This fixture always lives up to the billing, the latest instalment on Friday was no exception as Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory played out a thrilling 2-2 draw at Hindmarsh Stadium. Sergio Cirio and Jeronimo Neumann provided the goals for the home side, before a late show from Guilherme Finkler and James Troisi snatched a point for the visitors to spoil their 10th anniversary celebrations.

Melbourne Victory

That’s more like it

Unlike last week, much more of Victory’s ability to spring opposition defenders was put on display. The amount of times the likes of Archie Thompson and Connor Pain were able to get in behind the Adelaide defence was too much to count, such was the frequency. Mark Milligan proved his worth again, while a tireless Mitch Nichols performance made up for his first touch letting him down. This performance was a marked improvement on the opening showing, and very promising for round two.

Wasteful

A potential three points fell away, despite the football on display. All the hard work and creativity went almost to waste due to poor finishing and a typical leading performance from Eugene Galekovic. Thompson was repeatedly offside, while Pain frittered away a golden chance early. The notion of “deserved to win” is a silly one, you often get what you deserve from matches and they’re not won by chances created.

Super subs

It is always encouraging to see coaches make attacking moves when their team is behind on rival soil. It doesn’t get much more difficult than being 2-0 down in a derby, so why not go for broke? That’s exactly what Ange Postecoglou did when he introduced Finkler and Kosta Barbarouses in the second half. Finkler single-handedly swung the game in Victory’s favour, while Barbarouses added fresh legs to keep the home defenders on their toes. The subs changed the game, which is exactly what they should be used for.

Frustrating

As good as some of the football undoubtedly was, plenty of frustration came along with it. The missed chances, the awful refereeing decisions on Nathan Coe and Pain and all the while chasing the game made it appear to be a night that just simply was not going to be Victory’s. It is enough to tear your hair out if you’re a fan. Having had the home side pinned back in their defence for most of the second half, the match gave Victory fans two extremes. It is doubtful whether they would want it any other way.


Next week

Victory seem to play in many big games,next week will attest to that as they host Brisbane Roar on Friday night. Both are very similar in their philosophy and approach, the main point of difference lays in the use of a no.9. It should be a great attacking contest, a budding rivalry on show as there has been a history of entertaining spectacles between two attacking football sides.


 

Adelaide United

Early and pre-game changes

Josep Gombau was forced into a reshuffle after an injury to Daniel Bowles, it worked well as it forced the exciting Awer Mabil into the fray. Unfortunately, Michael Zullo didn’t get to stay further advanced as he covered for Bowles and Tarek Elrich switched flanks to fit the reshuffle. The home side were forced into another change before the game, as Marcelo Carrusca was a late withdrawal after being unable to recover from a training injury. This left Adelaide without that creativity that could have seen Adelaide out of sight by half-time.

High line

This was the perfect illustration of where Adelaide now stands in their adjustment period. As more competition minutes are clocked up, the Reds will get better at executing the high defensive line they
used on Friday night. Too often, Victory poked through the back four to cause problems and eventually push Adelaide back in the second half. The high line is the attacking form of defence, used to devastating effect if all goes as it should up front. There is time to get this working, as well as Nigel Boogard to return.
 

Fortunate?

Yes, extraordinarily poor refereeing had them in the ascendancy after the opening half hour. But when those moments of fortune come, you take them and fair play to Adelaide. They were fortunate their guests didn’t take advantage of their dominance, but they did enough to hold on for a point and came close to taking all three. A sign of a good team is the ability to not lose badly when all momentum is the other way, that was a mark of last year’s champion Central Coast side.

Outcoached?

Perhaps this is harsh on Gombau after the early sub, but his substitutions were a sticking point and could have been a difference between one point and three. Barker-Daish and Elsey replaced Ferreira and Watson in the second half, both played too safe and were there to help alleviate the continued pressure their team was under. The match, however, called for an Adelaide to hit on the counter and adding another striker in Brent McGrath would have made Victory think twice, wary of another attacking threat.

Next week

The Reds will travel to Gosford for what will be an interesting game with Central Coast. This will be a fair test and further insight into where they are at in their adjustment under Gombau. The Mariners aren’t quite at their best at the moment, so Adelaide can go there with some confidence. They will be able to play their game more, Central Coast aren’t much like Victory and they will aim to stifle Adelaide.