AFC Champions League preview: Melbourne Victory v Jeju United

Jeju United coach Park Hyung-Moon is backing his captain Kim Eun-Jung to impress in Tuesday’s AFC Champions League showdown against Melbourne Victory.

The 31-year-old South Korean international fired blanks when Jeju made their ACL debut with a 1-0 home loss to Chinese outfit Tianjin Teda on March 1.

But with his side needing to get at least a point, if not three from their visit to Australia, coach Park has backed the Jeju talisman to stand tall at Etihad Stadium.

“The main point will be who is going to score first and Kim will try his best. He is important for us to score that first goal,” Park said.

“We started this competition slowly, I know we should have won that game, but now we are here in Australia and will try to make the most of this match.”

Kim, who fired 13 goals as Jeju finished second in the 2010 K-League season and boasts a distinguished pedigree highlighted by 15 internationals for South Korea, spoke of his desire to prove a trumpcard.

“I’m in my best condition for this match, Melbourne will play attacking football unlike our last match where the opposition were defensively orientated,” Kim said.

Jeju meets a Melbourne Victory team beaten 5-1 by Gamba Osaka in their opening match and with a new coach in former Socceroos defender Mehmet Durakovic.

Durakovic, who enjoyed three successful seasons in Malaysia with Selangor as a player and featured in 64 internationals for the Socceroos, replaces the dumped Ernie Merrick for the remainer of Victory’s ACL group campaign.

“It’s exciting to be given such a great role, coaching one of the best clubs, not just in Australia, but in Asia,” Durakovic said.

“It is a big responsibility for myself, but I’ve got the full support of the players and coaching staff. We’ll just give it all we have got, keep positive and do our best.”

Jeju coach Park, who like Durakovic was a defensive mainstay for his country, admitted the change at the Australian-club’s helm had factored into his thinking.

“A new coach means Melbourne will have a new strategy,” Park said.

“We will pursue what we planned in the first place, but we may have to find new ways to deal with their team.”

Durakovic was hesitant when quizzed on what team Victory would field, but explained his coaching philosophy differed from his predecessor.

“I’ve got my own brand of the way we play, there will be a few changes, some new faces come into the side and some structural changes,” Durakovic said.

Victory is expected to welcome back one-time Manchester United junior Grant Brebner in a 4-4-2 formation, but Socceroo striker Robbie Kruse is battling a hamstring complaint.