Reds skipper Craig Goodwin is “in the mix” to play against Melbourne City on Friday night at Coopers Stadium despite his match-day arrival in Adelaide from Socceroos duty in the USA.
Goodwin played the first-half of Australia’s 1-0 loss to Venezuela last Saturday in Houston, and was an unused substitute on Wednesday when the Socceroos were beaten 3-0 by Colombia.
Reds coach Airton Andrioli is set to make a decision on whether veteran winger Goodwin plays against City after he arrived in Adelaide on Friday.
“‘Goody’ is in the mix,” Andrioli said.
“We’ll assess that closer to the game. We’ll have a conversation with him and see how he feels after such a long journey.
“We haven’t made a final decision yet, but he’s part of the playing group.”
The Reds – who have six points from four games – are chasing a third home win this season.
“We’ve been performing consistently well, but the most important thing is results. We need to win matches because confidence comes with that,” Andrioli said.
“It was good to get the result in the last game (a 2-0 win over Western Sydney), and now we’re at home again – we hope we can continue that.”
Adelaide’s Dutch defender Bart Vriends said he had a “very positive feeling” about what the Reds could do this season.
“We are a team that’s not an easybeat and we’ll show that for the rest of the season,” Vriends said.
“We’re still improving and progressing. We look sharp and energetic. I’m enjoying the energy on the training pitch.
“Everyone sticks together and is positive, and that is all credit to Airton. I like the way his training sessions are built and he’s trying to implement different types of play for us depending on the opponent.”
Vriends had no doubt the Reds were good enough to hand champions City their first defeat of the season.
“Melbourne City are one of the best teams in the league,” he said.
“They are very well organised, play with high energy, and are an aggressive team and a very solid team to play against, but we’ve got a good track record against them and we have a lot of confidence.”
The match marks the latest return of to Adelaide of City coach Aurelio Vidmar, who guided the Reds to the AFC Champions League final in 2008.
“Always fond memories,” Vidmar said in reflecting on his time as a player and a coach at the Reds.
“I’m still in contact with a lot of people there, so it’s always nice (to go back there).”
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