Captain Stefan Mauk believes Adelaide United’s attack are unstoppable as his side prepare for a crunch clash against in-form, top-six rivals Sydney FC.
The Reds have netted 15 goals in their last five while stringing together a five-match winning streak that has left Carl Veart’s team poised in fourth place in the A-League ahead of Sunday’s contest with the Sky Blues at Coopers Stadium.
Steve Corica’s defending Premiers are three points back in sixth place, and on a four-match unbeaten stretch, but Mauk insists the free-scoring Reds fear nobody as they seek to continue their surge up the ladder.
But Adelaide have not kept a clean sheet in their last eight games, a problem that – if they can fix – Mauk insists there will be no holding back the free-scoring South Australian outfit.
"We’ve got players who can score goals, we’ve got Craig [Goodwin], we’ve got Ben [Halloran], we’ve got Kusini [Yengi] who is stepping up and scoring," Mauk said.
"Myself, and then you’ve got Mohamed Toure, Toni Juric, who are out injured, so we’ve got goals.
"I think the most important thing is defensively we needed to be a little bit tighter in that run of games that we started to lose.
"That’s definitely something we’ve done better and it’s disappointing not to get clean sheets but we know we’re going to score every game so it’s all about making sure we defend well."
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Kusini Yengi impressed in the Reds’ 4-1 hammering of the Newcastle Jets last Sunday but the 22-year-old drew the ire of his coach Veart after receiving a second-half yellow card for simulation.
Mauk admitted he and his fellow teammates had spoken to Yengi about his theatrical dive but conceded that if he keeps producing the goods, then 'he can keep rolling on the floor.'
"I think Carl has definitely spoken to him and the players have spoken to him," Mauk said.
"I think it’s important for every individual to be who they are as a person and if he wants to act like that, that’s completely up to him.
"I think the most disappointing things is that people are talking about that rather than his performance.
"That takes away from him so I think that’s a message that’s been passed on to him and something he doesn’t need to do.
"I’ve been through my fair share of stuff and I think it’s important for players to make mistakes and for players to learn because it’s important. If they don’t make mistakes, they are never going to learn.
"He needs to worry about playing well and that’s what he’s been doing, and the rest of the stuff you can probably not worry about.
"That’s him as a player and, if he can produce on the field and do that stuff, and that’s what’s going to make him play and score goals, then he can keep rolling on the floor."
Match details
Adelaide United v Sydney FC
Sunday, 28 March 2021
Venue: Coopers Stadium
Kick-off: 6.10pm AEDT
Match Centre
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