Adelaide United Head Coach Airton Andrioli says his side’s 2–1 defeat to Macarthur FC on Monday night was decided by missed chances rather than a lack of effort, after a dominant but wasteful display at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.
The Reds controlled large parts of the match but failed to capitalise on multiple opportunities in front of goal, as the hosts claim all three points.
Andrioli on the overall performance:
“There were some very good moments for us in the game. Maybe the first five or ten minutes were a little bit off, and that’s when they scored. But after that, we controlled the game and forced them to defend deep. We created a lot of chances in the first half to score and put the game in our hands. So I’m happy with parts of the performance – we just need to be more clinical in the final third.”
On Macarthur’s deep defensive structure:
“We didn’t change our approach because they play the same way – a deep block, very compact, and they’re good at it. That’s not a criticism, it’s just their style. We knew we’d have to be patient, move the ball well, create runs in half spaces, and look for overlaps and underlaps. We did that, but football is about taking your chances, and they did that a little bit better tonight.”
On defensive improvement:
“We’ve just got to keep working on it. Macarthur are not an easy team – they’ve got height, they’re strong on set pieces, and they deliver well. We planned for that and worked on it, but in the end it comes down to execution in the moment. We switched off a couple of times, and at this level, that costs you.”
On the long gap between fixtures:
“I don’t think the break had an impact. Our focus is already on the next match in Auckland, which will be another tough test. Tonight we played some great football at times, and on another day – if we take our chances – we could’ve had a much better result. We’ll review the game, learn from it, and prepare for the weekend.”
On Yull’s 50th A-League appearance and goal:
“Jonny is a great kid, like all of the boys. It’s good to see him score – that goal will give him confidence. He’s a player with a lot of potential, and hopefully this helps him keep growing and showing what he can do.”
On Craig Goodwin’s influence:
“Goody played his role really well. He was involved in a lot of our actions and had the freedom to find spaces and create chances. Overall, the team did a lot of good things. We just need to be more consistent – when we have momentum, we have to sustain it and defend those transition moments better.”
