Adelaide desperate to find their touch in front of goal

Adelaide United are yet to score their first bona fide goal this season, but winger Mate Dugandzic believes Saturday's game against Brisbane Roar offers them a great opportunity to break that duck.

Mate Dugandzic

Adelaide United winger Mate Dugandzic believes his side will be an attacking force again. (Getty) Source: Getty Images

United have two goals to their credit, but both of them were own goals - the first by Andreu in a 1-1 draw with Western Sydney Wanderers and the other by Diogo Ferreira in last weekend's 3-1 loss to Perth Glory. Adelaide had a goalless draw in the first round against Melbourne Victory.

It is a run that will become alarming if it goes much further, but Dugandzic believes an open style of game against Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium is the right antidote.
"We've got to start firing a bit more," Dugandzic said. "At the moment, none of us has been able to hit the back of the net.

"I think we'll do well against Brisbane though. The style we play and the style they play, it should be a really entertaining game I think. There are always goals involved when Adelaide plays Brisbane and I think it's going to be the same this time. Big stadium, big pitch, so we're looking forward to it."

Dugandzic is in his first season with Adelaide after playing for Melbourne City and Victory before that, but he has obviously done his research.

Adelaide and Brisbane played four times last season, including one finals match, and there was a healthy total of 12 goals scored - six to each team.

Each of the three regular-season games was won by the away team (Adelaide 2-1, Brisbane 1-0 and Brisbane 3-2), while their elimination final clash went to Adelaide at home, 2-1.

Dugandzic said Adelaide were playing a slightly-altered style under new coach Guillermo Amor, who replaced Josep Gombau.

"Josep was very much structured and it's a bit more of a free style of play under Guillermo," he said. "We're quickly getting used to it, but when we played Perth they just sat back and defended really well and hit us on the counter very well and took their chances.

"They had a limited amount of chances, but they did the job against us, so that was disappointing, but I think everyone understands the system a lot better now than in the first couple of rounds and I think we'll be a force to be reckoned with very soon.

"Confidence plays a major role in football and once we get that first goal and first win I think we're more than capable of going on a run as well.

"We've got Brisbane on Saturday and we're backing up pretty quickly at home against City on Thursday, so it's a great opportunity for us to get a couple of good results in a hurry if we go about things the right way.

"But we know it won't be an easy game against Brisbane, they're playing good football. It will be tough, but I think we're ready for that.

"Brisbane play a lot more open style than Perth and they've got some exceptional talent as well. Corona looks to be a tremendous player. I think it will be an interesting game and one that comes down to which team is more clinical and hopefully we're that team on the day."
Adelaide, which finished third last season, are in ninth place on just two points. Brisbane, which finished sixth last season, are in second place on six points.

But while Roar are the highest-scoring team in the competition, with seven goals, they have not been as tight as they would have liked at the back, conceding five goals.

Against Perth, Adelaide had neither their regular striker, Bruce Djite, nor Eli Babalj available. Djite missed the first three rounds with a groin injury, while Babalj, who was signed in the off-season, was out with a foot injury after playing in Djite's place in the first two rounds.

Babalj is expected to be out for another five weeks, but Djite has been named in the squad for a comeback against Roar. It remains to be seen whether Djite starts or comes off the bench, but - whichever way it turns out - Dugandzic said it was great to have him back.

"I think a lot of people underestimate the things Bruce does for the team," Dugandzic said. "He's very much a team player who holds the ball up and brings a lot of other people into the game.

"When Bruce is there holding the ball up I think 'Chelo' (Marcelo Carrusca) and other players will become a lot more attacking and I think everyone will get a lot more involved.

"Bruce makes those smart runs and drags players out. He pretty much gets a couple of defenders to him because he's just so strong that he's able to hold the majority of defenders off him in one-on-one situations.

"He's always good to have because he opens up space for others and hopefully he'll remain fit and healthy for the whole season."


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5 min read
Published 30 October 2015 11:49am
Updated 31 October 2015 9:00am
By Greg Prichard
Source: SBS


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