Adelaide United has played out a frustrating 0-0 draw against 10-man Western United at Coopers Stadium on Friday night.
The Reds had more than 50 minutes with an extra player as Victor Sanchez was dismissed in the first-half, but they could not capitalise.
The Green and Black also scored twice, however both did not count due a handball and an offside respectively.
Late in stoppage time, Mohamed Toure was sent off following a second bookable offence.
It was a cagey start to the contest before it quickly opened up into an end-to-end affair, but chances remained at a premium.
Besart Berisha thought he had scored but his goal was chalked off as the referee discerned a handball on Tomislav Uskok’s attempted header down for the striker.
Craig Goodwin almost squeezed his finish between goalkeeper Ryan Scott and the near post but his effort smashed into the side netting.
The match turned on its head in the 36th minute after Sanchez was given his marching orders for tardily clattering into Louis D’Arrigo’s back when already on a yellow card.
Adelaide could not find a breakthrough to conclude the first-half despite its numerical advantage.
Carl Veart introduced Kusini Yengi at half-time at the expense of D’Arrigo to add more firepower in the attack with the extra man.
Stefan Mauk and Yengi mustered great chances to break the resistant Western defence, though could not find a way through.
The Reds lacked creativity, and as a result, Veart summoned the Toure brothers on 72 minutes with both replacing Goodwin and Tomi Juric.
The visitors had the ball in the net again but for the second time the goal was ruled out with VAR intervening, as Dylan Pierias was in an offside position after latching on to Alessandro Diamanti’s through ball.
Despite dominating possession, Adelaide failed to generate any more clear-cut chances, as they struggled to play with urgency, while appearing vulnerable on the counter-attack.
A melee broke out in the final stages as tempers flared, but it finished goalless for the second time between these two teams this season.
Team news
Carl Veart made no changes to his starting 11 for the third straight game, however Mohamed Toure returned to the bench for the first time in nine matches after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Key moments
16’ | HANDBALL! Berisha has the ball in the net from the set-piece but it’s disallowed after the referee spotted a handball on Uskok’s attempted header
36’ | RED CARD! Sanchez is brandished a second yellow card for clattering into the back of D’Arrigo.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6251215373001
52’ | CHANCE! Mauk takes Halloran’s pass into his stride but his strike from close range clips the side net.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6251218797001
63’ | CHANCE! Yengi turns and fires a stinging strike which Scott manages to get a fingertip to.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6251230080001
78’ | OFFSIDE! Pierias slides his finish past Joe Gauci but the goal will not stand after VAR intervenes due to offside.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6251223449001
90+4’ | RED CARD! M. Toure is off for a second foul after catching his opponent as he attempted to shoot on target.
Match details:
Friday, 20 April 2021
A-League 2020/21 – Matchweek 19
Adelaide United 0
Western United 0
Venue: Coopers Stadium
Crowd: 7,699
