Preview: Tuggeranong United v Melbourne Victory

Tuggeranong United v Melbourne Victory

Tickets: Click here for ticketing details

Tuesday 16 September 2014 (Kick-Off 7.30pm local time)

Vikings Park, Wanniassa ACT

#TUGvMVC

TV broadcast: LIVE and exclusive on FOX SPORTS 3 and 3HD

Tuggeranong United squad: 1.Mitchell MCKENZIE (GK), 2.Cameron DOHERTY, 3.Jonathan REIS, 4.Jonathan TOOLE, 5.Chris RUIZ, 6.Michael JOHN, 7.Matt MENSER, 8.Tim STEWART (c), 9.Michael GURNEY, 10.Muad ZED, 11.Ethan MUNSTER, 12.Mark DI BITONTO, 13.Sean MURPHY, 14.Daniel COLBERTALDO, 15.Harry PETTIT, 16.Jordan GLOVER, 18.Zac MUNSTER, 20.Rohan SHEPHERD (GK)

Melbourne Victory squad: 1.Nathan COE (GK), 2.Jason GERIA, 5.Mark MILLIGAN (c), 6.Leigh BROXHAM, 7.Guilherme FINKLER, 8.Besart BERISHA, 9.Kosta BARBAROUSES, 10.Archie THOMPSON, 11.Connor PAIN, 13.Andrew NABBOUT, 16.Rashid MAHAZI, 17.Matthieu DELPIERRE, 18.Dylan MURNANE, 20.Lawrence THOMAS (GK), 21.Carl VALERI, 22.Jesse MAKAROUNAS, 23.Adrian LEIJER, 24.Scott GALLOWAY, 26.Jordan BROWN

In a true David v Goliath battle which is what the Westfield FFA Cup is all about, Melbourne Victory will start hot favourites but will be wary of a dangerous Tuggeranong United outfit with absolutely nothing to lose

Tuggeranong went into camp on Monday morning to prepare for Tuesday night’s clash and have vowed to throw everything they have at their more highly-fancied opponents.

‘The Tuggies’ warmed up for the clash with a comfortable 3-0 win over Capital League side Narrabundah last Tuesday but it came at a cost with youngster Tom Ruiz dislocating his ankle to be ruled out.

Ruiz, one of their best in their win over South Hobart in the round of 32, will be missed but his older brother Chris, striker Zac Munster and Tim Stewart will be ones to watch for the ACT club.

It will be an emotional homecoming for Victory’s former Tuggeranong junior Carl Valeri, who returns to the club he played at between the age of six and 12.

Valeri – who is likely to go head-to-head in midfield with former junior team-mate Matt Menser – is not the only player the hosts will need to keep quiet, with star striker Besart Berisha, Gui Finkler and Archie Thompson all in menacing form.

Berisha made it three goals in his last two games, scoring the winner against Adelaide United on Friday to go with his brace in the 3-0 win over Perth Glory before that.

Victory boss Kevin Muscat is likely to have all five players who returned from international duty last week – Valeri, Mark Milligan, Kosta Barbarouses, Scott Galloway and Jordan Brown – available but defender Nick Ansell is unlikely to return before the start of the Hyundai A-League season.

 Could United cause a huge upset?