Adelaide United has recorded its third successive win thanks to a solid 2-1 victory over Newcastle Jets at Coopers Stadium on Friday night.
Craig Goodwin’s second straight goal upon his return to the Club proved decisive after Louis D’Arrigo’s brilliant first-half opener for his maiden goal was cancelled out by a wonderful Connor O’Toole hit.
The Reds provisionally climb into third place on the A-League table with 16 points.
Adelaide began the contest with great urgency, playing at a high tempo and looked to get forward as quickly as possible.
Their endeavour was rewarded, capitalising on the Jets’ inability to clear the ball inside six minutes.
Ryan Strain’s low cross was met with a heavy touch by Nigel Boogaard before Steven Ugarkovic’s blind clearance fell to D’Arrigo and the midfield kept his composure, dispatching a fabulous curling finish into the top corner to open his Reds account.
Ugarkovic later had James Delianov backpedalling when his volley thudded against the crossbar.
Despite the odd shaky moment in defence, Adelaide played with great fluidity in advanced areas and continued to pass with purpose.
However, the visitors equalised in impressive fashion after a one-two involving Matthew Millar and O’Toole with the latter’s strike arrowing past Delianov after cutting inside.
Ben Halloran responded with a thunderous hit which struck the upright from distance following a neat lay-off from Stefan Mauk.
United conjured another promising chance when Goodwin’s cross was headed down by Mauk for Al Hassan Toure but the 20-year-old could not apply the finish with his snapshot blasting wide.
The hosts created a couple of half chances to begin the second stanza but it was Newcastle that had the better opportunity.
Moments after being introduced, Apostolos Stamatelopoulos hit the crossbar off a header from a corner.
Carl Veart made a double change past the hour mark introducing Josh Cavallo and Mohamed Toure.
Although 10 minutes later, Toure succumbed to a hamstring injury and was forced off, but that was not before Goodwin’s curling free-kick rebounding off the post.
Adelaide hit the lead almost out of nothing courtesy of Goodwin’s inspired work as he would not be denied a second time in the 77th minute.
The 29-year-old dispossessed his opponent and dribbled forward, rifling an emphatic finish across the goalkeeper and into the far corner.
Adelaide held on for the crucial win despite struggling to retain the ball for long enough periods in the second-half.
Team news
Carl Veart made three changes to his starting line-up that won last weekend. Ryan Strain and Michael Jakobsen returned from injury and were inserted straight into the starting. It meant Javi López switched flanks to left-back, while Al Hassan Toure was given his first start in more than a year to lead the line in attack.
Key moments
6’ | GOAL! D’Arrigo punishes the poor clearance, picking his spot and curling his effort into the top corner.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6237377589001
22’ | GOAL: O’Toole plays a one-two with Millar on the edge of the box and unleashes a quality strike into the top corner.
26’ | CHANCE! Halloran receives the ball from Mauk and on his weaker left foot, from approximately 25-yards out fires a venomous strike which crashes against the upright.
61’ | CHANCE: Stamatelopoulos’s free header ricochets off the crossbar from the in-swinging corner.
69’ | CHANCE! Goodwin’s free-kick thuds against the upright.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6237388307001
77’ | GOAL! Goodwin wins possession, dribbles forward and sends his finish into the bottom corner.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6237391878001
Match details:
Friday, 5 March 2021
A-League 2020/21 – Matchweek 11
Adelaide United 2 (D’Arrigo 6’, Goodwin 77’)
Newcastle Jets 1 (O’Toole 22’)
Venue: Coopers Stadium
Crowd: 7,350
