Adelaide United stung Sydney FC with a thrilling 3-2 victory at Hindmarsh Stadium today. Sydney FC's Dwight Yorke oozed class throughout but it was Adelaide's Fernando Rech who stole the limelight with a brilliant winning goal five minutes from full time.
The hard working Adelaide side went into the clash sitting on top of the table. Like most sides in the A-League Adelaide has been finding the going a little tougher at home than away. Its opponents, A-League glamour team Sydney FC (aka Bling Bling), were sitting in second place and victory would see them leapfrog Adelaide.
The pulling power of Sydney FC's Dwight Yorke and the clash of top versus second on the A-League table drew in the fans. For the first time this season Hindmarsh Stadium was packed close to capacity.
Sydney suffered a blow before the game when in-form midfielder Steve Corica pulled out of the side and remained in Sydney suffering from a fever.
Adelaide started the game brightly and was rewarded with only 4 minutes on the clock. Rech got into some space just inside the box and drove his shot into the cross bar. He followed up the rebound and headed the ball home to make it 1-0 to Adelaide.
Adelaide and Sydney traded blows as the top two sides maintained a frantic opening pace to the game. In the 13th minute Qu took curled in an Adelaide corner. Sydney goalkeeper Bolton came out for the ball but was denied any space to jump by the pack of players in front of him. Bolton may have got a hand to the ball but it spilled dangerously on the edge of the five yard line. A goalmouth scramble followed before the ball fell to Adelaide's Veart who prodded the ball home from only a few yards out. 2-0 to Adelaide.
Adelaide was on a roll and Sydney seemed stunned. Adelaide pushed forward again with Dodd getting down the by-line and crossing dangerously across the face of goal before it was cleared by Sydney in the 21st minute. Sydney's centre halves Fyfe and Timpano were looking far from convincing.
Only a few minutes later an Adelaide long throw was headed on by Qu to the back post. Pantelis got on the end of the header and drove his shot goal wards only for Fyfe to deny him and clear the ball.
Now it was Sydney's turn to get on top and it was Dwight Yorke who stood up and made the difference for Sydney. First he set up Carney out wide who crossed into the box. Adelaide's Costanzo was forced to clear the cross out for a corner from only two metres out and almost put the ball into the back of his own net.
Five minutes later a weaving and twisting Dwight Yorke held off several Adelaide players before threading the ball through the Adelaide defense to Kazu who finished clinically - 2-1 to Adelaide.
A few minutes later Yorke hit a perfect 50 metre ball to Carney out wide. Carney turned his defender inside out before picking out Petrovski on the back post. Petrovski slotted the ball home only to be ruled off-side.
Sydney ran out the half on top dominating the midfield while Adelaide reverted to its familiar counter attacking game. At half time the score remained 2-1 to Adelaide.
In the second half both teams started strongly. It was an open game and it seemed certain there were going to be more goals.
In the 52nd minute Bajic half cleared a Sydney corner before it was crossed back in. Yorke rose on the penalty spot but flashed his header just wide of the post.
A minute later Adelaide's captain Aloisi was lucky to stay on the park after deliberately following through late on Dwight Yorke with his studs up. The referee missed the incident though had to step in as an angry Yorke confronted Aloisi.
In the 59th minute a fired up Aloisi stole the ball off Sydney's McFlynn before driving a half volley from 30m straight into the arms of the relieved Bolton.
Next it was Rech's turn to hit a long range pile driver. From 30m he smashed the ball only inches wide of the post with Bolton well beaten.
Japanese guest Kazu should have scored his second goal of the game when he got on the end of a square ball inside the penalty area. With only the keeper to beat, Kazu meekly clipped the ball into the arms of Bajic.
The game was flowing from one end of the park to the other. On the 70 minute mark Adelaide's Dodd was brought down on the edge of the box. Up stepped Adelaide's free kick specialist Qu and he curled a dipping drive over the wall. Goalkeeper Bolton saved at full stretch to deny Qu.
In the 75th minute Carney did some good work in midfield before laying the ball off to Petrovski on the edge of the penalty area. Petrovski squared the ball Kazu who rounded the keeper before smashing the ball into the back of the net just beyond the outstretched leg of the valiant Valkanis. The scores were level at 2-2.
Adelaide substituted tiring captain Aloisi. He had already been booked and appeared to be very close to getting a second after several further incidents. Substitutions are one of the features of Kosmina's coaching - he chooses very wisely and is often rewarded.
In the 82nd minute Yorke lined up a free kick from just outside the box. He drove his shot into the defensive wall and it rebounded to Carney. Carney drove the ball into another defender and it rebounded to Cecoli. Cecoli smashed the ball from the edge of the box and his effort flew just wide of the post.
Adelaide countered immediately and crossed the ball into the Sydney penalty area. The cross was cleared by Sydney but only as far as Rech on the edge of the box. Rech smashed a low drive just inside the post. Bolton could only get his fingertips to the ball but could not keep it out - Hindmarsh erupted - goal to Rech - 3-2 to Adelaide.
Sydney lifted the tempo immediately. Dwight Yorke's movements suddenly had urgency written all over them. He was even sprinting around the park to take throw-ins and corners.
Sydney pushed forward and earned a series of corners. After one corner a melee broke out between the players. A few wise heads on both teams tried to calm things down but not before a lot of pushing, shoving and at least one punch. Referee calmed things down before booking Sydney's Fyfe and Adelaide's Valkanis. It was a little unfortunate for Valkanis because he had been on the receiving end of the punch from Petrovski.
Sydney brought on the big Mark Rudan and the strong David Zdrillic and threw them up front. Rudan immediately started causing Adelaide problems with his height winning most balls in the air. With 90 minutes on the clock Rudan beat the off-side trap and got on the end of a long ball. He hit his cross to the back post and Adelaide's Alagich headed the ball to safety just over the cross bar. It was a critical header as Zdrllic was waiting to head the ball home just beyond Alagich.
Adelaide almost grabbed a fourth goal in the final minute of the game when Dodd got away from two defenders, hit the by-line before crossing to the front post. Qu met the cross but hit a difficult volley over the bar.
Mark Shields blew for full time and Adelaide had grabbed a very satisfying victory.
Adelaide coach John Kosmina will be delighted to have taken all 3 points. When the score was locked at 2-2 with 15 minutes remaining it was Sydney that looked the more likely to grab the winner. At that time Kosmina probably would have settled for a draw. Particularly promising for Adelaide is the strong showing of its two imports - Rech and Qu - the pairing is getting better with each match and is rapidly becoming the premier strike force of the A-League.
The win guarantees Adelaide will be top of the table when the A-League goes into its one month recess during the FIFA World Club Championships in December.
Sydney FC coach Littbarski will be disappointed with the result. With the quality of players available in its squad Sydney FC was expected to be coasting at the top of the A-League. But the defensive aspects of its game have been found wanting and this was exposed again today by Adelaide. The defense will need to be tightened up otherwise Sydney is at risk of taking a hiding if it meets Liverpool in Japan.
Fernando Rech was the pick of the Adelaide side. He was ably supported by his hard working team mates. Solid performers include defenders Valkanis, Costanzo and Goulding while Qu worked hard up front. Pantelis, Dodd and Veart flashed in and out of the game.
For Sydney Dwight Yorke was simply brilliant. His class shone on the field like a lighthouse. Japanese guest player Kazu toiled hard up front and demonstrated clinical finishing at its best.