The clash
In what is shaping to be a mouth-watering clash on Saturday night, City and Adelaide go head to head in what is proving to be an intense rivalry between the sides.
Both sides are unbeaten heading into the contest with City having the perfect start to the season while the Reds have two draws and a win to their name, sitting fifth.
The visitors will be heading across the border full of confidence after the opening three rounds, scoring five goals and conceding one, and with no injury concerns from the past month, consistency has been a key to City’s success.
The Reds too will be coming into this one full of confidence after qualifying for the Westfield FFA Cup Final on Tuesday night. That match has taken a toll on Marco Kurz’s side however, seeing the absence of his most notable player this season, Johan Absalonsen.
With plenty of feeling in this one and a number of familiar faces on both sides, it’s going to be a tight one at Coopers Stadium.
Team news
It’s an unchanged side from last week’s win over Wellington for Warren Joyce as he looks to continue the consistency he has maintained over the past month. Click here to see our full Team News
Last time they met
One goal separated City and the Reds last time out in April 2017 as a wonderful Tim Cahill header at the front post secured the result for City at AAMI Park.
It was another close one between the sides, as they traded chances late in the match but Cahill’s signature finish was enough to secure the result for the hosts
Stats and Facts
- City boss Wayne Joyce will be looking to become the first manager in Hyundai A-League history to win his first four games as a manager in the competition.
- City gloveman – and ex-Adelaide United skipper – Eugene Galekovic picked up his 100th HyundaI A-League win last weekend and boasts the best save percentage (80%) of any keeper thus far in the competition this season.
- Each of the last four Hyundai A-League games between Adelaide United and Melbourne City has been won by the home team.
What was said
City midfielder Osama Malik
“Now we’ve got a bigger Adelaide connection, I think we’re going to be fighting for tickets before the game but it’s going to be a great game and as we’ve said, they’ve had a good start and they’ll be confident so we have to be on our game.
“We’ve always had some good games against them and given the history, they probably would be our biggest rival outside of Victory.”
Where and When
City take on Adelaide on Saturday night at Coopers Stadium, kick-off 7.50pm. See the match live on FOX Sports 501 and free-to-air on Ten’s ONE HD.
Warren Joyce’s men return home on Friday night to take on Champions Sydney FC at AAMI Park in a massive double header with our W-League side.
