Hyundai A-League leaders Perth Glory FC will travel to Victoria on New Years Day, aiming to extend its unbeaten run to 10 matches when it takes on Melbourne Victory in an exciting top of the table duel in Geelong, on Friday January 2
Both sides have the second best defences and boast two of the best sharp shooters (Besart Berisha and Andy Keogh) in the competition. They are also among the best goal scoring sides in the league and on average score 3.32 goals every time they meet.
Glory heads into the match buoyed by its 4-2 quarter-final FFA Cup win which knocked Victory out of the inaugural tournament. However Melbourne was victorious last time they played Glory in an A-League fixture at nib Stadium in March, edging Perth 2-1.
Glory coach Kenny Lowe said despite what the critics said about having a favourable draw, he stressed after this round, Perth would have played every top-six team away.
“We’ve played all the top six sides away from home this year so far, and Adelaide is the only team that’s beaten us. We’ve been over and had big games and this is another big game and after this one there’s another 14 big games” he said.
Lowe conceded Victory, who sit in second spot, four points behind Glory, was a tough and ‘big’ opponent with plenty of firepower across the park.
“Everything all over they’ve got top top players, they’re a big club, with big resources and a big character in a coach, and they’ve got some dangerous players.”
“It’s a great game isn’t it, top two in the league playing each other it should be an interesting game” Lowe added.
At the same time Lowe praised his team on how it maintained a high level of consistency after 12 rounds of football.
“I’ve said all along there is improvement in the side. The scary thing is if we do improve, what happens then? Do we get promoted to another league?” he joked.
Glory will welcome back dead-ball specialist Nebojsa Marinkovic who missed last week’s 1-1 draw against City.
Kick-off is at 4.40 pm WST at Simonds Stadium, Geelong.
Glory will return to nib Stadium for the FFA Cup grudge match against Adelaide United on January 5.
Kick-off is at 5pm WST
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Hyundai A-League Fact 1
Glory is unbeaten in its last nine matches
Hyundai A-League Fact 2
Andy Keogh (7 goals) has had four more shots on target (17) compared to Victory striker Besart Berisha (6 goals) who has had 13 shots on goal
Hyundai A-League Fact 3
Perth Glory has scored 9 (41%) of its goals in the final 15 minutes
Hyundai A-League Fact 4
Perth Glory is the second best ranked team in the league converting its set pieces into goals (11)
Hyundai A-League Fact 5
45% of Glory’s goals are scored down the right hand flank
Hyundai A-League Fact 6
Danny Vukovic, Dino Djulbic and Michael Thwaite have each played every single minute (1080 minutes) so far in the 2014/15 Hyundai A-League
Perth Glory FC Squad : 1.Danny VUKOVIC (gk), 2.Jack CLISBY, 3. Brandon O’NEIL, 5.Rostyn GRIFFITHS, 6.Dino DJULBIC, 8.Ruben ZADKOVICH, 9.Andy KEOGH, 10.Nebojsa MARINKOVIC, 11.Richard GARCIA, 14.Chris HAROLD, 15.Jamie MACLAREN, 16.Sidnei SCIOLA, 18. Jack DUNCAN (gk) 19.Josh RISDON, 20.Daniel DE SILVA, 21.Scott JAMIESON, 23.Michael THWAITE (c) 24. Matthew DAVIES
