R2 Preview: Adelaide Comets v Croydon Kings
Adelaide Comets v Croydon Kings
PlayStation 4 National Premier League South Australia Round 2
When: Friday, March 4th, kick-off 8:00pm
Where: SA Athletics Stadium
Teams:
Adelaide Comets: 1. J. Solari (GK), 4. Z. Hristodoulopoulos, 5. K. Francis, 6. J. Bladen, 7. E. Kostopoulos, 9. S. Grelli, 11. A. Wiens, 14. S. Warner, 15. O. Zafiridis, 16. Y. Nestoras, 17. Z. Waters, 18. T. Balomenos, 19. L. Colalancia, 21. A. Woodlands, 22. A. Welsh, 23. D. Zerillo, 25. H. Keramidas, 77. E. El Wali
Croydon Kings: H. Bility, 1. N. Munro (GK), 2. J. Panagaris, 3. A. Francesca, 4. M. Doyle, 5. J. Skeffington, 6. N. Farrell, 7. S. Mcgreevy, 8. R. Visconte, 9. E. Kamsoba, 10. L. Klimek (C), 12. F. Marafioti, 14. S. Pepper, 15. D. Gazettas, 16. J. Francesca, 17. M. Sumaoro, 18. J. Brazzale, 21. G. Tramontin
Form:
Adelaide Comets: W
MetroStars 2-3 Adelaide Comets, TK Shutter Reserve
Croydon Kings: L
Adelaide City 4-2 Croydon Kings, Adelaide City Park
Preview:
Adelaide Comets and Croydon Kings will kick off Round 2 of the PlayStation 4 National Premier League South Australia as they do battle on Friday night.
It was a mixed bag of results for both sides in Round 1 as Comets had an upset win over MetroStars, while Croydon fell to Adelaide City 4-2.
Comets did it the hard way, scoring three goals in the space of 11 minutes towards the back end of the game to erode a two goal deficit.
Coach Theo Tsiounis said that a change in tactics throughout the game, and growth in confidence for the side played a massive part in pulling off the win.
“As the game went on the players started to get a bit more confident in themselves and what we were trying to do as a team, and also a couple of changes that were made late in the game helped change the game as well” he said.
Tsiounis indicated that tactics would change on Friday night to combat Croydon.
“I know how Croydon are going to try and play, and we know the kind of players they have and the style of play they’re going to implement.
“We’re prepared, so we’ll readjust again for this game; it won’t be exactly the same as what we did against Metro, it’ll be tweaked a bit.”
The Kings on the other hand were very much neck and neck with City for the most of the contest; however they were unable to get anything out of the match after Anthony Costa gave the black and white’s a two goal cushion.
Croydon’s Nick Munro said that last week’s result came down to his side’s lack of determination from the get-go in comparison to Adelaide City.
“I think from the outset Adelaide City were a bit hungrier and showed a bit more intensity with the game.
“We were a little bit flat early which cost us, and they were just sharper at the ball in the end and that’s why they got the win.”
Croydon have kept the core of their squad from last year intact, which Munro believes will pay dividends over the course of the season.
“It’s important to try and keep the core of your team the same; we have lost a couple of key players from last year but we have brought in Elvis Kamsoba and James Skeffington so they will take a little while to adjust.
“Both of them are not just great players they’re great people as well, same with Frank Marafioti.
“As the season goes on they will better fit into the teams plan.”
This year’s Comets side has a very different look to it in comparison to last year, as Tsiousnis has brought in a host of new faces.
He said that the team was still gelling, and that it would take some time before everyone was fully confident.
“It will take awhile (to gel), we’ve made the biggest changes out of all the clubs in the NPL so it’s still going to take some time for the boys to get to know each other.
“Every game they’re getting better and better so we’re not looking to peak at round 1, we’re looking to peak at the end of the year.”
Munro said that if Croydon could maintain the intensity it showed during last week’s first half over the full 90, the Kings would be in with a chance to get a result.
“We need to maintain that intensity over the 90 minutes and if we can do that I’m confident we can get a result.
“We know that or fitness levels are super high, so if we can maintain our shape as well we should be in with a chance,” he said.
“We scored two goals last week so in an attacking sense we like our chances so it comes down to if we can hold it together at the back.”
Tsiounis said that confident was high at Mile End after last week’s result.
“You have to be confident every game because there‘s no easy games.
“Every week is going to be tough but I’m confident in my squad and I know that any player we have in our 20 man squad can step up on the day.”
He added that the players needed to stick to his plan on Friday night in order to make it two upset wins on the trot.
“We’ve got a plan and we need to make sure we stick to what we have against Croydon who obviously have a very good team.
“They’ve also got some weaknesses and we’ve been working on trying to exploit those so if we can carry out our game plan I’m confident we can get a result.”
Written by Brendan Simpkins
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