|
|
|
A-League: HAL 7 (2011 - 2012 Season)
'Mariners surge clear after Adelaide stun Heart'
Adelaide United continued their resurgence in the Hyundai A-League on January 4, stunning Melbourne Heart 3-1 at AAMI Park, to allow leaders Central Coast Mariners to extend their advantage at the top of the table.
The league leaders became the first team to reach thirty points this season after Matt Simon struck in each half as they overcame Melbourne Victory 2-0 in front of 12,284 fans at Bluetongue Stadium.
The marksman, playing his final A-League match before heading to Korea’s K-League, opened the scoring after just nineteen seconds, and wrapped up the win five minutes from time in a match which saw the visitors spurn numerous chances to equalise.
Bernie Ibini-Isei hit the post fifteen minutes from time for the victors, who have skipped six points clear at the top of the table with this triumph over a Melbourne Victory combination which finds itself languishing in eighth place, two points off the bottom of the table.
Second-placed Melbourne Heart saw their five-match winning streak come to an abrupt end in front of 8,272 fans as Adelaide continued to benefit from John Kosmina’s return to the helm.
They rode their luck early on when Mate Dugandzic was denied what appeared to be a clear-cut penalty when impeded by Francisco Usucar, who made the most of his let-off by setting up Sergio Van Dijk for what proved to be the winning goal eleven minutes from time, the Dutchman having opened the scoring from the penalty spot seven minutes before the interval.
Dario Vidosic doubled Adelaide’s advantage three minutes into the second half in a match which saw Melbourne lose Simon Colosimo to a knee injury. Eli Babalj’s well-taken strike in stoppage time was of scant consolation to the beaten team, who also lost their grip on second place later in the day.
Reigning champions Brisbane Roar edged ahead of Melbourne Heart on goal difference after coming from two goals down to lead 3-2 at Perth Glory, only to be pegged back in the dying minutes of a thriller at NIB Stadium - 3-3 the final score.
Travis Dodd gave Perth a sixteenth minute lead, and when Mile Sterjovski doubled their advantage eight minutes later, to the delight of the 6,912-strong crowd, Brisbane looked to be on course for a sixth defeat in seven matches.
Write off the champions at your peril! Mitch Nichols dragged them back into the contest four minutes before the half-time whistle, while Erik Paartalu restored parity in first half stoppage time to set up the second half.
After Jacob Burns had been denied a goal by a team-mate’s infringement, and Sterjovski had rattled an upright ten minutes into the second half, the visitors took the lead twenty minutes from time when Nichols notched his second goal of the game. But Perth weren’t to be denied a share of the spoils, and ten minutes from time Sterjovski made sure of a point for the home team as he made it 3-3 from the penalty spot.
Wellington Phoenix kicked off “Big Wednesday” in fine fashion, coming from behind to down Sydney FC 4-2 in front of 8,411 fans at a sun-drenched Westpac Stadium, where the visitors’ Brett Emerton and Daniel Cortes traded penalties inside the opening half-hour.
Bruno Cazarine struck both the post and crossbar in the first half for the visitors, who found themselves trailing to a Dani Sanchez goal three minutes before half-time. Cazarine drew Sydney level again just after the hour mark, but late goals from Ben Sigmund and substitute Paul Ifill allowed the victors to leap-frog the vanquished into fourth place on the table.
Newcastle Jets edged Adelaide out of sixth place on goal difference by downing Gold Coast United 3-2 at Ausgrid Stadium, the visitors falling short after hauling themselves back from a two-goal deficit to draw level, having hit the post inside the first sixty seconds of the match through Ben Halloran.
The home team gradually gained the ascendancy, and made it count on the scoreboard two minutes before half-time through Jeremy Brockie, who struck again just after the hour mark to leave the visitors in all sorts of bother.
But Halloran, eighteen minutes from time, and Adama Traore, six minutes later, turned the game on its head to draw United level and set up a grandstand finish, which was duly provided by Newcastle’s Labinot Haliti while the bottom-placed team were still celebrating their equaliser.
The full round of midweek action means there will be no games on Friday night this week, but fifteenth round action kicks off on Saturday with Adelaide hosting Brisbane at Hindmarsh Stadium, followed by the clash of Melbourne Victory and Newcastle at AAMI Park.
Sunday’s triple header kicks off at Westpac Stadium, where Wellington will look to consolidate their impressive home form at the expense of Perth. Sydney host league leaders Central Coast at the Sydney Football Stadium, while the round is concluded by the clash of Gold Coast and Melbourne Heart at Skilled Park.
Details: Hyundai A-League, Round 13+ Mid Week - Big Wednesday:
Central Coast Mariners FC 2 (Matt Simon (1', 85') - Melbourne Victory FC 0, HT 1-0
By Jeremy Raune, from NZ
|
|
Crafted lovingly by hand © Magic Llama 2000 - 2012