Adelaide United has endured its third straight loss, going down 2-1 to Newcastle Jets at Coopers Stadium on Saturday.
Nikola Mileusnic nonchalantly opened the scoring in the Remembrance Round clash, but the visitors overturned the deficit through Ben Kantarovski and Andrew Nabbout.
Marco Kurz made just the one alteration to his starting XI from the loss against Perth Glory last weekend. Ryan Kitto replaced Karim Matmour, who was fit enough to feature on the bench after being cleared of any serious injury. Meanwhile, striker Baba Diawara returned to the squad, overcoming a hamstring complaint.
Adelaide deservingly took the lead after dominating the opening half hour through Mileusnic’s calmly dispatched finish in the 24th minute.
However, the Jets slowly grabbed the ascendancy and forced Izzo into two wonderful saves before scoring a sucker-punch on the stroke of half-time thanks to Kantarovski.
Newcastle, immediately grabbed the lead following the re-start as Nabbout profited from a loose pass to convert into an open goal.
The Reds pushed for an equaliser and came close in the final action of the game when Diawara headed over Ben Garuccio’s cross.
Key moments:
3’ | Ryan Kitto guides Michael Marrone’s pass to George Blackwood, who forces Jack Duncan into a good save on the angle.
16’ | Michael Marrone’s recycled cross falls to Mileusnic, whose goal-bound shot is blocked six yards out.
24’ | GOAL! Mileusnic clinically finishes past gloveman Duncan after breaking the offside trap to latch on to a sensational defence-splitting through ball from Ryan Kitto.
Top finish @nmileu 🙌 #ADLvNEW #RemembranceRound #AUFC #ForeverUnited
🎥 @FOXFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/u7s8shZ4QG
— Adelaide United (@AdelaideUnited) November 11, 2017
43’ | Petratos’ stinging free-kick inside the semi-circle of the 18-yard box is expertly parried away to safety by Paul Izzo.
44’ | Izzo is again called into action this time producing a stunning save to tip wide O’Donovan’s half-volley attempt.
45’ | GOAL: Kantarovski puts the Jets on level terms, volleying home Dimitri Petratos’ cross following a short corner routine involving O’Donovan.
47’ | GOAL: Nabbout pounces on an errant back pass from Ben Warland to round Izzo and finish into an empty net.
53’ | Nabbout squares the ball across to O’Donovan, but the competition’s leading scorer remarkably misses the open goal.
69’ | Matmour dribbles past two players to make space and unleashes a decent left-footed strike which lands inches wide of the right post.
Match details:
Saturday, 11 November 2017
Hyundai A-League Round 6
Adelaide United 1 (Mileusnic 24’)
Newcastle Jets 2 (Kantarovski 45’ Nabbout 47’)
Venue: Coopers Stadium
Attendance: 8,416
