“We’re pumped for it. We got a great result in the first game against Shanghai and a win at home could change a lot of things,” an upbeat Ufuk Talay told au.fourfourtwo.com.

“It’ll be our first home win and we’ll take another three important points. Uruwa will stay below us, and with them being our last game of the Champions League group stage, that will be a great thing for us," said the midfielder.

Talay’s cracking strike against Shanghai Shenhua set the platform for the 2-1 victory in China last week after Steve Corica’s early, and equally stunning, goal.

"We’re not feeling any pressure at all; the boys are quite confident after our first win over there. Branko has done a great job since he’s been with us and he’s only been with us for just a month,” added Talay, a ten year veteran of the Turkish leagues.

“He’s changed the style of play and showed us what he wants, and we’re trying to do that on the field. It’s worked so far, so I think Branko is doing quite well."

FC keeper Bolton, speaking after the friendly match last night in Wollongong, picked up on the points made by Talay. “We have a freedom to express ourselves on the park which we didn’t have before under Terry [Butcher]. And the win in Shanghai last week has raised expectations I suppose.”

Bolton added that for Urawa to be playing in the J-League concurrently as the Champions League could work against them. “If they lost this weekend [to lowly Vantforet Kofu in Saitama] their confidence could drop. Then again, a good win will work the opposite way. It can work both ways.”

In the J-League last weekend Urawa blew a two goal lead away to Albirex Niigata conceding twice in the final two minutes for a 2-2 draw. Key men Nagai and Washington were their scorers.