Round 9 National Premier League Preview - Adelaide Blue Eagles v Adelaide Comets

Adelaide Blue Eagles v Adelaide Comets
South Australia National Premier League Round 9

When: Saturday, April 19th, Kick-off 3pm
Where: Marden Sports Complex, Lower Portrush Road, MARDEN

Teams:

 

Adelaide Blue Eagles: C. Annicchiarico, S. Annicchiarico, C. Atsikbasis, J. Boyokino, M. Catford, M. Charalambous, F. Cona, D. Crettenden, G. De Lucia, F. Filletti, J. Giannitto, A. Harris, K. Harris, L. Lawless, C. Mbarga, M. Nicholson, S. Saccoh, M. Tosic, S. Viola, A. Vizzari

Adelaide Comets: L. Andreucci, G. Aslanidis, R. Borgas, M. Bouraee, E. Demourtzidis, K. Francis, A. Hassine, Z. Hristodoulopoulos, J. Karatzas, D. Makridis, D. Markov, K. Nash, K. Phelps, E. Ramos, K. Seki, M. Tesema, S. Tesfagabr, N. Visvardis, S. Warner, D. Zerillo

 

Form:

 

Adelaide Blue Eagles: W L W

 

Round 7: Adelaide Blue Eagles 2-1 West Torrens Birkalla, Marden Sports Complex
Federation Cup Round 2: Adelaide City 4-1 Adelaide Blue Eagles, Adelaide City Park
Round 8: Croydon 2-3 Adelaide Blue Eagles, Polonia Reserve

 Adelaide Comets: W W W

 

Round 7: Campbelltown City 1-3 Adelaide Comets, Steve Woodcock Sports Centre
Federation Cup Round 2: Para Hills 4-3 Adelaide Comets (AET), The Paddocks
Round 8: Adelaide Comets 3-1 West Adelaide, Santos Stadium

 

Preview: 

Adelaide Comets are aiming to take the scalp of another League leader when they face Adelaide Blue Eagles in Round 9 of the South Australia National Premier League at Marden Sports Complex on Saturday.

 

Blue Eagles jumped to the top of the table last weekend, with Jean-Glaude Boyokino’s late winner downing Croydon. It was their third successive League win, with the only recent blemish elimination from the Coca-Cola Federation Cup.

 

Defender Chris Annicchiarico says they are looking to continue that run.

 

“Last week was a massive game for us. We went in level with Croydon, but started slowly. We picked up and then were able to get that late goal,” said Annicchiarico.

 

“We’ve won a few on the trot, it’s just unfortunate we couldn’t progress in the Cup. Now we’re looking for another win.”

 

To do so, Blue Eagles will have to defeat the impressive Comets. Their weekend opponent has defeated three of the current top six.

 

Yet the new leaders go in confident, as Annicchiarico believes new boss Zoran Karadzic is starting to make his mark on the side.

 

“At the start of the season it was something of a transitional period, but we are now implementing Zoran’s ideas into games.

 

“We know it is very tight at the top and so we can’t slip up, even if it is still early.

 

“Comets started slowly but are in terrific form. They have a tremendous attacking line-up, but we have to be strong in all areas.”

 

Blue Eagles are top in part thanks to Adelaide Comets, who ended the unbeaten start of West Adelaide with a 3-1 victory in Round 8.

 

Coach Jim Karatzas notes they enjoyed a good second half.

 

“In the first half they played a bit different to what we thought and we fixed that. We played very well after the break,” the coach said.

 

“You can say it was historic, but for me it was just another game. It didn’t matter how many they had won beforehand.”

 

Comets are sixth, just three points behind Blue Eagles. They have impressed in attack, scoring at least three goals a game since Round 4, and conceding just six times during that period.

 

Karatzas says a team effort has taken Comets this far and is looking for more of the same against the new leaders.

 

“Our main strength recently has been at the back, but the midfield is also working hard to give attackers a chance to do what they can. It has been a team effort.

 

“We know Blue Eagles will be tough. I told the boys to take every game on its merits, that each is as important as the last. The difference between winning and losing is very small.”

 

Elsewhere, both White City and West Torrens Birkalla are hoping to build on recent wins at Frank Mitchell Park on Thursday.

 

The Warriors have enjoyed two crushing victories, most recently against Cumberland United. Last weekend, Birkalla snapped a winless run to climb off the bottom of the table.

 

Adelaide City and Cumberland United will look to be getting back on track at Adelaide City Park on Saturday.

 

City have lost their past two League fixtures, although they did advance in the Federation Cup. The Foxes have dropped their last seven matches in all competitions, most recently against White City.

 

West Adelaide will be eager to quickly recover from their maiden defeat as they face Para Hills at Adelaide Shores Football Centre on Saturday.

 

The blue and whites fell to Comets, but are just a point behind the leaders. The Knights have lost their last five League matches, including Round 8’s drubbing at the hands of Campbelltown City.

 

Raiders and MetroStars are separated by just one point as they prepare to battle at the Croatian Sports Centre on Saturday.

 

The hosts are currently seventh following successive League wins to sit on the fringes of the top six. MetroStars are unbeaten in four games, last week defeating Adelaide City.

 

South Adelaide and Croydon will be looking to bounce back from Round 8 defeats when they meet at O’Sullivan Beach Sports Complex on Saturday.

 

The Panthers fell to Birkalla in successive weeks, in the Cup and League, to sit tenth. The Kings missed the chance to reclaim first when they lost against Blue Eagles.

 

Campbelltown City steadied the ship last week and now take on struggling Western Strikers at Steve Woodcock Sports Centre on Saturday.

 

Michael Matricciani’s quartet help the Champions to a big win over Para Hills, snapping a three-game losing run. Strikers had hoped to build on their Cup success, but fell to Raiders.

Thursday April 17

 

White City v West Torrens Birkalla
7:30pm - Frank Mitchell Park, Minns Street, WOODVILLE WEST

 

 

Saturday April 19

Adelaide City v Cumberland United
3pm - Adelaide City Park, Corner Fosters Road & Hilltop Drive, OAKDEN

West Adelaide v Para Hills
3pm - Adelaide Shores Football Centre, West Beach Road, WEST BEACH

 

Raiders v MetroStars
3pm - Croatian Sports Centre, State Sports Park, off Main North Road, GEPPS CROSS

South Adelaide v Croydon
3pm - O'Sullivan Beach Sports Complex, Galloway Road, O'SULLIVAN BEACH

Campbelltown City v Western Strikers
3pm - Steve Woodcock Sports Centre, Stradbroke Road, NEWTON

 




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