Whether because of missed chances, bad luck or Travis Dodd, Sydney were not good enough to continue their run of home successes against Adelaide United.
Sydney had more possession and the most shots ? though only four of 18 were on target ? but Adelaide, once in the lead, resorted to a high foul count to keep the home team at bay.
It didn't look good for Sydney from the outset: Corica and Zadkovich were suspended, Milligan failed a fitness test and McFlynn was on the bench.
Despite Sydney not having lost to Adelaide in Sydney, one could have expected the visitors to win by more. In fact Clint Bolton had to make more saves than Daniel Beltrame.
The beginning of the first half was quite exciting, the game racing from end to end.
In the second minute Alex Brosque was almost lucky turning blind to collect a ball in the Adelaide penalty area, but was stopped by Angelo Costanzo.
Cassio hit Sydney's side netting and Juninho ran at the Adelaide goal and had a shot deflected by Daniel Beltrame to the left of the Adelaide goal. Sydney had a corner and two more digs, one just missing a final deflection right in front of the target.
In the eighth minute Bolton was required to make a great save. Cassio fed Jason Spagnuolo to the left of the Sydney penalty area and Spagnuolo crossed low with Adelaide players arriving in the goal box. But Bolton was down to save at their feet.
Adam Casey shot high and a good tackle by Cassio stopped a potential Robbie Middleby break.
Brosque shot from outside the penalty area, right down Beltrame's throat.
A fine ball in from the right found Spagnuolo arriving in the box on the left. Bolton dropped away and let the ball land on Spagnuolo's feet but the Adelaide midfielder couldn't control.
Tony Popovic hit a good ball for Nikolas Tsattalios who cut in from the left and had a shot deflected for a Sydney corner.
In the 19th minute Sydney won a free kick in the Adelaide penalty when Beltrame tried to stop a long back pass going over the goal line. The free kick was a non-event.
Dodd passed to Diego who beat two players and slid a good ball in behind the Sydney defence for Spagnuolo who, with only Bolton to beat, shot wide ? taking a deflection from Bolton on the way.
Popovic headed a Sydney free kick high over the Adelaide goal.
Casey and Juninho seemed to be struggling in Sydney's midfield.
Patrick beat Robert Cornthwaite to get the ball to drop for Brosque who slashed his shot high from the edge of the Adelaide penalty area.
Popovic was trying to make a mark, pushing forward at every opportunity, getting to the front in anticipation of a return pass.
Rudan was good against Dez Giraldi.
Referee Matthew Breeze seemed to be allowing a hard contest. Brosque, who was not having much fun against the big Adelaide defenders, was dropped by Costanzo but Breeze wasn't interested.
Things started to get testy and still Breeze let the play flow. Jonas Salley fouled Juninho.
In the 31st minute Casey, fed by Talay, rounded Diego on the right and hit a great cross that was volleyed by Patrick against the Adelaide crossbar.
Casey, clearly more comfortable out wide than in the middle, rounded Diego again but this time Cornthwaite cleared. Sydney regained possession immediately and found Rudan free in the right of the Adelaide penalty area, but on too fine an angle to do anything but chip in a harmless cross.
Sydney were looking more confident and were keeping the ball.
Then Dodd fought well to win a corner for Adelaide from which Bolton eventually had to save low on his line.
In the 39th minute Salley was stretchered off, only to return to the pitch moments later.
Juninho played left to Tsattalios who crossed to Patrick who put a soft header wide.
Rudan was again strong against Giraldi but then gave the ball away to Spagnuolo ? and Casey chased back to save Rudan?s ass.
Dodd was pulled up for getting all acrobatic near a Sydney player?s head and Patrick was fouled by Costanzo. Talay's free kick was not much good but minutes later his creativity provided Casey with another opportunity.
Diego shot high and soon it was half time, after which Adelaide brought on Milan Susak and Nathan Burns and switched to a back three.
Adelaide had a chance almost from the kick off but the player on a clean break down left midfield doubled back and ran into the Sydney player he had just outpaced.
Giraldi's yellow was for a foul on Iain Fyfe.
Popovic missed a flying header attempting to clear a cross from the left ? nearly giving Dodd a chance.
Then Dodd was free on the left, pulled the ball back and Lucas Pantelis was on hand, unmarked, for a free shot. Bolton got his hands on it, but not enough to stop the goal.
Again Sydney were chasing the game at home.
They got the ball straight back into Adelaide?s penalty area, won a corner and had another high shot.
In the 58th minute, after Sydney had been pressing well, Diego halted their progress and was then halted by Rudan, who consequently was awarded a yellow card that would keep him out the following week's game against competition leaders Central Coast Mariners.
Cassio fouled Tsattalios who was soon replaced by Brendon Santalab.
In the 63rd minute Giraldi should probably have scored with a touch in front of the Sydney goal after Adelaide had made a quick break down the left.
Diego stopped Casey with an important but illegal tackle. And Casey was soon replaced by Terry McFlynn.
Cornthwaite's yellow card was for a foul on Juninho.
Dodd made a good run to attempt a diving header to the right of Sydney's goal.
Santalab, who did no harm to his own cause by often troubling Adelaide's defence, made a good run that was brought to end by a yellow card tackle from Pantelis.
Kristian Sarkies couldn't quite find Burns with a cross from the left.
Sydney kept trying long balls, easily dealt with by the tall Adelaide defenders.
Juninho on a break gave a dud ball for Patrick; then a ball looking for Juninho was cut out by Salley.
Santalab had another little run, ending in a shot that bounced off Costanzo for a Sydney corner. Dodd was good stopping Juninho but conceded another corner.
Cassio fouled Santalab, Sydney won a corner from the free kick and Beltrame punched clear.
Sydney fought their way back into the Adelaide goal box where McFlynn had a golden opportunity dramatically blocked in the goalmouth. McFlynn was stretchered off.
Sydney won more free kicks, none of which was productive. Adelaide prevailed and in fact came close to sealing the win in the closing minutes.
Dodd won space on the right and put in a good cross for Sarkies whose shot was saved by Bolton.
Adelaide crossed again and Middleby cleared with a diving header. And that was pretty much game over.
Sydney coach Branko Culina said it was a major concern that his team had lost its fourth home game. He blamed it on being undermanned; that Sydney's squad was depleted, whereas Adelaide had Nathan Burns on bench, a player he described as the best in the A-League on his day.
Culina said Sydney had been doing it tough with injuries and suspensions. He said Adelaide were a good side, though he believed Sydney had the better of the first half. Then Adelaide made adjustments that Sydney did not have the personnel to match.
Adelaide's Aurelio Vidmar said it was fantastic to finally win in Sydney. He thought his whole team had been superb.
Sydney were a good side, he said, but the ball had not been falling their way.