R12 Preview: Adelaide Comets v MetroStars
Adelaide Comets v MetroStars
PlayStation4 National Premier Leagues South Australia
Where: SA Athletics Stadium, Marjorie Jackson Nelson Drive, Mile End South
When: Saturday, May 21 2016 at 3 pm
Teams:
Adelaide Comets: 2. Joseph Wright, 4. Zachary Hristodoulopoulos, 6. Jack Bladen, 7. Evan Kostopoulos, 8. Joseph Costa, 9. Steven Grelli, 10. Christopher Pepe, 11. Andreas Wiens, 13. Peter Eleftherakis, 15. Oliver Zafiridis, 18. Theo Balomenos, 21. Alexander Woodlands, 22. Allan Welsh, 23. Davide Zerillo, 25. Harry Keramidas, 33. Dyan Newall
MetroStars: Jonathan Negus, 1. Isaac Carmody, 4. Justin Davis, 5. Timothy Henderson, 6. Anthony Solagna, 7. Michael D Aloisio, 8. Rocky Callisto, 10. Liam Wooding, 12. Terry Theodorou, 13. Bailey Truscott, 14. Stefan Simic, 15. Yuki Nakaki, 17. Doni Pollock, 18. Fabian Barbiero, 19. Joseph Polisena, 21. Adam Van Dommele (C), 22. Matthew Crooks, 24. Travis Dodd, 25. Callum Piantadosi (GK)
Form:
Adelaide Comets: D L W
Round 9: Adelaide Comets 1-1 Adelaide Blue Eagles, SA Athletics Stadium.
Round 10: West Torrens-Birkalla 4-0 Adelaide Comets, Jack Smith Park.
Round 11: Adelaide Comets 3-2 South Adelaide, SA Athletics Stadium.
MetroStars: D W L
Round 9: Croydon 2-2 MetroStars, Polonia Reserve.
Round10: MetroStars 2-0 West Adelaide, TK Shutter Reserve.
Round 11: Adelaide City 3-0 MetroStars, Adelaide City Park.
Preview:
Adelaide Comets welcome MetroStars to SA Athletics Stadium in Round 12 of the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues South Australia this Saturday.
The hosts are coming off a tight 3-2 win against a steely South Adelaide outfit, which the Comets’ Coach Theo Tsiounis described as an “even game”.
“South are a well organised, decent side,” Tsiounis said.
“It was pretty even game all the way through and it could’ve gone either way, really.
“So we were just happy to get a point from them at the end of the day.”
Comets sit fourth on the ladder after 11 games – the midway point of the season.
Tsiounis reflects on the first half of the season:
“We’re probably a bit disappointed that we dropped a couple of games that we felt we should’ve won earlier on in the season,” he said.
“But if we can replicate the amount of points we received in the first half of the season, then we’re set to play finals football.
“So, you got to do what you want to get approximately 25 points in the next half of the season.
“But it’s not going to be easy; it’s going to be a difficult challenge.
“That’s our goal – to try to replicate what we did in the first half.”
Standing in their way to reach that goal are the MetroStars, who have steadied themselves over the last couple of weeks since the appointment of Coach Robbie Saraceno, just over three weeks ago.
“Metro have always been a quality side,” Tsiounis said.
“They’re a good club, they’ve got good, strong players, so you always know they’re up for a game.
“We need to be prepared; we need to be sure that we are mentally ready for the game; it’s a big game, once again.”
It will be a big game for MetroStars too, who’ll be looking to make amends for last week’s 3-0 loss to Adelaide City, which Fabian Barbiero described as being “smashed” by the league leaders.
“It was a bit disappointing, but, you know, I think the last few weeks we’ve actually played some good football and we are getting results,” Barbiero said.
“But again, we’ve got to put it all behind us and get back on the park, and we’ve got Comets this week.”
MetroStars sit third from bottom with 11 points at the halfway mark of the season.
According to Barbiero, the current league position comes down to Metro’s poor start to the season:
“We started off quite poorly, very inconsistent I’d say. But we changed our coach as well, that sort of, you know, spiced things up, so to speak.
“Now players got to perform. New coach; it’s a fresh start. It’s been positive all round.
“Now we got to find consistency to get back up where we should be.”
Like his opposite, Barbiero expects a tough match this Saturday.
“Again, another tough, tough side,” he said.
“I think this season especially, I think, there is no real winner or loser; it’s whoever turns up on the day.
“We played them earlier on in the season, played quite well – we were very unlucky that game.
“We’ve been training quite well the last few weeks. I think it’s going to be a cracker game.”
Written by Christopher Munker
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