Round Nine saw Adelaide United host a match in Mount Barker. Sitting third on the table, they faced a tough opponent in the fourth-placed Playford Patriots, flying in their return to the NPL SA.
Attacking football delivers at the Summit
Round Nine saw Adelaide United return to Mount Barker in what has become an annual tradition since the ground opened. This year, a tantalising matchup was in store for locals, with the Young Reds taking on the recently promoted Playford City.
The Patriots may be new to the division, but their fearless game style has gained plenty of plaudits. Ben Moore’s side entered the match as the league’s top-scoring side.
The matchup did not disappoint, with four goals in an action-packed first half. When putting together these special fixtures, Football South Australia hopes for events that entertain the neutrals, and the two teams’ attack-first attitudes certainly delivered in spades.
Caption: Ethan Cox saves a shot at the picturesque Summit Sports and Recreation Park (Image: Pagonis Photography)
Back-to-back losses
Unfortunately, for Adelaide United, the aforementioned action-packed first half favoured the away side. Playford opened the scoring only eight minutes later when Tyson Herraman identified a lapse of concentration in the Reds’ high line and played a ball into Santiago Tabares, who in turn put the ball on a silver platter for Melad Ahmad to convert from close range.
The Young Reds drew level, with Amlani Tatu dazzling the locals by dribbling past multiple markers after picking up the ball wide near the halfway line, before setting up Joey Garrucio, who curled in a great effort with his left foot. While Adelaide United found a way back into the match, it was not to last.
The attacking roles were reversed for Playford in the 26th minute, with Melad Ahmad putting in a cross for Santiago Tabares, who was collected by Ethan Cox, leading to a penalty which Isaac Mullen duly converted. Tabares continued being instrumental for his side, setting up Daniel Ryan on the edge of the box before the winger curled a low effort past Cox before pulling out his trademark baseball golf swing celebration.
Andrioli and his side would be disappointed to suffer a second consecutive loss, which saw them fall behind their opponents on the table. Credit has to go to Playford for an impressive first half and a resolute second half to limit the Young Reds to no more goals.
A game of moments
Hours of training, team selection, and tactical work take place every week to ensure teams are ready to perform for 90 minutes on the weekend. Many times, though, all this accumulates down to moments.
On Saturday, minutes after bringing the score level, Adelaide United found themselves a goal down to Playford once again. At the half-hour mark, goalscorer Joey Garuccio picked out Ryan White in the box, whose flick found Amlani Tatu before the winger cannoned a shot off Luke Ostbye’s crossbar.
That was United’s major chance to equalise once more, but before another opportunity arrived for the Young Reds, Playford struck. In a similar scenario, Patriots star Daniel Ryan was found free on the edge of the area and made no mistake to double his side’s advantage only nine minutes after Tatu rocked the crossbar. It was an advantage Adelaide United could not overcome.
Caption: Playford City took their chances against Adelaide United in Round Nine (Image: Pagonis Photography)
