Adelaide United have found form at just the right time with a 3-2 win in an absolutely absorbing encounter against Western Sydney Wanderers at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.
The result confirmed a fifth-place finish for the Reds and a meeting with Melbourne Victory in the Elimination Final next week.
Strikes from Baba Diawara, Daniel Adlung and Ryan Kitto rendered Oriol Riera’s opener and Marcelo Carrusca’s equaliser inconsequential.
Marco Kurz made three changes to the line-up which lost to Sydney FC last round. In defence, Ersan Gülüm and Michael Marrone replaced Taylor Regan and Tarek Elrich. Captain, Isaías, was rested with Vince Lia coming in to receive his first start since Boxing Day and in place of the Spaniard Jordan Elsey wore the armband.
The match started quite slow with a tense feeling in the air given what was at stake for the Wanderers.
However, the match burst into life after 15 minutes in what was one of the most action-packed halves of football seen this season.
Oriol Riera put the hosts ahead from the spot but that was spectacularly overturned through a classy Baba Diawara finish and a stunning strike from Daniel Adlung.
Just before half-time Marcelo Carrusca restored parity and then Riera had another opportunity from nine-yards out thanks to the intervention of the VAR, but he saw his penalty denied by Paul Izzo.
In the second-half there was more drama. Keanu Baccus was sent off for a petulant kick-out on Johan Absalonsen forcing the Dane to be substituted.
And Adelaide capitalised on their numerical advantage as Ryan Kitto came off the bench, proving to be an inspired substitution. The winger bagged his seventh of the season from close range in the 80th minute.
Adelaide could have added to their lead late on but it did not matter as Adelaide secured a maiden away victory over WSW in the league.
Key moments:
16’ | GOAL: Riera converts the penalty after he was adjudged to have been fouled by Izzo after initially fumbling Cejudo’s shot.
21’ | GOAL! Jack Clisby does not deal with Jordan Elsey’s long ball which plays Diawara through on goal and his sublime finish, with the outside of the foot, finds the top corner.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=5770662870001
24’ | Carrusca hits the post and the follow-up attempt falls to Chris Ikonomidis and his shot is thwarted by Izzo on the angle.
39’ | GOAL! Diawara feeds a pass to Nathan Konstandopoulos and his shot from a mazy dribble ricochets into the path of Adlung, who dispatches a first-time left-foot strike from outside the box into the top corner.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=5770667276001
42’ | GOAL: Carrusca is left unmarked and heads past Izzo from Raul Llorente’s inch-perfect cross.
45’+2’ | The VAR overrules a non-decision following a coming together with Gülüm and a penalty is awarded. Riera this time sees his spot-kick denied by Izzo.
62’ | RED CARD! Baccus is dismissed for kick-out at Absalonsen, catching his knee off the ball.
80’ | GOAL! Konstandopoulos sparks an incisive counter-attack, who finds Nikola Mileusnic and delivers a low ball across the face of goal which Kitto expertly buries.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=5770686075001
Match details:
Sunday, 15 April 2018
Hyundai A-League 2017/18 Season – Round 27
Western Sydney Wanderers (Riera 16’ Carrusca 42’)
Adelaide United (Diawara 21’ Adlung 39’ Kitto 80’)
Venue: ANZ Stadium
