Victory full strength for run into finals

FOR the first time this season, Melbourne Victory has a full deck of players available for its A-League campaign, a timely boost as it mounts a late charge for a top-two finish.

Victory’s ambitions go on the line against Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium tonight, where a win could be crucial for reeling in Sydney FC and nabbing direct progression to a home semi-final.

The race will be shaped in a bumper penultimate weekend to the regular season.

Premier Perth travels to Sydney in a top-of-the-table clash, third-placed Victory goes to fourth-placed Adelaide and Melbourne City, in sixth, is in Wellington in hope of hauling in the Phoenix in fifth.

Victory’s path to defending its championship is fraught.

If it finishes third, it will face eight games in 33 days — including at least four away days — before the grand final.

Finishing second would give it a free weekend before an Asian Champions League trip to South Korea, allowing it to return for a home semi-final.

“With the schedule, would the weekend off be good? I’m not going to deny that,” Victory coach Kevin Muscat said.

Muscat said Adelaide would be a stern test given its history and ambition.

“They’re desperate for a home final. Especially after last year, that first elimination final was away, was here (in Melbourne),” he said.

“They’ll be desperate, they’ve been desperate against us in their games.

“Somehow they maybe leave a little bit in the tank for when they play us.

“I can’t remember a dull game against them. There’s always action … Coopers is a wonderful stadium for that.”

Muscat said Terry Antonis and Carl Valeri were available for the trip to South Australia, as was fit-again goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas.

He was coy as to whether his first-choice keeper would automatically resume.

“Lawrence has held it for quite some time and performed remarkably for himself and for the club,” he said.

“I understand the intrigue because of the position. I don’t want to sound flippant, but it’s exactly like every other position in terms of the way we make the decisions.”