Reds fall 2-0 on the Central Coast despite territorial edge

The Reds had the bulk of the ball at polytec Stadium and had more attempts at goal than the hosts, but could not find a way past Morgan Aquino in the Mariners goal.

Kapetanellis struck either side of half-time, and although United kept probing, the result was a disappointing one for a side that showed plenty of intent and has positives to take from the performance.

First half

Adelaide United had the first sight of goal at polytec Stadium in the fourth minute, when Melissa Taranto sent a right-footed shot from outside the box wide of the left post. Paige Zois then saw an effort from the left side of the box blocked after Adriana Taranto’s cross.

The Mariners took the lead in the 10th minute. Eliza Familton delivered a cross and Talia Kapetanellis finished with a right-footed shot from very close range into the centre of the goal to make it 1-0.

The hosts kept up the pressure for a spell, with Familton, Kapetanellis and Te Reremoana Walker all having attempts that were wide or blocked, Tianna Harris getting in the way of Walker’s strike. United held firm and gradually worked their way up the pitch.

The Reds found more of the ball as the half wore on. Chelsie Dawber sent a left-footed effort too high from Emily Hodgson’s cross in the 21st minute, and Adriana Taranto then had a left-footed shot from the centre of the box saved by Morgan Aquino.

Lara Gooch tested Aquino again in the 37th minute with a right-footed shot from the right side of the box that the goalkeeper saved low to her left, set up by Adriana Taranto. Adriana Taranto went close herself just before the break, a right-footed effort from the left side of the box missing to the right after Dawber’s pass, and Skye Halmarick’s stoppage-time miss for the hosts meant United went in trailing 1-0.

Second half

The Mariners doubled their lead eight minutes after the restart. Kapetanellis headed home from the left side of the six-yard box, finding the bottom left corner from Peta Trimis’s cross after a set piece.

United responded straight away. Hodgson let fly from outside the box in the 55th minute, with Dawber the provider, but Aquino got down to save it in the bottom left corner.

Theo Tsiounis went to his bench on 64 minutes, with Carina Rossi and Tessa Salvestrin replacing Gooch and Dawber. Harris then cleared a Trimis attempt off the line, and Salvestrin was involved almost immediately at the other end, firing wide from the centre of the box after Hodgson’s cross before Aquino saved her follow-up from the right side of the box, set up by Adriana Taranto.

The Reds kept probing as the clock ran down. Isabella Yakel and India Breier came on for Zois and Claudia Cicco with a quarter of an hour to go, and after Halmarick had headed wide for the hosts, Rossi sent a left-footed effort high and wide from outside the box from Breier’s pass.

United pushed for a breakthrough deep into the closing stages. Salvestrin went close twice in the space of a minute, first from outside the box and then from a tight angle on the right, and Breier’s effort from distance also just missed the target after Sian Dewey had replaced Kiera Meyers. Morgan Witz was booked in stoppage time before the final whistle confirmed a 2-0 defeat.

Full time

Full time at polytec Stadium brought a disappointing 2-0 defeat for the Reds, but there is plenty in the performance for supporters to take encouragement from. United completed 338 of 438 passes to the Mariners’ 276 of 357, had the better of the attempts at 13 to 10 with four on target to three, and won seven corners to the hosts’ four. Aquino made four saves to keep United off the scoresheet, and the Reds will want a sharper final ball to turn that control into goals.

The Mariners now lead the previous meetings between the clubs 6-3, with no draws, and United are still searching for a first win of the season, but the way the Reds kept pushing forward, with the attackers at the heart of their chances, gives the group a solid base to build on. The challenge now is to carry that front-foot approach into the next hit-out and add the clinical touch in the final third that was missing on the Central Coast.

Match details

Next match

Adelaide United return home to face Wellington Phoenix FC at ServiceFM Stadium on Friday 6 November, with kick-off at 6:30pm local time, and the Reds will be looking to bounce back and push into the top six.