Striker Tommy Oar says the intensity of the Roar’s football will provide a winning edge when they host Melbourne Victory in a Hyundai A-League Elimination Final at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night (7.35pm KO).
“If we can match the same intensity we went in with at the weekend (in the scoreless draw against the Victory), I think Melbourne is going to struggle to keep up,” Oar said today after the first of three training sessions planned before Friday’s sudden-death clash.
The Roar this season have the best home record of any side in the league and Oar expects that will play on the minds of the Victory players in their preparations.
“Other teams don’t like coming to Suncorp (Stadium) so there a lot of reasons for us to be confident,” Oar said today after the Roar put in a solid training session (pictures below).
Experienced Spaniard Corona also believes the home-ground advantage is huge.
Although only in his first season with the club, the former Almeria captain says he feels Brisbane has been his home for a long time and playing in front of the Roar fans has been a highlight of his first eight months at the club.
“If we play at Suncorp (Stadium) like we have this season, we will win,” Corona said.
The stylish midfielder, whose passing game has been one of the delights of the season, has experience playing in finals as a similar end-of-season system operates in the Spanish Second Division.
Corona is confident the Roar are well-prepared to advance through the knock-out stages to the Grand Final and says the team played strongly last weekend despite being held to a scoreless draw, which cost them the Premier’s Plate.
“We did a very good game,” Corona said.
“Disappointment comes when you didn’t do well but Brisbane Roar did everything for a win.
“If we play the same structures in the finals against Victory again, no problem, I have confidence.”
Oar also believes the Roar will atone for last weekend’s draw.
“We know if we get into those areas consistently the goals will come,” he said.
“A lot of players have gotten on the score sheet this year and it was just a coincidence we all had an off day on the same day. I am sure that wont’ happen again.
“It is unpredictable time of the year but we have a lot of players here who are big-game player.
“We can carry that into this game and use our experience in these matches to get us across the line.”
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