VICTORY skipper Kevin Muscat has told his team to put their Bangkok nightmare behind them and get back to playing their best for the Gamba Osaka showdown.
Melbourne suffered a shock 3-1 defeat to Chonburi FC in their second match of the Asian Chapions League campaign in the Thai capital, meaning they need to win at least one of the next two matches against Osaka to stay within reach of the knockout stage.
Muscat said that while the Bangkok match was a learning experience, it was important the Victory did not get too caught up with what happened against the Thai champions and that the team focussed on producing a quality performance like they did against Chunnam Dragons in the opening game.
"We'll come at the back end of these two games knowing exactly where we stand," he said.
"This one's a home game for us and again we'll be trying to take maximum points. We'll look back to that form we had at home.
"I thought we played very well in that game. Anything near that again and I'm quietly confident that we'll come away with the points."
Muscat said that turning the momentum around in this match was vital in the Victory's chances of making it through with only the top team from each group advancing.
He added: "If we get a good result here it puts them under immense pressure also going into their home game.
"In saying that, they'll be coming here and think they are going to get three points. It should be an open game, but as I said, a few people will get opportunities and hopefully they can take them."
Gamba Osaka was expected to dominate the group but a 1-1 draw at home to Chonburi in the opening match saw it drop early points.
The Japanese side then had to come from 2-0 down to defeat Chunnam 3-2 in Korea in the last match.
Osaka's J-League form has been a little patchy as well having won two, drawn one and lost one from the first four games of the season.
Their patchy form is heartening to coach Ernie Merrick but he knows they are a quality side with a very dangerous striker in the Brazilian Bare, who scored two goals in its most recent match.
"We always knew they were a team," said Merrick. "They've bought several new players in for the new season, they've got seven internationals, three Brazilians, one of whom's the second top goalscorer in the J-League from last season.
"We never doubted their quality. But if we play to our strengths we will do well.
"Their form has certainly been up and down and because all the team's in the ACL are good quality teams, we've all come from different styles of play."
Muscat said that while the Bangkok match was a learning experience, it was important the Victory did not get too caught up with what happened against the Thai champions and that the team focussed on producing a quality performance like they did against Chunnam Dragons in the opening game.
"We'll come at the back end of these two games knowing exactly where we stand," he said.
"This one's a home game for us and again we'll be trying to take maximum points. We'll look back to that form we had at home.
"I thought we played very well in that game. Anything near that again and I'm quietly confident that we'll come away with the points."
Muscat said that turning the momentum around in this match was vital in the Victory's chances of making it through with only the top team from each group advancing.
He added: "If we get a good result here it puts them under immense pressure also going into their home game.
"In saying that, they'll be coming here and think they are going to get three points. It should be an open game, but as I said, a few people will get opportunities and hopefully they can take them."
Gamba Osaka was expected to dominate the group but a 1-1 draw at home to Chonburi in the opening match saw it drop early points.
The Japanese side then had to come from 2-0 down to defeat Chunnam 3-2 in Korea in the last match.
Osaka's J-League form has been a little patchy as well having won two, drawn one and lost one from the first four games of the season.
Their patchy form is heartening to coach Ernie Merrick but he knows they are a quality side with a very dangerous striker in the Brazilian Bare, who scored two goals in its most recent match.
"We always knew they were a team," said Merrick. "They've bought several new players in for the new season, they've got seven internationals, three Brazilians, one of whom's the second top goalscorer in the J-League from last season.
"We never doubted their quality. But if we play to our strengths we will do well.
"Their form has certainly been up and down and because all the team's in the ACL are good quality teams, we've all come from different styles of play."
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