Sydney uncomfortably defeated a jet-lagged, under-strength, under-cooked Adelaide this evening.
It was an easy three points, but it should have been better.
With eight new faces to the team that drew with Kashima Antlers three days earlier, Adelaide actually held more possession than Sydney were unlucky not to come away with a couple of goals.
Sydney's coach John Kosmina complained that a couple of key players hadn't had much match time; but that problem was trifling compared to Adelaide's.
I arrived at the Football Stadium expecting no less than a three goal victory. But don't you hate it when you hear the referee's whistle for kick off while you are ordering your beer (curses to the warm weather)? And how much more do you hate it when, slopping your beer rushing back to your seat, the crowd goes crazy!
I'm a Terry McFlynn devotee. But couldn't he have waited just 30 seconds longer before delivering a blow that Adelaide would never shake off?
Apparently, thanks to Alex Brosque, he collected a ball on the edge of the Adelaide penalty area and hit a ripper. I was the only person in a blue shirt slightly less than ecstatic.
But hey, bring it on Sydney! In the fourth minute, with Michael Valkanis looking very grumpy, Alex Brosque almost got onto another ball down the middle. Adelaide had a corner that went nowhere three minutes later and then defended desperately while the crowd repeatedly rose - and sank: 'Ooohhh!'
In the 13th minute John Aloisi - who according to his coach played according to plan, which plan must have been to run decoy - turned nicely in the box and shot wide. But the assistant ref's flag was up anyway.
Jason Spagnuolo had a break thanks to one of many loose Sydney passes, but he was hunted down and nullified by McFlynn. Then Alemao failed to connect in front of goal after some casual Sydney defending. Watching the replay he'd probably be wishing he had a striker's reflexes.
Shannon Cole sloppiness almost conceded a corner; he will be grateful that Clint Bolton came out of his area to save his embarrassment.
A good long ball from Stuart Musialik found Aloisi - amid three defenders - in the Adelaide penalty area.
Cassio cleared from Corica looking to score at the right post when Sydney crossed from the left.
Sasa Ognenovski gave Brosque a hard time; then Eugene Galekovic was nearly caught out when a long Musialik rebound was deflected over his head.
Valkanis fouled Mark Bridge but the free kick was no good.
Sydney took too long to learn that long balls and high crosses wouldn?t do much good when Adelaide were winning everything in the air.
Cole, still thinking he's the Flash, tried to take on too many players, then robbed Cassio, but Cassio got the ball back and won a free kick falling over it.
Bridge won the ball with a beautiful tackle but instantly gave it away. Bridge then gave the ball away to Jonas Salley and hurt himself in the process.
The quality of football from both sides was leaving a lot to be desired.
Kristian Sarkies, along with Paul Reid one of Adelaide's better players, shot low to Bolton at the left post, Bolton threw to Brosque away down the left. The cross was played on to the right post, too long for Corica.
On the half hour Adelaide had Sydney on the back foot. Sydney won possession but Bridge again gave it away to Salley.
In the 34th minute a long ball from Tony Popovic on the left found Brosque in the box. Brosque held off Ognenovski, took the ball in front of Galekovic and scored Sydney's second. Persistence. Determination. Wonderful.
Sydney built up well with a good ball finding Corica on the right. McFlynn fluffed his shot. Brosque headed wide a Cole cross from the right.
In the 42nd minute Cristiano hit the post after pouncing on a loose ball and finding himself with only Bolton to beat. Bolton came out to the Brazilian striker, who consequently lost his cool.
Adelaide continued to attack, with Cristiano getting the ball in the right of the penalty area and Spagnuolo unlucky not to make contact in front of goal.
Cassio shot high.
Sydney players were still cocky, however, with several players attempting little flicks and dancing over the ball - even Bolton.
In the second half Aloisi was fouled by Valkanis after a long run by Tony Popovic. Sydney won a corner from the Cole free kick.
Musialik was good turning Scott Jamieson, who had come on in place of Spagnuolo. Robert Younis came on for an injured Salley, and Ognenovski earned his yellow card for getting way too familiar with Aloisi?s back.
Cole beat Alemao and Valkanis on the Adelaide goal line to win a corner that Iain Fyfe sent wide.
Alemao shot skyward, Fyfe was good blocking Ognenovski after an Adelaide free kick outside the top left corner of the Sydney penalty area. Bolton collected the subsequent corner and threw poorly to Corica - unusual, because Bolton's throwing was one of Sydney's most potent attacking weapons.
The disappointing Bridge was replaced by Brendon Santalab who was immediately busy with lots of running and quick touches.
Musialik made Younis look silly and was fouled for his trouble.
Reid got in the way of Aloisi, Fyfe saved off the line after Sydney lost possession running the ball out of defence and Cassio had another rubbish shot.
Still, it wasn't easy for Sydney.
Dez Giraldi gave Aloisi a rest, but it was Santalab who contributed the wonder strike.
McFlynn played back from the right touchline, the ball was squared in to Santalab in so much space he could look up, take the ball forward and unleash from 25 metres. Galekovic got a hand to the ball but couldn't stop it. Even Santalab didn't seem to believe what he'd done.
In the 81st minute Santalab set up Giraldi on the right of goal but Giraldi hit too high.
Robert Cornthwaite replaced Ognenovski and fouled Brosque, who had been very good keeping possession under all sorts of pressure.
Robbie Middleby, ever mobile, was good robbing Alemao but wasted his cross. Then he won a free kick from Alemao.
Corica's 400th top flight club match ended when he was replaced by young defender Matthew Jurman.
McFlynn was great winning the ball and feeding Brosque, who was clean through but his first touch deserted him along with his opportunity to score.
Musialik held the ball and beat four Adelaide players and then won a free kick. Brosque on the right fed McFlynn who missed target from outside the right post. Probably a bit much to expect him to score more than once a game.
And it hardly mattered. Sydney had done the job.
Kosmina said he was happy with the way Sydney knocked the ball around but thought they had turned the ball over too easily and could improve substantially. Aloisi still had to find match fitness, he said.
He also pretended to question Adelaide's priorities: the A-League or the Asian Champions League.
But Aurelio Vidmar, pleased that his team came out well in the second half, said he didn't think Sydney were a three-goal better side. He said he needed to rest some players and consequently had to make too many changes. There were a lot of players without game time and his team was behind the 8-ball.
Fortunately, he said, they came out physically unscathed.