Giordano Colli’s stunning first-half strike was not enough to prevent Adelaide United claiming all three points as the Reds ran out 2-1 winners in Sunday’s compelling Round 4 clash at Coopers Stadium.
Check out the match highlights HERE.
Craig Goodwin gave the hosts an early lead with an angled strike and the home skipper had a hand in his side’s second goal four minutes later, delivering a deep free-kick which Ben Warland forced back across goal where Hiroshi Ibusuki tapped home.
Glory recovered quickly from the double setback, however, Colli thundering an unstoppable 25m shot past Joe Gauci within nine minutes to claim his second goal in as many games.
While disappointed that his charges were ultimately unable to complete the comeback in what was an end-to-end second half, Head Coach Ruben Zadkovich was heartened by the way they reacted to finding themselves two down inside 22 minutes.
View his post-match media conference in full HERE.
“We want to be super-competitive and we were again,” he said.
“We are building and it is going to take time, but it doesn’t make it any easier after a loss.
“The spirit is great in that dressing room and again we’ve shown character to come back from two goals down, get back into the game and still be chasing it late.
“But away from home against a quality Adelaide team, you need to execute and I don’t think we executed well enough around either box.
“We were defensively poor in those moments [conceding the goals] and there were some individual errors there.
“There were just lapses of concentration which you’re always going to pay for away from home.
“I don’t think we executed well and were just a bit sloppy.”
An unchanged Glory starting eleven started brightly only to be undone by Adelaide’s first meaningful attack when Ben Halloran’s persistence fashioned a chance for Goodwin who sent a low shot into the far corner.
1-0 almost immediately became 2-0 as Goodwin’s free-kick was not effectively dealt with and Ibusuki took full advantage to finish from close range.
Colli’s screamer swiftly halved the arrears, however and the midfielder came close to levelling things up on the stroke of half time when his free-kick was deflected by the Adelaide wall and flew narrowly wide of the post with Gauci stranded.
The second half saw both sides go toe-to-toe in blustery conditions, with the chances flowing right from the restart when Harry Van der Saag had a fierce strike parried by Liam Reddy.
Ryan Williams was Glory’s main threat throughout and it was one of several fine crosses from the off-season recruit which was headed over by Ben Azubel on the hour-mark.
Goodwin and substitute George Blackwood went closest to adding a third for United, while Glory delivered ball after ball into the home box in the final moments, but could not manage to break through for a second time.
Match Details
ISUZU UTE A-League Round 4
Adelaide United 2 (Goodwin 18′. Ibusuki 22′) Perth Glory 1 (Colli 32′)
Half-time: 2-1
Coopers Stadium
Adelaide United: 46.Joe GAUCI (gk), 2.Harry VAN DER SAAG (28.JUANDE 64′), 3.Ben WARLAND, 6.Louis D’ARRIGO (66.Nestory IRANKUNDA 83′), 7.Ryan KITTO, 8.ISAÍAS, 9.Hiroshi IBUSUKI (14.George BLACKWOOD 76′), 11.Craig GOODWIN (c), 21.Javi LÓPEZ, 26.Ben HALLORAN (55.Ethan ALAGICH 83′), 41.Alexandar POPOVIĆ
Substitutes not used: 1.James DELIANOV (gk), 36.Panashe MADANHA, 47.Asad KASUMOVIĆ
Yellow Cards: Warland, Kitto, Isaias, Popovic, Juande
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: 33.Liam REDDY (gk), 2.John KOUTROUMBIS, 5.Mark BEEVERS (c), 6.Aaron MCENEFF (16.Keegan JELACIC 69′), 7.Ryan WILLIAMS, 10.Salim KHELIFI (3.Jacob DOWSE 68′), 11.Ben AZUBEL, 19.Zach DUNCAN (4.Luke BODNAR 35′), 20.Giordano COLLI (43.Adam ZIMARINO 69′), 23.Mitch OXBORROW (18.David WILLIAMS 53′), 29.Daryl LACHMAN
Substitutes not used: 30.Pierce CLARK (gk), 36.Joseph FORDE
Yellow Cards: Bodnar
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
