Adelaide staked their claim for the A-League Premier's Plate
while denting Sydney's FC's hopes with a 1-0 win over the Sky Blues on Saturday
courtesy of a late Awar Mabil winner.
Sydney were left to rue a glut of chances but a standout
performance from gloveman Eugene Galekovic, who made nine brilliant saves and
then provided the assist for Mabil, ensured the Reds went home winners at a
rain-soaked Allianz Stadium.
Adelaide temporarily take a one-point lead on the ladder
with Wellington, Melbourne Victory and Perth yet to play.
Sydney continued their poor home form, with all five losses
this season coming at Allianz Stadium, to drop to fourth.
Sydney dominated the Reds, who for the first time in their
history, didn't register a single shot on target in the opening half.
After missing last week's clash on international duty, Marc
Janko was back leading Sydney's attack.
And he almost found the back of the net inside the first
five minutes when Bernie Ibini whipped the ball across, but sent his header
wide.
Ibini provided the perfect ball into the box again in the
17th minute with skipper Alex Brosque launching onto it to force a save from
Galekovic.
Ibini continued to terrorise Adelaide on the right wing,
sending several more balls across the face of goal, the Sky Blues just unable
to capitalise.
Brosque looked like finally breaking the deadlock just
before the break with Galekovic pulling off a superb save to deny the striker.
Bruce Djite finally attempted the Reds' first strike in the
47th minute, but it proved light work for gloveman Vedran Janjetovic.
The 11,585 fans were sent into raptures when Janko appeared
to put Sydney ahead in the 51st minute, only to realise he had been correctly
ruled offside.
Galekovic came to the Reds' rescue in the 53rd minute to
deny a shot from close range from Christopher Naumoff and again, two minutes
later, to diffuse a shot from Brosque.
The Sky Blues were dealt a blow with midfielder Mickael
Tavares suffering what appeared to be a groin injury on the hour with Rhyan
Grant replacing him.
With Janko having no luck, coach Graham Arnold made the bold
move of taking the marquee striker off in favour of 17-year-old George
Blackwood in the 76th minute.
But for all of Sydney's tirades, it would be the Reds who
would score when substitute Mabil was able to get on to a long ball from
Galekovic to net a sensational strike in the 82nd minute.
Galekovic would deny the Sky Blues several times again
before the final whistle, diffusing strikes from Blackwood, Matthew Jurman and
Robert Stambolziev.
TEAMS:
Sydney FC: Janjetovic, Ryall, Faty, Jurman, Petkovic, Tavares (Grant 64’), Dimitrijevic, Ibini, Brosque, Naumoff (Stambolziev 67’), Janko (Blackwood 77’)
Adelaide United: Galekovic, Marrone, McGowan, Boogaard, Malik, Isaias, Jeggo, Cirio, Kamau (Mabil 60’) (Watson 85’), Djite, Goodwin (Palanca 67’)
Scorers: Mabil 82’
Red cards: none
Yellow cards: Jeggo 10’, Boogaard 38’, McGowan 50’, Isaias 74’, Marrone 78’, Malik 90’, Cirio 90+2’
Conditions: 18C, Wet
Attendance: 11,585 @ Allianz Stadium
Read more at http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/reds-pinch-three-points-sydney#Pr8sMY8waiOPXwsy.99
0 comments:
Post a Comment