Adelaide City v Campbelltown

PlayStation 4 National Premier League South Australia – Major Semi-Final, Second Leg

When: Saturday, August 27th

Kick-off: 2.30pm

Where: Adelaide City Park, Oakden

Teams: 

Adelaide City: Christian D'Angelo, Danny Aiello, Liam Lawless, 1. Ryan Veitch (GK), 2. Michael Acton, 3. Alexander Sunasky, 4. Shane Tobias, 5. Matthew Halliday, 6. Matthew Mullen, 6. Jordan Pudler, 7. Joel Allwright, 8. Paul Blefari, 9. Anthony Costa, 10. Nikola Mileusnic, 11. Nicholas Bucco, 12. Lewis Farquhar, 13. Daniel Filosi, 14. Andrew Orphanou, 15. Anthony Babb, 16. Thomas Love, 17. Mamadi Kamara, 19. Gabriel Kolopelnyk, 20. Luke Ostbye (GK), 21. Bradley Corbo, 22. Matthew Moore (GK)

Campbelltown City: 2. Shaun Harvey, 4. Iain Fyfe (C), 5. James Wilson, 6. Vasilis Parhas, 7. Luigi Ditroia, 8. Kento Hara, 9. Thomas Strain, 10. Jake Monaco, 11. Anthony Ture, 12. Jacob Williams, 14. Adam Piscioneri, 15. Aidan Masone, 16. Kristos Stefanopoulos, 17. Linus Johnston, 18. Keita Minomura, 20. Nicholas Harpas (GK), 23. Jake Halliday, 28. Joshua Negrean
Coaches: Joseph Mullen, Antonio Scalzi, Edward Scalzi
Team Staff: Panfilo Ciccocioppo, Elio Bria

Form:

Adelaide City: W L W

Round 21: Adelaide City 2 - 0 South Adelaide, Adelaide City Park
Round 22: MetroStars 2 - 1 Adelaide City, TK Shutter Reserve
1st Leg Final: Campbelltown 0 - 2 Adelaide City, Steve Woodcock Sports Centre

Campbelltown: W L L

Round 21: Campbelltown City 2 - 0 Adelaide United, Steve Woodcock Sports Centre
Round 22: Adelaide Blue Eagles 1 - 0 Campbelltown City, Marden Sports Centre
1st Leg Final: Campbelltown 0 - 2 Adelaide City, Steve Woodcock Sports Centre

Preview:

Campbelltown City will be looking to reverse their 2-0 First Leg Qualifying Final loss to arch rival Adelaide City, when they travel to Adelaide City Park in the PlayStation 4 National Premier League South Australia Major SEmi-Final Second Leg.

City and the “Red Devils” have been the two most consistent teams in the competition this year and whatever the outcome on Saturday, both seem destined to clash again in the Grand Final.

Campbelltown’s “Mission Impossible” will be to try and defeat City on their home turf, a feat that no other side in the competition has been able to achieve all season.

Campbelltown would have been buoyed by their first leg performance, believing the score line not to be a true reflection of the afternoon.

Campbelltown had no luck in the contest, with three shots on goal hitting the woodwork. There is no doubt in coach Joe Mullen’s mind that with the same effort his side could get back into the tie.

Turning defence into attack will have to be paramount for Campbelltown as City have scored an average 3.5 goals per game at home this season.

Campbelltown statistically boast the best defence in the league, and Iain Fyfe, Shaun Harvey, Jake Monaco and Jake Halliday will have to be at their best if Campbelltown are to cause an upset.

Both teams possess talented players in the middle of the park that are very creative in their own right.

Kieta Minomura, Anthony Piscionieri and Vasilis Parhas have given Campbelltown’s forwards great ball service that has been relished by Tommy Strain, Lui Ditrioa and Co.

At the same time City’s midfield quartet Jordan Pudler, Joel Allwright, Shane Tobias and Thomas Love have gone about their work with aplomb creating scoring opportunities for the competition’s Golden Boot winner Anthony Costa (19 goals in the regular season) and the elusive Nikola Mileusnic (15 goals).

It will be interesting to observe how both coaches approach this contest.

Damian Mori sits in the box seat with two away goals buffer, and has the luxury of being able to sit a little deeper and hit the opposition on the break.

The challenge for Campbelltown will be to try and engineer three goals past an impregnable defence led by the inform Paul Blefari and Mathew Halliday, while keeping a clean sheet.

City’s star forward Anthony Costa said they have only completed half the job, and there is still ninety minutes of football that needs to be navigated against a well drilled team.

“We have only completed half the job; we still have to pull off another win against a very good side,” Costa said.

“They boast one of the best defences so we need to open them up with our speed and quick counter attacks.”

“There is still ninety minutes of football to be played out. We need to keep to our game structure which has served us well this year to get the win.”

The second leg promises to be a very competitive and engrossing contest between two cagey arch rivals.

Adelaide City look set to prevail and progress through to the Grand Final.

As for Campbelltown, another challenge against WT Birkalla or Adelaide Blue Eagles awaits them.

Written by: Joe Pangallo

Photo by: Chris Kelly