Duo a doubt for Victory
Defending champions Melbourne Victory have doubts over star striker Ola Toivonen and winger Elvis Kamsoba ahead of their clash with Newcastle Jets in Geelong.
Toivonen has been ill over the past two days and coach Kevin Muscat will need to wait before assessing whether he can play in the Grand Final re-match at GMBH Stadium.
Kamsoba injured himself when shooting at training and will have scans on his knee. Victory are definitely without Carl Valeri, who is still battling to recover from the hamstring injury he sustained last month against Central Coast.
German centre-back Georg Niedermeier, who was sent off against Melbourne City last weekend, is suspended but Muscat is happy that both Japanese superstar Keisuke Honda, who is set to make his third consecutive appearance, and new recruit James Donachie are getting fitter.
Victory will have attacking midfielder and former Golden Boot winner James Troisi playing his 100th game for the club.
Speaking of the 30-year-old, Muscat said: "The challenge for James and anybody else is to find that level of consistency. It's for him to perform at a level that's good for the team. These occasions (the game against Newcastle) are not parties ... you have to go out and perform.''
Troisi, who played in the 1-0 win over the Jets in last season's decider, has 27 goals so far for Victory. He has created 30 chances for his team-mates since round one - more than any other A-League player.
Victory are entering the most difficult part of their season, as they start their Asian Champions League campaign against Daegu FC of South Korea next week.
Muscat added: "I'm in the mind-set of being in the ACL, having cup runs and being in a position where you're competing for honours is not a burden. My mind-set is [that position is] where everybody wants to be."
Melbourne Victory are 21/20 win their next game against Newcastle Jets, who are 13/5 with the draw 12/5.
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Defending champions Melbourne Victory have doubts over star striker Ola Toivonen and winger Elvis Kamsoba ahead of their clash with Newcastle Jets in Geelong.
Toivonen has been ill over the past two days and coach Kevin Muscat will need to wait before assessing whether he can play in the Grand Final re-match at GMBH Stadium.
Kamsoba injured himself when shooting at training and will have scans on his knee. Victory are definitely without Carl Valeri, who is still battling to recover from the hamstring injury he sustained last month against Central Coast.
German centre-back Georg Niedermeier, who was sent off against Melbourne City last weekend, is suspended but Muscat is happy that both Japanese superstar Keisuke Honda, who is set to make his third consecutive appearance, and new recruit James Donachie are getting fitter.
Victory will have attacking midfielder and former Golden Boot winner James Troisi playing his 100th game for the club.
Speaking of the 30-year-old, Muscat said: "The challenge for James and anybody else is to find that level of consistency. It's for him to perform at a level that's good for the team. These occasions (the game against Newcastle) are not parties ... you have to go out and perform.''
Troisi, who played in the 1-0 win over the Jets in last season's decider, has 27 goals so far for Victory. He has created 30 chances for his team-mates since round one - more than any other A-League player.
Victory are entering the most difficult part of their season, as they start their Asian Champions League campaign against Daegu FC of South Korea next week.
Muscat added: "I'm in the mind-set of being in the ACL, having cup runs and being in a position where you're competing for honours is not a burden. My mind-set is [that position is] where everybody wants to be."
Melbourne Victory are 21/20 win their next game against Newcastle Jets, who are 13/5 with the draw 12/5.
Source: bet365.com
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