Adelaide United has played out a scoreless draw against Newcastle Jets, the Reds unable to extend their winning streak to three matches.
Two Marcelo Carrusca free-kicks that both rebounded off the frame of the goal were the closest United came to a goal, but despite a total of 17 shots, the Reds weren’t able to convert.
With United clearly on the front foot in the opening stages in the match, the Reds were somewhat unlucky not to hit the front within the first 25 minutes.
Sergio Cirio on the right wing and Craig Goodwin on the left were menacing throughout the first stanza, whipping in good balls into the box and cutting into the middle of the park often.
Ten minutes in, Goodwin had what appeared the perfect chance to open the scoring when he mat a Cirio cross, but his header was smacked just wide of the far corner.
Another early opportunity fell to defender, Dylan McGowan, in the 17th minute after good work from BLANK on the left flank, but with a sea of bodies between him and the goal, McGowan’s effort was deflected clear.
Only a few minutes later, Carrusca struck the first of his two free-kicks towards goal, his curled effort crashing against the crossbar, which seemed to have Mark Birighitti beaten.
The Jets worked their way into the match later in the first half, but failed to truly trouble the Reds defence or goalkeeper, Eugene Galekovic.
The second half played out much the same as the first with United largely dominant but unable to take their chances in front of goal.
Adelaide’s back four of Michael Marrone, Dylan McGowan, Jordan Elsey, and Tarek Elrich were called upon a little more often, but any half-chances the hosts were able to muster were cut out before anything troublesome was created.
Just after the hour mark, Jimmy Jeggo was played through on goal by Carrusca, who was a constant threat throughout the match, but Birighitti again denied the Reds the goal they deserved.
The introduction of Bruce Djite with 20 minutes remaining in the game brought a much-needed spark and more physical presence to United’s attacks and was a handful for the Jets back line.
In the 79th minute, Djite was brought down illegally by Nigel Boogaard on the very edge of the box, escaping sanction, but granting Carrusca another chance from a dead ball situation.
Although it appeared to favour a right-footed set-piece taker, Carrusca sent Birighitti the wrong way and rifled his free kick towards the far post, but it cannoned off the upright, eventually cleared to safety.
Chances fell to Djite and Cirio in the closing stages, but between Birighitti’s prowess between the sticks and Newcastle’s desperate defending, the Reds couldn’t find the back of the net.
Following the match, Head Coach of United, Guillermo Amor, said: “We played a good game, but the result was not good for us.
“We came here for the win, played for the win, and deserved the win. When you have to go home without it, it’s not nice.
“But this result isn’t a setback for us because the way the team is playing (is consistent). Even though the score wasn’t good, the game was positive and even before the two wins (prior to this match) we had good games, but not good results.
“Both times we have played Newcastle, we have deserved to win, but this is football.”
