A-league Rd 21

The Age

Friday January 18, 2008

Michael Lynch

NEWCASTLE JETS v PERTH GLORY

EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle, today, 8pm

TV: Fox Sports 1, 7.30pm

THE Jets eliminated Melbourne with their gutsy win over the Mariners in Gosford last weekend and can, albeit temporarily perhaps, lay claim to the premiership trophy if they can hand out a heavy defeat to the bottom-of-the-table Glory tonight. The Jets are still without the suspended Adam Griffiths, while Steve Laybutt is out of contention with a hamstring injury, as is Brazilian playmaker Denni. Gary van Egmond has called up Ben Kantarovski, a new signing, as well as Scott Tunbridge and Troy Hearfield.

SQUADS - NEWCASTLE JETS: Ante Covic (gk), Jade North (c), Stuart Musialik, Andrew Durante, Matt Thompson, Joel Griffiths, Tarek Elrich, Adam d'Apuzzo, Jobe Wheelhouse, Scott Tunbridge, Troy Hearfield, Noel Spencer, Mark Bridge, Ben Kennedy, Jason Hoffman, James Holland, Ben Kantarovski (two to be omitted). In: Ben Kantarovski (new signing), Troy Hearfield (promoted), Scott Tunbridge (promoted). Out: Stephen Laybutt (injury).

PERTH GLORY: Jason Petkovic (gk), Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Simon Colosimo (c), Jamie Harnwell, Dino Djulbic, Billy Celeski, Leo Bertos, Nikita Rukavytsya, Jamie Coyne, Nick Rizzo, Jimmy Downey, Hayden Foxe, James Robinson, Jerry Karpeh, Tyler Simpson, Tando Velaphi (gk) (one to be omitted). In: Simon Colosimo (promoted), Leo Bertos (return from suspension). Out: Stan Lazaridis (hamstring).

CENTRAL COAST MARINERS v WELLINGTON PHOENIX

Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford, tomorrow, 7pm

TV: Fox Sports 1, 7pm

THE Mariners are in the same boat as the Jets. Like their Novocastrian rivals and Sydney and Queensland, they have 31 points, but while their goal difference, like the Jets, is plus three, the Roar's is plus six and Sydney's is plus four. That means they need to hand out a thumping to Wellington - quite possible on the evidence of the New Zealanders' performance in Melbourne last week, when they went down 3-0. Nevertheless, Rikki Herbert's side did look threatening on occasion and no one would bet against it scoring at least once in Gosford. The Mariners regain Nigel Boogarde from injury, but are still without several important players.

SQUADS - CENTRAL COAST MARINERS: Matthew Trott (gk), Matt Simon, Paul O'Grady, Andre Gumprecht, John Hutchinson, Tom Pondeljak, Tony Vidmar, Andrew Clark, Nigel Boogaard, Alex Wilkinson, Adam Kwasnik, Danny Vukovic (gk), Sasho Petrovski, Mile Jedinak, John Aloisi, Alvin Ceccoli (one to be omitted). In: Nigel Boogaard (returns from injury). Out: Nil.

WELLINGTON PHOENIX: Mark Paston (gk), Jeremy Christie, Tony Lochhead, Karl Dodd, Tim Brown, Ross Aloisi (c), Shane Smeltz, Michael Ferrante, Daniel, Kristian Rees, Vince Lia, Ahmad Elrich, Greg Draper, Glen Moss (gk), Felipe, Costa Barbarouses (one to be omitted). In: Costa Barbarouses (promoted), Ross Aloisi (return from suspension), Tony Lochhead (return from suspension). Out: Steven O'Dor (omitted), Vaughan Coveny (omitted).

SYDNEY FC v MELBOURNE VICTORY

Sydney Football Stadium, Sunday, 5pm

TV: Fox Sports 1, 4.30pm

SYDNEY FC boss John Kosmina is determined to rub the champion's nose in the fact that it has not qualified to defend its title this season, while Victory officials are equally keen on denying Sydney the chance to claim the premiership and a second Asian Champions League spot in three seasons. This should be a cracker of a game, with Melbourne having nothing to lose and Sydney everything to gain if it can post a win by a decent score. Kosmina has said he is "toying" with the idea of starting Juninho and has recalled a fit again Mark Milligan to the squad. Victory appears set to give teenage goalkeeper Mitch Langerak his chance for a first start while it regains last season's leading goal-scorer Danny Allsopp, unavailable last week because of illness, who is named in the provisional squad.

SQUADS - SYDNEY FC: Clint Bolton (gk), Iain Fyfe, Tony Popovic (c), Robbie Middleby, Ruben Zadkovich, Steve Corica, Brendon Santalab, Ben Vidaic, Alex Brosque, Terry McFlynn, Mark Milligan, Ivan Necevski (gk), Adam Biddle, Juninho, Ufuk Talay, Brendan Renaud, Michael Bridges (two to be omitted). In: Mark Milligan (returns from injury), Ben Vidaic (promoted). Out: Nil.

MELBOURNE VICTORY: Michael Theoklitos (gk), Kevin Muscat (c), Matthew Kemp, Daniel Allsopp, Archie Thompson, Rodrigo Vargas, Kaz Patafta, Adrian Caceres, Carlos Hernandez, Daniel Vasilevski, Leigh Broxham, Evan Berger, Sebastian Ryall, Nick Ward, Steven Pace, Mitchell Langerak (gk) (one to be omitted). In: Daniel Allsopp (returns from illness). Out: Nil.

ADELAIDE UNITED v QUEENSLAND ROAR

Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, Sunday, 7pm

TV: Fox Sports 1, 7pm

THE Roar is in the driver's seat, kicking off the final game of the regular season with the advantage of knowing exactly what it needs to do to take the premiership. A win - by any score - surely would be sufficient, although Adelaide has nothing to lose by going all out in its final match of the season after it, too, was denied the chance of finals football by Newcastle's win over the Mariners last week. Adelaide has regained Bobby Petta from injury and will be keen to give Richie Alagich a good send-off in his final game.

SQUADS - ADELAIDE UNITED: Eugene Galekovic (gk), Richie Alagich, Milan Susak, Angelo Costanzo, Cassio, Lucas Pantelis, Nathan Burns, Bruce Djite, Matthew Mullen, Travis Dodd (c), Jonas Salley, Bobby Petta, Isyan Erdogan, Robert Cornthwaite, Robert Bajic (gk), Jason Spagnuolo, Dez Giraldi, Fabian Barbiero, Daniel Beltrame (gk) (four to be omitted). In: Bobby Petta (returns from injury), Fabian Barbiero (returns from suspension), Matt Mullen (promoted), Daniel Beltrame (gk) (returns from injury). Out: Nil.

QUEENSLAND ROAR: Griffin McMaster (gk), Andrew Packer, Craig Moore, Josh McCloughan, Michael Zullo, Massimo Murdocca, Simon Lynch, Reinaldo, Tahj Minniecon, Zoran Petrevski, Ben Griffin, Matt McKay, Mitch Nichols, Danny Tiatto, Sasa Ognenovski, Chris Grossman, Robbie Kruse, Marcinho, Marko Sutalo (four to be omitted). In: Reinaldo (returns from suspension), Chris Grossman (promoted), Robbie Kruse (returns from hamstring injury), Zoran Petrevski (promoted). Out: Nil.

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