Perth Glory FC will be looking to re-write the record books when it hosts table toppers Brisbane Roar at nib Stadium on Saturday night.
Glory is the Hyundai A-League’s form team and will be looking for its fifth consecutive win.
Three points against the Roar would set a new A-League winning streak for the West Australians but coach Kenny Lowe was only focused on what was set to be one of the toughest matches of the season.
“Last two games they beat us but they were close and I don’t expect it to be any different”
“They’re top of the table- it doesn’t get any harder than that” Lowe said.
Glory sits three points outside the top six but a win will edge the team closer to a finals spot.
Its charge to the finals has been generated on the back of three away wins in a five game unbeaten streak.
Lowe warned the team couldn’t afford to lose any momentum.
“You can’t allow it to slip. We’re at home we’ve got a decent home record. We needed an away form which we have now, but also we need to continue our home form” he said.
“We’re relying on other people to slip up.
“We’re applying pressure to people above us and we need to keep applying that pressure and hopefully someone cracks and falls out of the six, cause that’s how we’re gonna get in.
“At the moment it’s out of our hands, we’re relaxed and enjoying the moment but hopefully we can apply that pressure and get inside the six.
“It’s better to be the hunter than the hunted”.
The match will also see the return of former Glory striker Jamie Maclaren at nib for the first time this season.
“He’s a good player, he’s done really well, he’s on the verge of the Socceroos so he’ll be pleased with himself” Lowe said.
But the Glory coach said the game changer on the night would come down to a bit of magic or a mistake.
“We had a mistake for the first goal in Sydney (last week) and a bit of brilliance for the second, .so a combination of those factors will contribute to tomorrow”.
The match kicks-off at 6.40 pm.
The team will be wearing the 20th anniversary QBE commemorative jersey to acknowledge the close partnership with Australia’s leading insurer.
$20 ticket s to the match (online only) are available to what’s set to be the biggest home crowd of the season.
MATCH DETAILS
Saturday, 20 February 2016
Perth Glory v Brisbane Roar FC
nib Stadium, Perth
Kick-Off: 6:40 PM (Local) (9:40 PM (AEDT)
Referee: Strebre Delovski
Assistant Referee 1: George Lakrindis
Assistant Referee 2: Josh Mannella
Fourth Official: Adam Fielding
TV Broadcast : Live coverage on FOX SPORTS 505 from 9.30pm (AEDT) and Sky Sport 3 (New Zealand)
Radio Broadcast : 720 ABC Perth, 612 ABC Brisbane, ABC Local Radio WA, ABC Local Radio Qld, Grandstand Digital, Online & via the ABC Radio Mobile App – A-league Live
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #PERvBRI
Perth Glory squad: 1.Ante COVIC (gk), 2.Alex GRANT, 3.Marc WARREN, 4.Shane LOWRY, 6.Dino DJULBIC, 7.Gyorgy SANDOR, 9.Andy KEOGH, 10.Nebojsa MARINKOVIC, 11.Richard GARCIA (c), 12.Jerrad TYSON (gk), 13.Diogo FERREIRA, 14.Chris HAROLD, 17.Diego CASTRO, 18. Mitch OXBORROW, 19.Josh RISDON, 21.Kosta PETRATOS, 23.Krisztian VADOCZ, 29.Aryn WILLIAMS
**two to be omitted**
Ins: 6.Dino DJULBIC (returns from injury), 18.Mitch OXBORROW (returns from illness)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 8.Ruben ZADKOVICH (knee – indefinite)
Brisbane Roar FC squad : 1.Michael THEO (gk), 3.Shane STEFANUTTO, 5.Corey BROWN, 7.CORONA, 8.Steven LUSTICA, 9.Jamie MACLAREN, 10.HENRIQUE, 13.Jade NORTH, 14.Daniel BOWLES, 15.James DONACHIE, 17.Matt McKAY (c), 18.Javier HERVAS, 19.Jack HINGERT, 20.Shannon BRADY, 21.Jamie YOUNG (gk), 22.Thomas BROICH, 23.Dimitri PETRATOS, 28.Brandon BORRELLO
**two to be omitted**
Ins: 3.Shane STEFANUTTO (return from injury), 20.Shannon BRADY (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 6.Jerome POLENZ (quadricep muscle – 7 weeks), 11.Jean Carlos SOLORZANO (quadricep muscle – 5 weeks)
