Adelaide United has drawn to the Newcastle Jets 0-0 at Coopers Stadium in what was an underwhelming result for the Reds.
With perfect conditions for football, the game started at a comfortable pace with United settling into the match the quicker of the two sides.
The Reds, however, were dealt a blow in the opening five minutes when Osama Malik went down with an injury to his right hamstring. Malik’s subsequent substitution allowed Jordan Elsey to return to competitive Hyundai A-League football for the first time in 593 days following a long injury layoff.
United soon turned up the pressure on the travelling Jets, Spanish midfielder, Isaías, testing Mark Birighitti from 24 yards with a stinging effort towards the bottom left corner, but the ‘keeper saved well.
The next clear chance didn’t come until the 25th minute when Michael Marrone neatly fed Craig Goodwin in behind the Newcastle back four, but Goodwin’s eventual strike on goal was smothered. Goodwin later had a chance in the 45th minute, but again, Birighitti was equal to the task.
But for the majority of the first half the ball was stick in midfield, neither team able to truly trouble their opposition’s defence.
Into the second half it was a lot of the same as the first, both sides eager to move forward but unable to find a final pass or create adequate openings in front of goal.
In the 63rd minute, Jimmy Jeggo curled a cross deep towards the back post, seemingly intended for a teammate, but the ball almost sailed into the far corner and needed a touch from Birighitti to prevent it from going in. Seven minutes later and Jeggo found himself with the space to smack a 25-yard effort towards goal, but it was again touched wide to safety.
These chances sparked the Reds to life as they went in search for a goal. The introductions of Bruce Kamau and Marcelo Carrusca lifted United’s intensity with the home side continuing to persist going forward.
The Jets had a goal disallowed for offside and Goodwin had a shot on goal deep into extra time, but neither side could muster a goal.
Following the match, Guillermo Amor said: “For us it was a good game, but it wasn’t easy considering the difficult situation that we’re in.
“The problem that we had with Osama early in the game forced us to change things around a little bit, but I thought we did well after that.
“We had a lot of control and a lot of chances. Eugene (Galekovic) played his first game and he did well, the young players stood up today and played well too.
“We always play to win and that’s why there’s some disappointment with the result and maybe Newcastle are the happier of the two teams.
“From the outside it’s easier to see things and the right decisions. When you’re playing the game there are a lot of different things that impact.
“My team has shown that we are capable of winning games. We’re all working hard and all on the same page.
“Tomorrow we train again and we start preparing for our next game (against Melbourne Victory).”
Match details:
Sunday, 22 November 2015
Hyundai A-League Round 7
Adelaide United 0
Newcastle Jets 0
Venue: Coopers Stadium
Attendance: 10,048
