Victory set for historic AFC Champions League debut

Melbourne Victory has put the final touches on its preparations for the AFC Champions League 2008, readying itself for its historic first match against Korea Republic’s Chunnam Dragons at Telstra Dome this Wednesday (kick off 7:30pm).

Melbourne Victory has put the final touches on its preparations for the AFC Champions League 2008, readying itself for its historic first match against Korea Republic-s Chunnam Dragons at Telstra Dome this Wednesday (kick off 7:30pm).

Victory completed its final training session at Telstra Dome this morning and Captain Kevin Muscat declared the side is determined to take three points from its debut match in Asia-s premier club competition.

“I suppose we’re travelling into the unknown” Muscat said.

“We-ll go out there tomorrow concerned about our own performance and if we get that right, it-ll give us our best chance of success.

“In terms of playing an international club game, it’s a first time for a lot of the boys and we want to get a good start and we want all three points.

“The AFC Champions League is exciting, it gives you something else to strive for and it’s given us an opportunity to put a couple of wrongs right.”

Both teams will name a squad of 18 players before the match, with Victory recruit Billy Celeski, who was named in the Socceroos squad earlier today to face Singapore, expected to make his debut for the club in place of the injured Carlos Hernandez.

The match will be broadcast live and exclusively on Fox Sports 1 from 7pm, with radio coverage on SEN 1116am or through sen.com.au.

Tickets are available from any Ticketmaster outlet, by calling 136 100 or through ticketmaster.com.au.

Melbourne Victory (AUS) v Chunnam Dragons (KOR)
Wednesday, 12 March 2008
Kick off 7:30pm AEDT
Telstra Dome, Melbourne

Melbourne Victory:

1.Michael THEOKLITOS (gk), 2.Kevin MUSCAT (Captain), 3.Daniel PIORKOWSKI, 4.Steven PACE, 6.Steve PANTELDIS, 7.Matthew KEMP, 9.Daniel ALLSOPP, 10.Archie THOMPSON, 11.Nathan ELASI, 12.Rodrigo VARGAS, 13.Kaz PATAFTA, 14.Adrian CACERES, 15.Leandro LOVE, 16.Carlos HERNANDEZ, 17.Daniel VASILEVSKI, 18.Leigh BROXHAM, 19.Evan BERGER, 20.Mitchell LANGERAK (gk), 21.Sebastian RYALL, 22.Nick WARD, 23.Steve MAUTONE (gk), 24.Billy CELESKI, 25.Tom PONDELJAK

Chunnam Dragons: 1.CHA Kiseok (gk), 2.KIM Jinhyun, 3.PARK Jiyong, 4.JUNG Inhwan, 5.KWAK Tae Hwi (Captain), 6.Jasenko SABITOVIC, 7.KIM Chiwoo, 8.KIM Taesu, 9.SONG Jung Hyun, 10.Adriano NEVES PEREIRA, 11.Sandro Hiroshi PARREAO OI, 12.LEE Sangil, 13.LEE Yunpyo, 14.BAEK Seungmin, 15.JEONG Kyungho, 16.LIM Kwan Sik, 17.LEE Junki, 18.Victor Simoes DE OLIVEIRA, 19.JU Kwangyoun, 20.KO Kigu, 21.YEOM Donggyun (gk), 22.KIM Seongjae, 23.YU Jino, 24.CHO Min Hyuck (gk), 25.LEE Hyuro, 26.JEONG Junyeon, 27.LEE Sang Yong, 28.CHO Beomseok, 29.CHANG Donghyok, 30.YOO Hongyoul