Adelaide United FC has broken through for its first win since November following a 2-0 victory over the Wellington Phoenix at Hindmarsh Stadium.
The end of the year is more like the start of a new beginning for Adelaide United FC after the Reds broke through for their first win since November with a 2-0 victory over the Wellington Phoenix at Hindmarsh Stadium.
A 16th minute strike from Bruce Djite and a goal from young defender Antony Golec on his starting debut in the 62nd minute ensured the Reds climbed off the bottom of the table and gave Coach John Kosmina a happy homecoming in his first home game since taking charge.
Not since the 11th of November had the Reds tasted victory, but after overcoming a spirited Wellington outfit that was coming off a 5-2 win over Newcastle, there were smiles back at Hindmarsh among United players and fans alike.
For just the fourth time this season Djite, Dario Vidosic and Sergio van Dijk all started in the same line up and the trio posed a constant threat throughout and showed a large amount of promise.
Kosmina was delighted by the way his side has taken on board what they have worked on in the fortnight since he took over and got to experience what it feels like to win again.
“The team hasn-t had a clean sheet for awhile, I-ve had one out of two so I-m pretty happy about that, but it was a good performance,” Kosmina said.
“Once we found our feet we started to knock the ball around, we made good opportunities and that-s what we-ve talked about during the week – how do we get goals, we need to get behind people, we need to get crosses in, we need to get Bruce and Serge in the box.”
“Wellington are a good side and they put us under a bit of pressure and we scrambled a bit at times but I think we adjusted up and responded quite well.”
“Results maybe don-t come your way sometimes but it-s about how you play and I think tonight was a big improvement on what happened in Sydney last week and we-ve got a tough game against Melbourne Heart next Wednesday and if we can continue to try and improve our play, then the results will eventually come.”
Kosmina-s first game at home saw a buzz around Hindmarsh and it did not take long for the Reds to fire the first warning shot, van Dijk flashing one high and wide inside the opening five minutes on his first game back from a calf injury.
Without a goal at home in three games, the Reds were keen to put an end to the drought and in the 16th minute the devoted home fans were rewarded after a sweetly worked goal.
Fabian Barbiero played the ball into Vidosic, the skilful midfielder producing a sublime first time flick with the outside of his boot into the path of Djite who measured a left footed shot on the bounce past Wellington keeper Tony Warner.
In previous weeks those attempts had flashed wide of the mark but tonight was a different story as Djite rammed home his second of the season, both of which have come against the Phoenix.
Keen to make the most of his promotion into the starting eleven, Spase Dilevski should have doubled the lead in the 35th minute. The midfielder made his way around two Wellington defenders before a give and go with van Dijk, and after doing all of the hard work, he sent his shot to the wrong side of the post with just Warner to beat.
In the 40th minute the Reds could count themselves fortunate to still be in front when Tim Brown-s glancing header from a Daniel free kick was only denied the woodwork.
Dilevski was replaced by Zenon Caravella just before half time after complaining of groin soreness, the change more of a precaution with the Reds- hectic schedule coming up.
An unselfish Vidosic laid the ball off for Caravella just minutes into the second half, Wellington defender Ben Sigmund making a desperate lunge to block the substitute-s goal bound effort.
A storming Caravella run down the left then opened the door for Vidosic but the midfielder-s low shot was palmed away by Warner, Cameron Watson unable to find a way through on the follow up.
But a second goal came in the 62nd minute when Vidosic-s free kick proved too hot for Warner to handle, Golec the first to react on the loose ball from the keeper-s save as he ran in and smashed the ball into the back of the net from two metres.
Wellington created a couple of half chances but Eugene Galekovic and the Reds- defence did enough to make sure the points were safely in United-s keeping and that they can enter 2012 with renewed vigour.
With an assignment against the in form Melbourne Heart at AAMI Park on Wednesday followed by a home game against champions Brisbane Roar next Saturday, this was just the result Kosmina and the Reds were after.
Match Details
Adelaide United FC 2 (Djite 17-, Golec 62-)
Wellington Phoenix 0
Referee: Chris Beath
Crowd: 9,739 @ Hindmarsh Stadium
Adelaide United line-up: 1.Eugene Galekovic (gk) (c), 3.Nigel Boogaard, 5.Daniel Mullen, 9.Sergio van Dijk, 10.Dario Vidosic, 11.Bruce Djite (2.Osama Malik 83-), 12.Antony Golec, 14.Cameron Watson, 16.Spase Dilevski (7.Zenon Caravella 42-), 18.Fabian Barbiero, 21.Francisco Usucar (4.Jon McKain 61-)
Substitutes not used: 30.Paul Izzo (gk)
Yellow Cards: McKain 71-, van Dijk 82-, Caravella 85-
Red Cards: Nil
Wellington Phoenix line-up: 20.Tony Warner (GK), 2.Manny Muscat, 3.Tony Lochhead, 6.Tim Brown, 7.Leo Bertos, 9.Chris Greenacre (12.Nicky Ward 72-), 11.Daniel (14.Mirjan Pavlovic 59-), 17.Vince Lia, 18.Ben Sigmund, 21.Dani Sanchez (19.Jimmy Downey 78-), 22.Andrew Durante (c)
Substitutes not used: 1.Mark Paston (GK)
Yellow Cards: Brown 13-, Muscat 51-, Lochhead 78-
Red Cards: Nil
