Adelaide United suffered its first defeat in the FFA Cup since the 2017 final, going down 2-1 to Melbourne Victory at Coopers Stadium on Wednesday night.
Craig Goodwin’s free-kick was overturned by second-half goals from Josh Brillante and Francesco Margiotta’s penalty.
The result ends United’s 12 match winning streak in the tournament and inaugural loss on home soil.
What went right. What went wrong.
What went right: Goodwin impresses again
It appeared all Craig Goodwin needed was to get on the scoresheet. After scoring two goals against Wellington Phoenix last weekend, Goodwin looks back to his best. The 30-year-old dispatched a free-kick to open the scoring and his general play was also superb. Goodwin linked up well with his teammates, retained possession and switched the play where possible.
What went wrong: Wayward passing from both teams
Both teams were guilty of giving the ball away, particularly out of defence. The Reds too often squandered possession and invited unnecessary pressure on themselves. The concession of United’s second goal was indicative of this as it came via a turnover which was immediately punished. Jacob Tratt was dispossessed and Margiotta’s shot struck his hand and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
What went right: Javi López and Juande show their class
Veteran Spanish duo Javi López and Juande were heavily involved in proceedings. Despite the result not going Adelaide’s way, the pair illustrated their undeniable quality. López curtailed Victory’s attacking threats due to his wonderful ability to read the game. Meanwhile, Juande controlled the midfield for the majority of the contest, breaking up Victory’s forward incursions and also helping ignite attacks. The 35-year-old brought balance to the side and leadership qualities.
What went wrong: Individual mistakes cost Reds
The most frustrating aspect of United’s exit is that they rarely looked in danger of conceding. For the most part, Adelaide were in control but silly errors ultimately proved costly. Adelaide conceded a free-kick which was not dealt with, allowing Brillante to get on the end of it for a simple tap-in, and then later gave away an avoidable penalty. The Reds, under interim boss Ross Aloisi, demonstrated great endeavour to get back into the match and threw everything at Victory, though it was in vain.
