ADELAIDE United’s Premier’s Plate hopes were revived when Sergio Cirio found a winner at the death in a 2-1 win over bottom club Western Sydney Wanderers at Coopers Stadium on Saturday.
Wanderers – reduced to 10 men for the final seven minutes – were on their way to stealing another two valuable points before Cirio finally found his range from a Craig Goodwin cross.
Adelaide is now a point behind leader Perth Glory after Wanderers sent shockwaves through the Reds camp in the first half.
Labinot Haliti surprised a lethargic Reds outfit, nailing his first ever goal against Adelaide in the 20th minute.
The contest then swung Adelaide’s way in the second half.
Bruce Djite equalised in the 51st minute when Marcelo Carrusca put a simple ball out wide which saw Ante Covic committed too soon before the Reds striker smacked the ball into an empty net.
The goal lifted the home side after Wanderers frustrated the life out of the Reds in the first half.
Djite was brought down by Socceroos Matthew Spiranovic in the 55th minute and was booked for his efforts as Adelaide was trying to find a second goal.
Spiranovic was eventually given his marching orders in the 83rd minute when he appeared to strike Isaias when the pair clashed during a Reds corner.
Sergio Cirio celebrates with his teammates after scoring the winner. Source: Getty Images
Adelaide deserved the points after it had Wanderers under pressure for most of the second half.
Covic made two brilliant stops in the space of a minute but Wanderers managed to hang on from the resultant corners before the hour mark.
Cirio spurned a golden chance shooting over the bar in the 65th minute after Awer Mabil created the opening as Adelaide risked getting caught at the back due to its eagerness in going forward.
Goodwin smacked the ball right at Covic when he was in the clear in the 67th minute from a Mabil switch of play before Wanderers tried to slow the tempo of the game down.
Djite was dragged for Pablo Sanchez in the 69th minute and Carrusca should have made it 2-1 but he was too cute with a soft chip when Covic caught the slow motion ball in the 76th minute.
But it was a vastly different first half performance from the Reds.
Labinot Haliti of the Wanderers opened the scoring. Source: Getty Images
Haliti was awarded a simple tap in from five metres when Adelaide failed to clear a Nikita Rukavytsya free kick on the edge of the box to open the score.
Eugene Galekovic’s fisted clearance fell to Brendon Santalab who nailed a volley across the face of the box and former Wanderer Tarek Elrich appeared to keep Haliti onside before he stunned to home side.
A minute later Galekovic rescued the Reds when he parried a Rukavytsya 15m shot out to safety.
Wanderers who are clearly preparing to defend their AFC Champions League crown with an opening round group stage clash against Kashima Antlers in Japan on Wednesday pulled out its international game plan.
James Jeggo competes for the ball wit Yojiro Takahagi of the Wanderers. Source: Getty Images
They were compact, limited Adelaide space in between the lines and were intent varying their game with pressing and sit and wait tactics making United impatient.
But Adelaide did have its first half chances.
Carrusca tried to create an opening in the 11th minute but the Argentine’s back heel when Wanderers’ defence was caught out of position backfired.
The away side was then dealt a blow in the 33rd minute when Santalab was forced to end his shift.
Santalab succumbed to a shoulder injury after hitting the deck with Osama Malik in the seventh minute.
Party time for the Reds. Source: Getty Images
Socceroos Asian Cup winning star and former Reds striker Tomi Juric entered the fray two minutes before Cirio skied a brilliant chance wide when he was put through from an Erlich through ball.
But with the home fans clearly frustrated by Adelaide’s drained start after referee Peter O’Leary ordered a drinks break on the half-hour due to the 36C temperature at kick off, every call in favour of Wanderers was scorned by the partisan crowd.
Malik then threw a massive scare in the Reds camp in the 42nd minute when his knee appeared to buckle when he was attempting a slide tackle on Juric.
Although he made it back on the park briefly after treatment while Cirio kept prodding for a goal before Ante Covic’s big chest blocked the Spaniard’s chip in the 43rd minute, Malik was clearly distressed.
He was forced off the park in the 45th minute when he collapsed in a heap in the box with Craig Goodwin slotting into the left back role while Elrich covered as stopper.
But Wanderers continued to frustrate Adelaide in the first half as Mateo Poljak incensed Reds fans when his untimely lunge floored Isaias before the midfielder found his way into O’Leary’s book.
Mabil started the second half for Miguel Palanca as Adelaide was on the hunt for goals and points.
Coach Josep Gombau opted for a three man defence in the second half as Goodwin pushed up on the left wing while Cirio was shifted centrally.
Originally published as Reds’ late winner breaks Wanderers’ hearts.
source:theaustralian.com.au
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