Newcastle Jets face Shanghai Port after three-game winless streak
Newcastle Jets face Shanghai Port in a critical Asian Champions League Elite match on Tuesday night.
The Jets meet Shanghai Port FC at home on Tuesday night in a critical Asian Champions League Elite match. The Jets are winless across three competitions after losing 3-0 to Wellington in the A-League on the weekend.
A fourth consecutive loss would all but eliminate them from the knockout stage. Shanghai Port are Chinese Super League champions.
They are coached by Kevin Muscat and have about a $130 million annual budget compared to Newcastle's far smaller resources. The Jets lost five starters over the off-season, including their top goal-scorers.
Newcastle had an impressive first season under Mark Milligan, winning the Australia Cup, but have struggled this year as opposition teams now know how to counter their style. Milligan insists the team is still on the right path and wants them to continue playing their attacking football despite the setbacks.
- 5
- Starters lost
- approximately 130 million dollars annually
- Shanghai Port budget
- Kevin Muscat
- Shanghai Port coach
- 77
- Roy O'Donovan games
Why it mattersNewcastle's hopes of progressing to the knockout stage of Asia's elite club competition are in serious danger. A loss would require a near-impossible run to stay alive.
AustraliaNewcastle is one of Australia's A-League clubs competing in Asia's premier club competition. Early elimination would be a blow to Australian soccer's standing in the region.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 3 h ago
