01/04/2008 10:20 AM
Date: Wednesday April 9
Kick-off: 6pm local, 9pm AEST
Venue: Binh Duong Stadium, Thu Dau Mot
TV coverage: Fox Sports 1 (10:00pm AEST)
Previous results:
Changchun Yatai 2 Binh Duong 1, Changchun City Stadium, March 12 2008
Binh Duong 1 Pohang Steelers 4, Binh Duong Stadium, March 19 2008
Pohang Steelers 0 Adelaide United 2, Pohang Steelyard, March 12 2008
Adelaide United 0 Changchun Yatai 0, Hindmarsh Stadium, March 19, 2008
Analysis
Adelaide United is in an excellent position after two matches of the ACL, but would have hoped to have secured three points in its last match and be well clear on top of Group E. An excellent win away to Korean champions Pohang Steelers was followed up with a 0-0 draw with Chinese Super League title holders Changchun Yatai.
The trip to Vietnam is not unfamiliar to the Reds, who had a 2-1 win over Dong Tam Long An last year. However, trips to South East Asia are never easy, with the heat and humidity sure to have featured high in Aurelio Vidmar's plans ahead of this match.
The Reds travel to Thu Dau Mot without powerhouse forward Bruce Djite, who has a hamstring injury, while Robert Cornthwaite is out suspended and Paul Agostino remains sidelined. Defender Sasa Ognenovski is set for his Reds debut, while Jonas Salley is available after serving his one-match suspension. With a win all important to the Reds campaign, Travis Dodd is likely to press forward to support Nathan Burns in attack.
Binh Duong has struggled in the tournament to date. It was brave away to Changchun Yatai in the opening match, losing 2-1, and then was overwhelmed by Pohang in the second match 4-1. If it is to have any chance of progressing from this group it has to win this match.
Much like many of the ACL teams, its three international players are all strikers with Alves and Lima from Brazil and South African Philani all dangerous. Local Tran Giang is also a menacing threat in front of goal in midfield. However, their defence is susceptible, especially to set pieces.
Djite's absence takes away some of the Reds' advantage in that area, but Vidmar would have been working on set piece drills for much of the past two weeks knowing that the distinct lack of height in Binh Duong's defence offers an opening for his side.
Adelaide will be confident of taking three points from this one, but it must stamp its authority on the game early and not be dragged into a war of attrition against the hosts. Otherwise the difficult conditions will play a major part and they could find themselves in a similar predicament to Melbourne Victory in their recent trip to Bangkok.