Adelaide United snatched another dramatic late Isuzu UTE A-League victory with Mohamed Toure scoring in the 88th minute to help the Reds defeat Newcastle Jets 2-1 at Coopers Stadium.
The Jets looked favourites to win after equalising midway through the second half and heaping the pressure on the home side with chance after chance on Sunday.
However, it was teenage substitute Toure who scored the winner for Adelaide against the run of play as the red-hot Reds moved up to third in the A-League Men standings.
Adelaide made the perfect start, breaking the deadlock in the third minute through George Blackwood.
Ryan Kitto played a long ball out of defence to release Craig Goodwin, who charged towards goal with just his opponent to beat.
The winger baulked, feinted and expertly delayed before threading a pass through three Jets defenders for Blackwood to run on to and tap in from five metres out before paying tribute to Shane Warne with his ‘leggie’ celebration.
Newcastle forward Beka Mikeltadze proved how dangerous he was, twice testing Joe Gauci.
In the ninth minute his turn and shot was parried away by the Reds keeper before Gauci stuck up a glove to keep out a swerving shot 10 minutes later.
Goodwin continued to threaten and midway through the first half fired a low shot from the edge of the area which whizzed just past the post.
Beka collected the ball inside the area and tried to pick out the far post with a low drive, but the shot was deflected into the path of Thurgate who was on hand to tap into an empty net.
With the Jets seemingly on top, and peppering the Reds’ defence, it was Adelaide who found a second goal against the run of play, scoring the winner in the 88th minute.
Goodwin received the ball wide on the left and whipped in a cross at pace for Toure to stick a foot out ahead of the onrushing Michael Weier and it proved enough to direct the ball past the Jets’ keeper and into the net.
