Gertjan Verbeek admits Adelaide United did not deserve the three points against Brisbane Roar despite being left to rue a contentious corner which led to the hosts taking the lead and winning 2-1.
Tom Aldred scored a header following a short corner routine to put the hosts in front in the 74th minute.
However, replays showed the decision to award the corner was the incorrect as Mirza Muratovic played the ball off himself and not Michael Jakobsen, leaving the Dane understandably incensed.
Ben Halloran had initially fired Adelaide ahead with a mesmerising strike from outside the 18-yard-box.
Substitute Muratovic cancelled out the Reds opener 10 minutes later on 68 minutes.
Verbeek felt his side struggled to properly get into the match and assert themselves in the torrential conditions.
“I think in the first-half we had a lot of problems,” he told reporters in the post-match press conference.
“We couldn’t get speed in the game and get a lot of chances like we normally do.
“But that also had to do with a lot of improvising this week. A lot of players are injured even at half-time.
“We were lucky that we scored the first goal, it was a beautiful goal, and then you know the opponent will come, and we didn’t get pressure in front and on the midfield.”
One of the shining lights from the contest was the cameo appearance from 15-year-old Mohamed Toure.
The younger brother of Al Hassan, Toure demonstrated flashes of his talent with a couple of scintillating runs and incisive passes as he became the second youngest Red to make his debut for the Club.
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Verbeek brought the striker on eight minutes from time in the hope of salvaging something from the game.
“In the last ten or fifteen minutes we can still do it (come back) because the opponent is going back and defending the 2-1 (lead),” he said.
“And we’re getting stronger and stronger and we had our chances in the last ten, fifteen minutes.
“I brought on (Mohamed) Toure, 15 years (old). I think he made a great impression, he was strong, speed, good eye and we were unlucky in that moment and you’ve to be a little bit lucky to score the second goal, but Brisbane deserved to win.”
The Dutchman went on to praise Toure’s impact on the match and stated he will be managed carefully throughout the rest of the season.
He also added that for him age is just a number if you are good enough, and revealed with players potentially returning from injury he may not be on the bench for some time.
“For me the age is never a problem, it’s up to your certain qualities,” he explained to reporters when asked if Toure will feature regularly for the remainder of the campaign.
“Also Lachlan Brook was on the bench and today turned 19 and I hoped to give him some minutes on his birthday, but the game went how it goes and you’ve to see what the team needs.
“And the team needed more Toure than a Brook even he has some experience in playing, but I think Toure has a little bit more power and speed.
“… We we’ll see next week hopefully there’s some players coming back from injury, Mickey Marrone, George Blackwood, maybe James Troisi and then the numbers are different.
“Then it’s difficult to for Toure to get on the bench again, it’s got nothing to do with what he’s showed us today.
“He has showed us today he is talented, but he’s only 15 so he has several years to go and grow up and be ready for the A-League.”
Adelaide United host Central Coast Mariners in Round 19 of the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 season on Friday, 14 February at Coopers Stadium. Kick-off is at 7.00pm ACDT. Gates open at 6.00pm. Live and Exclusive on Fox Sports, Kayo Sports and the My Football Live App.
