Adelaide City v Campbelltown City
PlayStation 4 National Premier League South Australia Grand Final

When: Saturday, September 10th. Kick-off 3pm
Where: Coopers Stadium, Holden Street, HINDMARSH

Teams

Adelaide City: 2 Acton, Michael 7 Allw right, Joel 8 Blefari, Paul  11 Bucco, Nicholas 21 Corbo, Bradley 9 Costa, Anthony 12 Farquhar, Lewis 13 Filosi, Daniel 5 Halliday, Matthew 17 Kamara, Mamadi 16 Love, Thomas 10 Mileusnic, Nikola 22 Moore, Matthew 20 Ostbye, Luke 6 Pudler, Jordan 3 Sunasky, Alexander 4 Tobias, Shane 1 Veitch, Ryan

Campbelltown City: 7 Ditroia, Luigi 4 Fyfe, Iain 23 Halliday, Jake 8 Hara, Kento 20 Harpas, Nicholas 52 Harvey, Shaun 17 Johnston, Linus 15 Masone, Aidan 18 Minomura, Keita 0 Monaco, Jake 28 Negrean, Joshua 6 Parhas, Vasilis 14 Piscioneri, Adam 16 Stefanopoulos, Kristos 9 Strain, Thomas 11 Ture, Anthony 12 Williams, Jacob 5 Wilson, James

Form

Adelaide City: L W W

Round 22: MetroStars 2-1 Adelaide City, TK Shutter Reserve
Major Semi Final First Leg: Campbelltown City 0-2 Adelaide City, Steve Woodcock Sports Centre
Major Semi Final Second Leg: Adelaide City 2-1 Campbelltown City, Adelaide City Park

Campbelltown City: L L W

Major Semi Final First Leg: Campbelltown City 0-2 Adelaide City, Steve Woodcock Sports Centre
Major Semi Final Second Leg: Adelaide City 2-1 Campbelltown City, Adelaide City Park
Preliminary Final: Campbelltown City 4-0 West Torrens Birkalla

Preview

It’s all on the line as Adelaide City and Campbelltown City clash in the PlayStation 4 National Premier League South Australia Grand Final at Coopers Stadium this Saturday.

Adelaide City won through to the decider on the back of a 4-1 aggregate success over the Red Devils in the Major Semi Final.

The two victories extended the Black and Whites unbeaten run over Campbelltown in 2016 to four matches and Nicholas Bucco said that gives them a lot of confidence.

“I thought we played relative to the situations and were good in patches,” he said.

“In the first half of the first leg we were dominant, then defended well after the break. In the second leg we were nervous and they came out and got the goal. The second half was a lot better.

“We have a lot of confidence and have beaten them three times. We know what we need to do, but must apply what have worked on to the 90 minutes.”

South Australia’s most successful club with 17 championships, Adelaide City last lifted the trophy in 2010. Having finished first after 22 rounds, it hopes to celebrate once more.

Bucco says the team will not feel Grand Final nerves.

“I don’t think there’s any pressure. The expectation on ourselves is to win a championship, so it’s more expectation than pressure. That has helped us all year.

“We can go there and play our game. I don’t think we’ll feel nervous.

“Every match against Campbelltown is decided in midfield. If we can dominate that area and then put pressure on their defence with quick ball movement, then we can do well.”

Campbelltown City recovered from the Major Semi Final defeat to ease past West Torrens Birkalla in the Preliminary Final. Joe Mullen’s team ran out 4-0 winners.

Lui Ditroia said the Red Devils overcame a difficult challenge.

“It was a relief to get through after the two losses,” he said.

“We knew what we were capable of heading in and needed to win. We knew they would come out firing, but we stuck to our plan and it worked out.

“The victory gives us a lot of confidence. It was a big win for a Preliminary Final and against a good side in Birkalla.”

Campbelltown has taken just one draw from the four meetings between the sides this season.

The 2013 champions will have to throw the form guide against Adelaide City out the window to add a third league championship to the trophy cabinet, but Ditroia says the team is ready.

“We will have a plan of attack. We need to defend as a team from the strikers down to the defence. That’s half the battle against Adelaide City. We don’t have an issue scoring goals, but they are extremely clinical going forward.

“Whoever is tighter and more organised at the back will have a big advantage.

“The feeling in the squad is good. Everybody is excited and wants to play. There are a few nerves from the younger players, but we are looking forward to the weekend and we will enjoy it.”

Written by Luca Cetta 

Photo by Chris Kelly