After back-to-back defeats to begin the National Premier League SA 2021 season, Adelaide United Youth has responded with consecutive wins of its own.
The Young Reds brushed aside Adelaide Blue Eagles 4-2 at Marden Sports Complex on Saturday in what was a strong performance.
Bernardo Oliveira scored an impressive equaliser before Ethan Alagich and Mohamed Toure finished off excellent attacking moves after half-time to give United a 3-1 lead.
Blue Eagles pulled one back from a short corner in stoppage time, but Yaya Dukuly had the final say with a goal a minute later.
Adelaide United’s Head of Youth Football, Airton Andrioli, believes his team has made steady progress after prevailing past reigning champions Campbelltown City 2-1 a week earlier.
The Young Reds had begun the season with 2-0 and 1-0 losses to South Adelaide and Croydon Kings respectively.
“I think we started well even though the first two games we didn’t get the results,” admitted Andrioli.
“But as far as playing the way we want to play and proposing the game to the opposition and exposing the young kids to senior football, I think we pretty much achieved our objectives.
“We created lots of chances in those two games we just didn’t finish them off otherwise the results could have been different.”
Andrioli said he was impressed with the team’s display after conceding the opening goal against Blue Eagles.
He added that he was happy particularly with how the players on A-League contracts have performed when dropping down.
“We had a few players that came down from the A-League squad, but they’re still obviously very young,” he said.
“They responded quite well. They understand they need to play games. If they’re not getting games in the A-League, then they need to play in the NPL and that’s the way of putting themselves in the best possible position to be in contention to play A-League.
“So I’m really pleased with the way the boys played the game and I think it was a pleasing result in the end.
“But more to the point that the way we want to play and we’re progressively becoming more consistent with that and hopefully we can continue doing that.”
Adelaide United Youth Reserves Result:
Adelaide United Youth Reserves 4-1 Adelaide Blue Eagles Reserves
(Mu. Toure 23′ 76′ Irankunda 64′ Shrestha 66′)
