Adelaide United’s top-two aspirations have been dealt a blow after succumbing to a 4-1 loss against Melbourne City on Thursday night.
On a chilly evening at AAMI Park, the visitors were undone by a pair of set-pieces scored by two former Reds before Jamie Maclaren slotted a second-half brace.
Scott Jamieson opened the scoring inside 10 minutes courtesy of a fortuitous deflected effort from an improvised corner.
City delivered the sucker punch on the stroke of half-time from another corner variation which allowed Scott Galloway to place his effort into the bottom corner.
Ben Halloran continued his goal-scoring affinity against City with his sixth career strike against them to halve the deficit to begin the second stanza.
However, Maclaren’s double dashed any hope of a comeback after bagging his 23rd and 24th goals of the campaign.
In his first A-League game back from injury in more than two months, James Delianov pulled off two sensational saves but could do little about the goals.
United at times had the ladder leaders under pressure in what was an open end-to-end contest, but it could never capitalise on its dominance at key moments.
The loss means the Reds miss the opportunity to climb into second place and will now look to respond against Brisbane Roar at Coopers Stadium on Sunday.
Team news
Goalkeeper James Delianov was a late inclusion after Joe Gauci picked up a quad injury in the warm-up in his first appearance since Matchweek 11.
Michael Marrone made just his second start of the season and first since the end of January, filling in at right-back for the suspended Ryan Strain. Joe Caletti was the third change implemented by Carl Veart, replacing Juande in midfield who is managing hamstring tightness.
Mohamed Toure and Yared Abetew both returned via the bench.
Key moments
8’ | GOAL: Jamieson’s shot from distance from the improvised corner takes a heavy deflection and leaves Delianov helpless.
34’ | SAVE! Delianov flails to his right and pulls off a brilliant reflex save to deny Good’s glancing header bound for the top corner.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6254007718001
45’ | GOAL: Galloway makes it 2-0 again from a corner routine which Adelaide switch off and are caught napping.
45+4’ | CHANCE: Tomi Juric adjusts to Goodwin’s crossing free-kick and his header lands just over the bar.
51’ | GOAL! Tom Glover’s parry lands into the path of Halloran and he rifles his angled finish into the roof of the net for his fourth goal of the season and 20th in all competitions for the Club since his arrival in 2018.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6254008371001
72’ | GOAL: Cavallo trips Colakovski and Maclaren makes no mistake from the ensuing penalty.
73’ | SAVE! Florin Berenguer rifles a powerful strike but Delianov performs arguably one of the saves of the season with an acrobatic stop at full-stretch.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6254013893001
82’ | GOAL: Marco Tilio’s marauds forward and squares to Maclaren for a simple finish.
Match details:
Thursday, 13 May 2021
A-League 2020/21 – Matchweek 21
Melbourne City 4 (Jamieson 8’, Galloway 45’, Maclaren 72’ (p), 82’)
Adelaide United 1 (Halloran 51’)
Venue: AAMI Park
Crowd: 3,370
