Following a defeat to MetroStars courtesy of a late goal from Cameron Woodfin, Adelaide United headed to TK Shutter Reserve aiming to overturn the deficit in the second leg of the NPL SA Semi-Final and secure a spot in the Grand Final.
Young Reds survive early onslaught
Adelaide United entered their second leg against MetroStars with a win being the only result that would keep their Grand Final dream alive. Their bid to eliminate the Premiers at their home turf took a hit before kick-off, with Feyzo Kasumovic unavailable due to his inclusion in Carl Veart’s Joeys squad and Vinko Stanisic pulling up sore in the warm-up after initially being named in the starting lineup.
A cutthroat final is not an ideal place to adapt to change, and Adelaide United had to deal with just that, with Fabian Talladira having to deputise in the unfamiliar position of centre back and Giorgio Parhas earning a rare start in the heart of the midfield. Unsurprisingly, a quality team like MetroStars smelled blood in the water and responded accordingly.
The first 15 minutes of the game saw the Young Reds’ box placed under siege by the home side, with only desperate defending keeping the scores level. MetroStars did find the back of the net, before the goal was belatedly ruled off for an offside infraction to keep Adelaide United in a match they could not afford to concede first in.
Adelaide United were under the pump in the opening part of the game (Image: Pagonis Photography)
Tatu makes the Premiers nervous
Finals are decided by moments, and these two teams did not need any reminders, with a moment of loose defending giving MetroStars the slender advantage they brought into the second leg. Thus, despite holding that aforementioned lead, the feeling at TK Shutter Reserve was that if the home side did not convert one of the many chances they created early, they may live to regret it.
Just minutes after having their goal disallowed, MetroStars were ready to recycle the ball with their goalkeeper, Cody Oestreich, when he was caught on the ball by the rapid Amlani Tatu. While Oestreich and his defence recovered, they could not stop Tatu’s rocketing near-post shot that drew the teams level on aggregate, halting Metro’s momentum and giving their young adversaries some much-needed confidence.
Level on aggregate, the Young Reds did not rest on their laurels, playing with impetus as they sought a second goal. The score did not change, and level on aggregate, the two sides entered half time with the right to face Croydon FC in the Grand Final in the air.
Amlani Tatu celebrates his goal in the second leg against MetroStars (Image: Pagonis Photography)
Composed MetroStars cruise home
While Danny Graystone would have doubtlessly preached calm in the MetroStars rooms, backing his side to play the football that had brought them to this point of the season, the nerves were still evident after the break, with Tatu having an opportunity to pull his side ahead on aggregate before his chip evaded the target. Good teams find a way through adversity, and just as they did the previous week, MetroStars once again found a way to quell their pesky opponents.
Just shy of the hour mark, Hamish Gow pounced on a rebounded MetroStars corner to launch a low shot into a sea of legs, with a deflection beating Max Vartuli to restore the home side’s lead on aggregate. Despite a gallant performance to that point, it almost felt like the Young Reds had given the Premiers their best shot, and they were still standing.
At the end of the day, Adelaide United’s NPL program is about development, and in a cruel twist of fate, it was a product of that development that put the finishing touch on the Young Reds’ season. A year after returning to the field for Adelaide United and scoring an injury time equaliser against Modbury Jets in a final, Jake Porter replaced Owen Windsor for MetroStars and with his first touch of the ball was able to dribble into his old team’s penalty area before a deft pass saw him set up Tom Visser who sealed his side’s passage to a second consecutive Grand Final.
Full Time
MetroStars 2 (Gow, Visser)
Adelaide United 1 (Tatu)
