A gloomy Saturday afternoon at ServiceFM Stadium was the setting for Round 13 of the RAA NPLSA as Adelaide United welcomed one of the three teams that have beaten them this season in the Adelaide Comets.
Ground drama
The first encounter of the season between Adelaide United and Adelaide Comets was the scene of the grand opening of Ellis Park. While that venue was the focus of the Round Two encounter, Round 13 and ServiceFM Stadium’s grass showcase pitch, as well as its first artificial pitch, were at the centre of discussion.
As usual, the match was originally scheduled for the larger, natural grass pitch. The poor weather conditions led the Federation to move the game to the smaller, artificial pitch.
There was consideration of a U-turn on the decision, but the teams were unable to find common ground.
The two sides couldn’t get on the same page, with Adelaide United preferring to play on their usual larger pitch where they can stretch opponents. In comparison, the Adelaide Comets preferred a smaller pitch where their intense pressing in harsh conditions could exacerbate the opposition’s errors. When the clock struck 5:45 and the referee’s whistle went, time for discussion was over, with the match taking place on the artificial pitch.
The pitch selection for Adelaide United’s Round 13 clash against the Adelaide Comets was controversial (Image: Pagonis Photography)
Another dangerous clean sheet
The Comets executed their plan to perfection for the majority of the game until the final step. The visitors’ intense pressing, combined with Adelaide United’s struggles to skip a line in their play, partly due to the swirling wind, to create mistakes.
Jayden LoBasso had the best chance in an even first half but placed his shot wide of Oscar Page’s goal. It was the second half where the Comets missed the opportunity to put the game beyond doubt.
LoBasso played his role to perfection, forcing two major errors out of the Young Reds backline to spark counterattacks, but he had his effort saved by Page before his smart layoff to Jake Dorsi resulted in the young winger shooting wide. For another week, Adelaide United survived the storm and recorded a third consecutive clean sheet. Oscar Page played a significant role between the sticks, making several crucial saves and distributing the ball with confidence despite the challenging conditions.
Oscar Page celebrating a third consecutive senior team clean sheet (Image: Pagonis Photography)
A late, Tatu-inspired flurry wins it
As Adelaide United found out in Round Two against the Comets, you get punished if you don’t take your chances. After claiming a late win at Ellis Park earlier in the season, it was the Comets’ turn to learn that lesson.
The opener came late in the game, in the 76th minute, when Sotiri Phillis placed a chipped pass in the path of Amlani Tatu, perfectly positioned between Dan Vaughan in goal and his defender, Matt Chandler, to create uncertainty. In turn, Tatu cut the ball back to substitute Mohammed Hassan, whose touch rebounded off Chandler and made it into the back of the net for an own goal.
In the 86th minute, Joey Garrucio, who has established himself as one of Airton Andrioli’s most influential players, found Tatu in a similar manner as Philis 10 minutes earlier, and this time, the winger did it alone, finding the bottom corner with his left foot before producing what has become his trademark backflip celebration. Catching the Comets on the counter in injury time, Tatu had a hand in the final goal of the match as well, cutting the ball back to Brody Burkit, who obliged, tapping home his seventh goal of the season.
Amlani Tatu celebrates his goal against the Adelaide Comets (Image: Pagonis Photography)
Full time
Adelaide United 3 (Own goal, Tatu, Burkitt)
Adelaide Comets 0
