Adelaide United has recorded back-to-back wins after a courageous 3-2 victory against Western Sydney Wanderers at Bankwest Stadium on Saturday.
Craig Goodwin wasted no time in marking his Adelaide return with a goal inside two minutes and Stefan Mauk doubled the advantage just before half-time.
Substitutions from both sides in the second-half impacted the enthralling affair as Bruce Kamau halved the deficit past the hour mark.
Mohamed Toure then came off the bench to restore the two-goal buffer until Mitchell Duke made for a nervous finish with a 90th minute tap-in.
However, Adelaide managed to hold and record its first away win of the season, snapping three straight road defeats and inflicting a first loss on the Wanderers since the opening round.
It was a riveting contest throughout the game’s entirety.
The visitors made a blistering start as Goodwin scored 65 seconds into proceedings – the fourth quickest goal in the Club’s history.
Kusini Yengi recycled Goodwin’s set-piece and the Wanderers failed to adequately clear their lines; the ball falling to the 29-year-old and he made them pay after his shot deflected beyond Daniel Margush.
The Reds survived a relentless amount of pressure during the first-half, negotiating 12 Western Sydney corners.
James Delianov produced a stunning, reflex save to deny Ziggy Gordon’s free header from the corner.
Despite Carl Robinson’s men dominating possession, Adelaide were dangerous on the counter-attack.
They conjured a goal on the stroke of the interval against the run of play thanks to Mauk.
Ben Halloran drove forward after receiving a pass and squared to the United Captain and kept his composure to slot his finish inside the post, marking his 100th A-League match in style.
Louis D’Arrigo’s powerful effort struck the upright after half-time in what would have put Adelaide 3-0 up but instead the momentum shifted.
Robinson performed a triple substitution and it proved an inspired move as Kamau converted Daniel Wilmering’s diagonal cross.
The Reds were indebted to Delianov for a massive save on Duke – another of the substitutes – after rushing off his line and repelling the striker’s one-on-one attempt.
Although the home team continued to bombard the Adelaide goal, they could not muster an equaliser and a pair of Reds substitutes combined, completing a lightning counter.
Pacifique Niyongabire went on a sensational run before releasing Toure and the 16-year-old clinically bagged his third goal of the campaign with an emphatic finish on 82 minutes.
Duke pulled another back for Western Sydney and almost equalised when his shot crashed off the post late in stoppage time.
However, a plucky Reds outfit held on to secure a first win at Bankwest Stadium and its maiden away triumph in seven games to provisionally climb into fifth place with 13 points.
Team news
Carl Veart made two changes to his starting XI, one tactical and the other enforced. Goodwin immediately came straight into the line-up as Yaya Dukuly dropped out. Yengi was handed his second career start with Tomi Juric absent due to a groin injury sustained last weekend against Central Coast Mariners. Meanwhile, new signing, Josh Cavallo, made the bench for the first time since his arrival.
Key moments
2’ | GOAL! Goodwin punishes the Wanderers after they fail to clear their lines and his shot takes a slight deflection.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6235890270001
7’ | SAVE! Delianov denies Gordon’s free header from the corner with the ball seemingly behind the goalkeeper.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6235891973001
44’ | GOAL! Halloran collects the ball and drives forward before squaring to Mauk and he squeezes his finish between the post and goalkeeper for his third of the season.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6235894552001
52’ | CHANCE! D’Arrigo’s strike stings the post after Yengi’s touch from Halloran’s cross falls to the midfielder.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6235896191001
61’ | GOAL: Kamau jags a goal back after beating Delianov to the ball from Wilmering’s floated cross.
64’ | SAVE! Duke is through on goal and with just Delianov to beat is denied by a brilliant stop.
82’ | GOAL! Niyongabire assists Toure and he clinically dispatches his finish into the net.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268479001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6235897116001
90’ | GOAL: Ibini cuts the ball back for a simple tap-in for Duke.
Match details:
Game date: Saturday, 27 February
A-League 2020/21 – Matchweek 10
Western Sydney Wanderers 2 (Kamau 61’, Duke 90’)
Adelaide United 3 (Goodwin 2’, Mauk 44’, M. Toure 82’)
Venue: Bankwest Stadium
