After 22 years of Adelaide being a one-team town (first with Adelaide City and then with Adelaide United), the city of churches finally has two dance partners ready to duke it out on the national stage.
Adelaide Olympic has reached the Round of 16 for the second successive FFA Cup season, after they were halted by Hume City in the 2019 edition of the competition.
This time though, it is Adelaide United standing in its way – with Adelaide set for its first local derby in a national competition since Adelaide Sharks (now known as West Adelaide) defeated Adelaide City 1-0 on April 4, 1999.
While the Reds have proven to be a cup specialist in recent year’s, Olympic has forged a similar reputation – winning back-to-back SA Federation Cups, most recently beating Adelaide City 2-1 in July thanks to a late goal from Italian Fausto Erba.
In the league however, it has been a season to forget for Olympic, as they missed out on a finals spot by just three points, minnows South Adelaide taking out sixth spot in their place.
Key Players
Fausto Erba has often been the key man for Olympic in recent years, and is a stalwart of the NPL SA. He proved that once again in the Round of 32 when he scored a wondergoal against ECU Joondalup as his side ran 3-0 winners in Perth.
The 36-year-old was the second highest goalscorer in the NPL SA this season, with 12 goals in 18 games.
Kristin Konstandopoulos is another one to look out for, as the midfielder comes up against is former club.
Konstandopoulos, 23, played one A-League game for the Reds while his brother Nathan is still training with the Reds as he recovers from his second ACL tear.
Youngest brother Jason Konstandopoulos also lines up in the Olympic midfield, and the 17-year-old has already made himself one of the first names on team sheet alongside his brother.
How will they line up?
Olympic played a 4-1-4-1 formation in the Round of 32, Fausto Erba being utilised as a sole striker with the Konstandopoulos brothers forming a midfield pairing. Giannis Simosis proved the difference when he came off the bench, providing a goal and an assist en route to the 3-0 win.
One regular won’t be present though – coach George Konstandopoulos (father of Nathan, Kristin and Jason) is currently serving a 12 game ban, so Yanni Stamatelopoulos will be in the dugout just like he was in the Round of 32.
Image Credit: Adelaide Olympic
