The Brisbane Roar squad is adamant they won’t allow the excitement of tomorrow night’s potentially Hyundai A-League Premiership-sealing match get in the way of their focus, with three regular season matches still left to play before the finals series.
The Brisbane Roar squad is adamant they won-t allow the excitement of tomorrow night-s potentially Hyundai A-League Premiership-sealing match get in the way of their focus, with three regular season matches still left to play before the finals series.
A win against second-placed Melbourne Victory at Suncorp Stadium tomorrow night would hand Brisbane the second Premiers’ Plate in the club-s history but Head Coach Mike Mulvey said the focus still remained on building momentum.
“If you start thinking about the end game, the trophy or whatever, you-re on the wrong track,” he said.
“The boys need to go out and perform, it-s going to be a tricky game.
“Anyone who takes their eye off the ball at the moment will not be tolerated.”
Three points against the Victory would also be sweet for former club captain Matt McKay who will celebrate his 150th Hyundai A-League match for Brisbane Roar, following his return home in August last year.
McKay was a foundation player for the club and becomes the second player to hit the milestone at the Roar, after former teammate and long-time friend Massimo Murdocca notched up 150 matches in December 2012.
Coach Mulvey was full of praise for the 31-year-old, who scored his only goal this season against in his side-s 3-0 win over the Victory in early January.
“He-s one of the most hardworking midfield players in the league, he-s industrious and enables us to play the way we want to play because he-s very good at one-touch, two-touch football,” he said.
“He-s not the fanciest of players, he won-t beat two or three players in a dribble or score 20 goals a season but he-ll be in the heart and soul of everything you-re trying to achieve.”
In team news, Ivan Franjic (ankle) and Jade North (hamstring) are still at least another week away from a return to action with Diogo Ferreira to slot into the left full-back role for Corey Brown (appendix) and Henrique replacing the suspended Besart Berisha in the front third.
Saturday, 22 March 2014
Brisbane Roar v Melbourne Victory
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Kick-off: 6:45pm local time
Referee: Peter Green
Assistant Referee 1: David Walsh
Assistant Referee 2: Brad Hobson
Fourth Official: Adam Kersey
TV broadcast: 7.30pm (AEDT) Live coverage on FOX Sports 3HD
Radio Broadcast: ABC Grandstand Online/Mobile phone app
Brisbane Roar squad: 1. Michael THEO, 2. Matthew SMITH (c), 3. Shane STEFANUTTO, 8. Steven LUSTICA, 10. HENRIQUE, 11. Liam MILLER, 14. Diogo FERRIERA, 16. Jean Carlos SOLORZANO, 17. Matt McKAY, 18. Luke BRATTAN, 19. Jack HINGERT, 20. Matthew ACTON (gk), 22. Thomas BROICH, 23. Dimitri PETRATOS, 27. Devante CLUT, 28. Brandon BORRELLO
Melbourne Victory squad: 1.Nathan COE (gk), 2.Pablo CONTRERAS, 3.Adama TRAORE, 4.Nick ANSELL, 5.Mark MILLIGAN (C), 6.Leigh BROXHAM, 7.Gui FINKLER, 9.Kosta BARBAROUSES, 10.Archie THOMPSON, 14.James TROISI, 16.Rashid MAHAZI, 20.Lawrence THOMAS (gk), 21.Tom ROGIC, 22.Jesse MAKAROUNAS, 23.Adrian LEIJER, 24.Scott GALLOWAY, 25.Jason GERIA, 31.Dylan MURNANE **Two to be omitted**
