A brace from Ryan Kitto has given Adelaide United a comprehensive 2-0 win over the Western Sydney Wanderers in a match that had everything.
Both sides finished the eventful Round 8 clash at Coopers Stadium on Sunday night with 10 men, after Robbie Cornthwaite and Ben Garuccio were dismissed with the help of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
However, Adelaide were the better side on the evening and Kitto’s double proved decisive as United recorded their first league clean sheet of the campaign.
There was just the one change made by Head Coach, Marco Kurz, to the starting line-up. Ryan Strain received his Hyundai A-League debut at right-back in place of the suspended Michael Marrone.
With five draws in their previous seven meetings it was always expected to be a tight and tense affair, however following the dismissal of Robbie Cornthwaite Adelaide took complete control.
The Reds started the brighter of the two sides and following a few incursions into the area, they were awarded a penalty after the intervention of the VAR.
Baba Diawara’s initial protests for handball fell on deaf ears, but upon further review his volleyed effort had struck the hand – of the already cautioned Cornthwaite – on its way to Vedran Janjetovic.
The WSW captain was subsequently sent off for a second bookable offence, but Adelaide could not capitalise as Diawara’s ensuing spot-kick bounced out off the upright.
However, Kurz’s men did not relent and looked to exploit their numerical advantage.
On the stroke of half-time the hosts finally converted one of their chances when Kitto scored off Matmour’s cross.
The second-half saw the hosts maintain their dominance and Kitto made it 2-0 on 63 minutes.
Despite Ben Garuccio being sent off with 13 minutes remaining, the Reds held on to seal back-to-back league victories.
Key moments:
5’ | Garuccio’s pin-point delivery picks out Nikola Mileusnic, who expertly controls the ball down, but just can’t get a clean shot away from six yards out.
19’ | Diawara’s volleyed attempt from Strain’s cross strikes the hand of Cornthwaite inside the 18-yard box.
21’ | RED CARD! Cornthwaite receives his marching orders after the incident was assessed by the VAR and a penalty is given to the Reds.
21’ | Diawara steps up but sees his spot-kick strike the post.
28’ | Daniel Adlung’s delightful cross finds Kitto at the back stick and loops his header across the WSW gloveman which smacks the post.
36’ | Mileusnic connects with Garuccio’s accurate ball, though he cannot direct his header past Janjetovic who parries it away.
45+1’ | GOAL! Matmour’s cross falls to the back post and Kitto is there to clinically finish beyond Janjetovic.
Ryan Kitto's first for the night 👊 #AUFC #ADLvWSW pic.twitter.com/mJuahOJkvV
— Adelaide United (@AdelaideUnited) November 26, 2017
60’ | Oriol Riera hits the bar from close range after Raul Llorente swings a nice ball into the area.
63’ | GOAL! Kitto nets a brace after Mileusnic latched on to a stray pass before dribbling and dragging the goalkeeper out and then squaring a pass to the 23-year-old, who finished into a gaping goal.
This is how Ryan Kitto completed his brace after some hard work from @nmileu. #ADLvWSW #AUFC
🎥 @FOXFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/5gBUf9OdjA
— Adelaide United (@AdelaideUnited) November 26, 2017
77’ | RED CARD! Garuccio, who was initially shown a yellow ticket for a challenge on Roly Bonevacia, is instead sent off by the VAR.
Match details:
Sunday, 26 November 2017
Hyundai A-League Round 8
Adelaide United 2 (Kitto 45+1’ 63’)
Western Sydney Wanderers 0
Venue: Coopers Stadium
Attendance: 8,210
