This week's fixture is changing and a fierce battle is about to take place. In the last round of the Australian League, the team I used to play for, Newcastle Jets, lost to Western Sydney Wanderers with a score of 0-2. And Melbourne Victory, facing Brisbane Lions Roar with ten men, could only end up with a 0-0 draw.
Although Melbourne Victory created many good scoring chances in the game, their shots were headless and they were unable to convert the chances into goals. Their creativity in the AFL should not be underestimated, but their ability to capitalize on chances is in need of improvement.
The newest addition to the team, Uruguayan striker Konaruli, may be the savior of the team. He has a lot of experience and knows how to score goals in the AFL. But whether he can integrate into the team quickly will depend on how fast he meshes with his teammates.
Meanwhile, the Newcastle Jets, despite their offensive prowess, will have to be more compact in their defensive line to ensure they don't concede against their opponent's creative and diverse offensive line.
In my opinion, Melbourne Victory will dominate possession for long periods of time, so Newcastle Jets goalkeeper Mikovia will have a key role to play. Not only will he have to do his best to guard the goal, but he will also have the tough task of showing leadership in commanding the defense.
However, with such a fluid situation, I think it will be difficult for the Newcastle Jets to avoid another defeat, with the scales tipping in favor of Melbourne Victory.
