeks).

Adelaide United squad:  2.Michael MARRONE, 4.Dylan McGOWAN, 5.Osama MALIK, 7.PABLO SANCHEZ, 8.ISAIAS, 9.Sergio CIRIO, 10.Marcelo CARRUSCA (c), 11.Bruce DJITE, 12.Mark OCHIENG, 14.George MELLS, 15.Ben WARLAND, 16.Craig GOODWIN, 17.Mate DUGANDZIC, 18.Jimmy JEGGO, 20.John HALL (gk), 21.Tarek ELRICH, 28.Antoni TRIMBOLI, 30.John SOLARI (gk)

 ***two to be omitted***

Bruce Djite celebrates scoring the opener in Adelaide's thrashing of the Newcastle Jets.

Ins : 11.Bruce DJITE (return from injury), 12.Mark OCHIENG (promoted)

Outs : Nil

Unavailable : 1.Eugene GALEKOVIC (knee – 4 weeks), 4.Iacopo LA ROCCA (foot – 3 weeks ), 19.Eli BABALJ (foot – 5 weeks)

BLUFFERS GUIDE

Adelaide’s possession-based passing game is reminiscent of the Roar’s style of old under Ange Postecoglou, but it’s failed to pay dividends so far in Season 11.

Under Barcelona legend Guillermo Amor the Reds have averaged a league high 60% possession but only have two goals and two points from three games. 

The more ‘free-form’ system going forward is a work in progress and losing defensive midfielder Iacopo La Rocca to a foot injury hasn’t helped their cause either. But they don’t want to lose touch with the top teams on the ladders so points in the Queensland capital are absolutely vital. 

Reds winger Craig Goodwin controls the ball in round 1 against Victory.

Meanwhile Brisbane have adopted a more direct approach with the Aloisi brothers at the helm this season, and are leading the league for goals scored.

Olyroos Jamie Maclaren and Brandon Borello are forming a lethal combination up front but the defence has been put on notice after conceding three goals against the Phoenix last weekend.

And both sides’ first-choice goalkeepers will sit this one out through injury with deputies Jamie Young (Roar) and John Hall (Reds) getting another chance to shine.

OPTA DATA

  • Brisbane Roar have won six of their last eight encounters against Adelaide United (L2). However, both of their losses came at home.

  • Adelaide have won seven away matches at Brisbane in the regular A-League season (D5 L3), and they have only failed to score in two of these encounters.

  • There has never been a draw in the last nine matches between these two teams (excl. play-offs), with each win coming by a one goal margin.

ROUTE TO GOAL

Maclaren and Borello both have two goals each already this season. However the Roar have shown they have other outlets in attack also, with Dimitri Petratos producing a composed finish against the Phoenix and Corona looking to be one of the buys of the season.

Brisbane Roar players celebrate one of Brandon Borrello's two goals against the Mariners.

Roar’s defenders are also dangerous from set-pieces with impressive youngster Daniel Bowles among the club’s scorers and Jade North netting just his fourth ever league goal last weekend.

United will be boosted by the return of Bruce Djite. Stand-in skipper Marcelo Carrusca also needs to provide more of a spark in attack.

Despite all their toils in Perth last weekend the Reds’ high defensive line was consistently exposed on the counter which they’ll have looked at in training this week.

WHO’S BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT THIS WEEK?

Thomas Broich. The career of Roar’s long-serving marquee will be up in lights when the Football Film Festival moves to Brisbane this weekend. The German will feature in the short film documentary “Tom Meets Zizou” which tracks Broich’s journey from the Bundesliga to the A-League – with the star available for questions after the session.

FORM LINES

Brisbane Roar: WWL

Adelaide United: DDL

PREDICTION

Brisbane Roar 2 Adelaide United 0