Melbourne Heart FC defender Simon Colosimo says he is eagerly anticipating the side’s upcoming crunch encounter with Sydney FC at AAMI Park on Saturday.
Melbourne Heart FC defender Simon Colosimo says he is eagerly anticipating the side-s upcoming crunch encounter with Sydney FC at AAMI Park on Saturday.
With only two matches remaining, Heart remains in control of its destiny, with a win cementing its place in the Hyundai A-League Finals Series for the first time in Club history.
A loss however, would likely be a hammer blow to the side-s playoff ambitions, forcing Heart to rely on other results to determine its ultimate fate.
Unbeaten in five matches at home, Heart is currently in the midst of a club record run of results at AAMI Park, with the Red and White emerging as eminently more difficult to defeat in front of its own fans.
Heart will certainly look to draw confidence from its recent run when facing a Sydney FC outfit buoyed by a weekend triumph over common rivals Melbourne Victory.
“What makes it so important is the fact that whoever wins is in control of their own destiny, and you’re not left relying on other results,” Colosimo said.
“It’s the sort of game you want to be part of, the kind of occasion that’s the reason we’re professional footballers.
“It’d be nice to be sitting pretty in the top six and knowing you’re in the finals, in one way, but the added pressure of a game like this one is the sort of challenge we love.”
While Sydney FC have struggled for consistency this season, Colosimo remains wary of his former side, citing its experience as a key strength.
“At this time of year, in this sort of game, you look at the squads. People like (Sydney’s Pascal) Bosschaart and (Michael) Beauchamp, (Karol) Kisel and (Brett) Emerton have played at World Cups, in the top European leagues,” he said.
“Their experience will stand out, as will ours. It’s about keeping your head, sticking to the game plan; the atmosphere can lead you into situations where you’re not in control of the game otherwise.
“We’ve played pretty well against Sydney in the two games so far this season.”
