FFA Cup Match Preview: ECU Joondalup v Adelaide Olympic

FFA Cup Round of 32 action continues in Australia's west as ECU Joondalup host Adelaide Olympic on Wednesday night. 

With the competition's long-awaited return well underway, this interstate clash at Dorrien Gardens will round out the first set of Final Rounds fixtures in 2021, with a place in the last 16 - alongside Brisbane Roar, Gold Coast Knights, Lions FC and Adelaide United - on the line. 

Playing their league football in the NPL WA and NPL SA respectively, these two clubs enter this contest with plenty of similarities. 

How to watch the FFA Cup in 2021

Both are coming off up-and-down seasons which saw them finish mid-table, but found no such issues on their path to the FFA Cup Round of 32. 

ECU Joondalup scored 14 goals and conceded none to become one of the two WA-based NPL outfits involved, while Olympic scored seven and were only breached once on their path to the national stage. 

Both have limited experience at this point of the competition, with Joondalup enjoying their first foray into the final 32 - while their opponents have been here once before, back in 2019. 

There is a hint of deja vu for the South Australian club, who travelled west to face Floreat Athena in the last edition of the tournament - sealing passage with a 4-3 victory.

What a comeback, what a game! Adelaide Olympic into the last 16
Adelaide Olympic reached the FFA Cup Round of 16 in dramatic fashion back in 2019

While George Tsonis will be hoping his side can repeat history on the road, fuelled by the goals of Italian marksman Fausto Erba, and his Greek strike-partner Ioannis Simosis, they will face a home side determined to pull off something special. 

ECU Joondalup is built upon a proud footballing community that have enjoyed some great times under former A-League coach Kenny Lowe, winning silverware as recently as 2020, and seeing a strong crew of their youth products progress into a Socceroos shirt. 

Adam Taggart, Brandon O'Neill, Josh Risdon as well as Rhys and Ryan Williams, are among the recent international representatives to have once plied their trade at the club. 

However, they've recently been forced to bond together in the most difficult of circumstances, after English striker Danny Hodgson suffered a sickening injury after an unprovoked attack in Perth earlier this month. 

Those connected to football throughout Australia and beyond have rallied around the club, who warmed up for this FFA Cup clash with a benefit match against Perth Glory - raising over $10,000 for Danny's recovery in the process. 

With 50% of Wednesday's gate profits supporting the cause, the Western Australian community is again set to show their support and cheer on Danny's teammates, who are looking to break up some tough times with a result that will be remembered for years to come. 

ECU Joondalup v Adelaide Olympic
Date:
 Wednesday 29 September, 6pm local, 7:30pm ACST, 8pm AEST
Venue: Dorrien Gardens, Perth
Broadcast: Live & free via 10 play
Tickets: Buy here

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This article was originally published on the Australia Cup website.
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