Adelaide United coach Josep Gombau believes if last night’s main event blockbuster against Hyundai A-League heavyweight Sydney FC at Coopers Stadium was a boxing bout, the Reds would have triumphed on a points decision.
Instead the home side had to settle for a 0-0 draw despite having significantly more possession (63 percent to 37) and shots on goal (17-11).
United’s inability to land the killer blow proved decisive, which Gombau acknowledged made the deadlock a fair result.
“In the end if you asked me (if) the result is fair, I need to tell you ‘yes’,” he explained.
“Why? Because we didn’t put the ball in.
“If you ask me my opinion, we created more chances, we had more of the ball and we played better football in our way.
“For me it’s more that we lost two points than won one.
“If this is boxing for the points, we deserved more than them.
“Their keeper (Vedran Janjetovic) made good saves, (but) if you don’t put the ball in, there’s nothing to say.”
Despite being unable to fully capitalise, Gombau was pleased with the number of legitimate chances his team created against the highly-rated Sky Blues.
“I am not worried because playing like this, if you create 10 chances, for sure on another day you will score,” he said.
Gombau is similarly content with the relatively short rest his players will savour ahead of this Wednesday’s FFA Cup semi-final stoush with Central Coast.
But he is apprehensive about the next A-League assignment against Wellington Phoenix next Saturday, just 72 hours after the Mariners clash, particularly after luckless striker Bruce Djite exited the Sydney clash at half-time with a quad injury.
“The Cup game is not a problem because it is five days (turnaround),” Gombau said.
“Five days is enough.
“The problem will be on Saturday where we will have just three days. We need to manage and see happens with Bruce, if Fabio (Ferreira) and Pablo (Sanchez) are ready.
“Now, most important is Central Coast. I’m not thinking Wellington.”
