Adelaide United coach John Kosmina has hailed Matt Simon’s move to the K-League as a blessing in disguise for the Reds as they take on the top-of-the-table Mariners at Gosford this Saturday.
Kosmina said both sides have matchups all over the park and that a piece of individual brilliance could be all that separates the sides after 90 minutes.
The former Sydney FC coach is expecting a tough fixture but feels safe knowing he won’t have to face the Mariners’ all-time leading goal scorer.
“If they’ve lost any edge at all it’s because Matty [Simon] isn’t there,” Kosmina said.
“His contribution off the ball is phenomenal… he works non-stop and he’s banged in a few goals this year, he’s always a handful for defenders.
“It’s probably a blessing in disguise for us.”
Former Mariner Nigel Boogaard will return for his first match at Gosford since signing with United for the 2010 Hyundai A-League season.
Boogaard says he’s looking forward to facing his former teammates and is hoping to prove his worth to both the Adelaide and Mariners faithful.
“It’s always good to go there and get a result and show the home crowd that I’ve still got it,” Boogaard said.
Saturday’s match begins a run of three games in eight days for the Reds as they face the Jets on Wednesday before returning to Hindmarsh on Sunday to face Travis Dodd and the Perth Glory.
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