Friday’s only A-League Round 6 match is between Melbourne Heart and Sydney FC. The opening bounce is set to commence at 7.30pm local time with the game to be played at AAMI Park. The home team Melbourne Heart are the favourites for the match. View our preview and teams for the game between Melbourne Heart vs Sydney FC.
Round: Round 6, Friday November 15 at 7.30pm AEDT.
Stadium: AAMI Park
Head to head: Played: 9 – Wins: Heart 3, Sydney 1, Draws: 5
Previous encounter: Heart 3-1 Sydney, February 24 2013
Melbourne Heart $2.20 vs Sydney FC $3.10 at Sportsbet Australia get a $250 FREE BET on this match
Melbourne Heart $2.25 vs Sydney FC $3.00 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match
Tip: Sydney FC to win 2-1
Teams:
Melbourne Heart FC Squad:
1. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 2.Jeremy WALKER, 3.Robbie WIELAERT, 5.Sam MITCHINSON, 6.Patrick GERHARDT, 7.Iain RAMSAY, 8.Massimo MURDOCCA, 11.Michael MIFSUD, 14.Golgol MEBRAHTU, 15.David WILLIAMS, 16.Aziz BEHICH, 18.David VRANKOVIC, 19.Benjamin GARUCCIO, 20.Tando VELAPHI (GK), 21.Stefan MAUK , 22.Nick KALMAR, 23.Mate DUGANDZIC, 25.Andrea MIGLIORINI
***Two to be omitted***
Ins: 5.Sam MITCHINSON (promoted), 19.Benjamin GARUCCIO (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 4.Orlando ENGELAAR (Fractured tibia – long-term), 9.Dylan MACALLISTER (Hamstring – 3-5 weeks), 10.Harry Kewell (ankle – 2 weeks), 13.Jonatan GERMANO (Hamstring – 3 weeks), 17.Jason HOFFMAN (groin – 1-2 weeks) 24.Patrick KISNORBO (knee – 2 weeks).
Sydney FC Squad:
2.Seb RYALL, 5.Matt JURMAN, 6.Nikola PETKOVIC, 7.Brett EMERTON, 8.Pedj BOJIC, 10.Alessandro DEL PIERO, 11.Richard GARCIA, 14.Mitch MALLIA, 15.Terry MCFLYNN, 16.Joel CHIANESE, 19.Nicky CARLE, 20.Vedran JANJETOVIC (GK), 21.Yairo YAU, 22.Ali ABBAS, 27.Chris NAUMOFF, 29.Alec UROSEVSKI 30.Anthony BOUZANIS (GK), 34.Aaron CALVER.
***two to be omitted***
Ins: 5.Matt JURMAN (promoted), 14.Mitch MALLIA (promoted), 15.Terry McFLYNN (promoted), 29.Alec UROSEVSKI (promoted) 30.Anthony Bouzanis (GK) (promoted), 34.Aaron CALVER (promoted).
Outs: 1.Ivan NECEVSKI (illness – 1 week), 3.Marc WARREN (suspension – 1 week), 13.Tiago CALVANO (suspension – 2 weeks), 28.Matt THOMPSON.
Unavailable: Rhyan GRANT (knee – indefinite), Peter TRIANTIS (groin – indefinite), Terry ANTONIS (thigh – indefinite), Corey GAMEIRO (knee – 2-4 weeks)
Head to head:
Played: 9 – Wins: Heart 3, Sydney 1, Draws: 5
Previous encounter:
Heart 3-1 Sydney, February 24 2013
Form:
Past five matches:
Heart: LLLDD
Sydney: WLLLW
The Game:
The Heart could use what Sydney managed last week – a win – to ease the pressure on a coach under growing scrutiny. John Aloisi’s men are winless this season and their last victory came in February – at home to the Sky Blues. Frank Farina was under pressure heading into his side’s clash against the Melbourne Victory, but they came away with a hard-fought 3-2 win despite playing over an hour with 10 men. The Heart are also without a goal in their past three matches and have scored in just one game this campaign. Aloisi and the Heart desperately need a win or the pressure will only grow.
The big issue:
Heart – scoring goals by finishing chances. Aloisi is adamant and right when he says his side are creating enough opportunities to win matches, but if they continue to miss the target their goalless run will continue. Malta international Michael Mifsud has threatened, as have David Williams, Golgol Mebrahtu and Iain Ramsay, but the Heart need goals and they need to test the opposition goalkeeper more often.
Sydney – just whether the Sky Blues can reproduce a similar performance to the one they managed against arch-rivals the Victory. After left-back Marc Warren was sent off, Sydney scored a penalty through Alessandro Del Piero and then held on resolutely as the Victory were unable to break them down. The performance came as the pressure on coach Farina grew and they need to build on the emotionally and physically draining win.
The game breaker:
Alessandro Del Piero – the Italian superstar celebrated his 39th birthday with a winning goal against the Victory. He was fouled 12 times during the clash and has drawn criticism for going to ground too easily. It was his clever body positioning which drew many of the fouls and he showed his class throughout. Del Piero may be yet to reach peak fitness, but his ability to break games open in the attacking third makes him dangerous.
Article from aleague.com.au
