Adelaide United Head Coach Airton Andrioli praised his side’s character and persistence after the Reds secured a 1-1 draw away to Central Coast Mariners in Gosford on Saturday, with Ethan Alagich’s 88th-minute equaliser ensuring Adelaide extended their unbeaten run.
Andrioli said his group controlled large periods of the contest, continued to push in difficult conditions, and showed the resilience required to respond after conceding against a Mariners side that defended deep for long spells.
Andrioli on his immediate reaction and the late equaliser
“I’m extremely proud of my players. I couldn’t be more proud of coaching this group. Until we conceded in the second half, we played the football the way we tried to break them down, and the way we picked ourselves up after conceding that goal was exceptional. We didn’t get the three points we wanted, but it’s another game we haven’t lost. It shows resilience and character to keep pushing until we find a goal in difficult conditions for both teams. From that perspective, I’m really proud of the group of players I’m working with now.”
Andrioli on the challenge of breaking down a deep block
“It’s one of the biggest challenges in football. You can look anywhere in the world – when a team defends that deep, it’s difficult. We had the same scenario with Wellington last week as well. Lots of numbers in the box. It’s final margins. You need that ball to fall for you. We created enough chances in the first half to put the game away. It was a matter of the final pass, or deciding when to shoot and when not. We spoke about that at half-time and said it was a very professional, very good performance. But it’s not an easy thing to do when teams sit that deep. We kept going, kept pushing, kept playing our football. I don’t remember our goalkeeper having to make any saves. As I said, extremely proud of the players. If we continue like that, we’re going to keep growing and getting better.”
Andrioli on the message after conceding and the tactical response
“We made three subs, and we wanted to make four at that point. We wanted to bring fresh legs because the other players did a lot of work and the conditions were tough. The pitch was heavy. The strategy was to keep playing the football that we want to play, moving the ball with patience until the space opens up. Having Anselmo up front gave us a different perspective because he can hold up the ball with his back to goal, and he was involved in the goal we scored. The message was the same: keep pushing and doing what we want to do, and in the end we got rewarded with the equaliser.”
Andrioli on Anselmo’s return and the value of different solutions
“From a football point of view, there’s no criticism that can go to him. He hasn’t played enough football matches, and when he did play, he showed what he can bring to us. Early in the season, we had players out and we used him too soon, when he wasn’t fit enough to play 45 minutes, and we played him 50 and 60. Without the pre-season he needed, he copped a couple of injuries. He was down on himself after the second injury, but he worked extremely hard to get himself fit. Now he’s really sharp. He just needs more match conditioning. We’re trying to put him in at the right time and build him to the level, because I believe he can be a very important player for us moving forward.”
Andrioli on Josh Smits after a tough moment
“Unfortunately, that’s the price you pay when you’re a goalkeeper. One unlucky moment – a little bounce – and those things happen. But he’s been outstanding for us during the season. He’s been very good. We’ve got a lot of confidence in him, he’s a great guy in the change room, and I’m sure he’ll bounce back. He’s very important for us.”
Andrioli on the focus for the run home
“The focus is the same. Sometimes in football, goals come easily when things are going your way, and sometimes you have to really work for them. In the last few games, teams are defending deeper and being compact, so we have to work for the goals — they’re not falling into our laps. But football can change. We keep doing what we’re doing and I’m sure the momentum will change. As far as the way we are as a group — the closeness of the group and the coaching staff, the belief we have — I couldn’t ask for better. We just have to believe in that and keep moving forward.”
