Currency rates from 20/09/2024
$1 – 12724.84
UZS – -0.12%
€1 – 14223.83
UZS – 0.23%
₽1 – 137.11
UZS – -1.46%
Search
Sports 17/10/2008 Adelaide United goalkeeper in serious doubt
Action from the match between Adelaide United and Bunyodkor
Adelaide United’s Socceroos keeper Eugene Galekovic is in serious doubt for the crucial ACL semi-final against Bunyodkor on Wednesday, Adelaide Now reported.

Adelaide is leading the two legged tie 3-0 after a home win at Hindmarsh on October 8 courtesy of Galekovics world class form.

Galekovic is a definite non-starter in tonight’s clash against Queensland Roar at Suncorp Stadium after injuring an abductor muscle in yesterday’s Socceroos recovery session in Brisbane.

Galekovic is set to undergo x-rays later today in an attempt to discover the seriousness of the injury.

The Victorian-born keeper joined United’s squad last night after spending seven days in Pim Verbeek’s Socceroos camp in Brisbane.

He didn’t make the final 18 man squad which belted Qatar 4-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.

Galekovic’s shock injury will hand teenage sensation Mark Birighitti his A-League debut tonight.

Birighitti, 17, was also under an injury cloud earlier this week when he went down with an ankle injury after the Baby Reds 1-2 loss to Sydney FC in Sydney last weekend.

But the West Australian appears to have recovered in time to take his place between the posts.

Galekovic will sit on the bench tonight.

Meanwhile, United’s four Socceroos - among them Paul Reid and Robert Cornthwaite - will set a precedent before tonight’s clash with Queensland Roar.

Coach Aurelio Vidmar’s don’t train, don’t play policy for the Reds seemingly will be broken after the Socceroos’ quartet spent the best part of eight days without a United session.

Vidmar, however, will bend the stringent rules, citing extraordinary circumstances which allowed Reid, Cornthwaite and Scott Jamieson and Eugene Galekovic invaluable sessions with international World Cup exposure before the Socceroos belted Qatar 4-0 in Brisbane on Wednesday night.

All are expected to feature from the start of tonight’s game at Suncorp Stadium as Vidmar reshuffles his line-up to cover the loss of Diego.

Gyawe Jonas Salley will start for Diego, who was bed-ridden for three days earlier in the week with a virus.

Although the Fab Four did not feature in Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek’s squad for the qualifier, Vidmar said his Reds should be on an enormous high after mixing it with Tim Cahill and Co.

Vidmar said he will not hold a special tactical session this morning just to slot United’s Socceroos into his line-up.

"We’ll just have a light run in the morning but we’ll have a meeting," Vidmar said.

"Their roles are pretty simple. We’ll have a good meeting and discuss it.

"They’ll get a massive lift being in that (Socceroos) set-up - all of them being in the squad for the first time."

The Reds boss said all four by now should know exactly what is required as Adelaide prepares for another war on two competition fronts in the next nine days.

While Vidmar is demanding players focus just on tonight’s clash, his squad will be hard pressed to put soccer’s bigger AFC Champions League picture to bed.

United is jetting across central Asia tomorrow to face Uzbekistan’s Bunyodkor in the return leg of the AFC Champions League semi-final in Tashkent on Wednesday. That is certain to be in the back of the Reds’ minds with the tie 3-0 in favour of the SA side.

Adelaide then faces Perth Glory at home on Sunday, October 26 after leaving Tashkent on Thursday night.

Adelaide’s squad faces two nights in the air before sleeping in their own beds on Saturday week.

The re-signing of Brazilian Cassio for a further two-years on Wednesday has bolstered the morale of the United squad while Vidmar dispelled speculation the club had targeted Adelaide-born Sydney FC defender Iain Fyfe.

The former Adelaide City NSL defender comes out of contract at the end of the season. Sydney media reports suggested United had preliminary talks and offered Fyfe terms on Monday. "We haven’t made any offers to anyone," Vidmar said. "At this point in time, no-one is coming and no-one is going."

Stay up to date with the latest news
Subscribe to our telegram channel