Adelaide keep season alive with late win
Fabien Barbiero kept last-placed Adelaide’s A-League season alive as the visitors stunned Brisbane 1-0 at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
The Roar dominated the match but it was Barbiero who found the back of the net when he popped up with 15 minutes to go to powerfully head home a Matthew Leckie cross and end a dreadful run from the South Australian side.
Brisbane had a host of chances in both halves but were unable to convert any of them in front of 5801 fans, the lowest crowd in the Roar’s history.
While Barbiero received the accolades it was Adelaide keeper Eugene Galekovic who was the hero for the visitors after saving two solid shots on goal in the first half before denying Massimo Murdocca with a spectacular diving save with minutes left on the clock.
Despite the win Adelaide remain at the bottom of the table, but they are now equal on points with the Roar, behind only on goal difference.
Sergio van Dijk, Henrique and Mitch Nichols all had golden chances to score for the home side early in the game as Adelaide struggled to threaten the Brisbane goal.
The Roar maintained pressure with livewire midfielders Michael Zullo and Henrique finding plenty of space, but they were let down by poor last options in and around the Adelaide penalty box.
Van Dijk arrived a fraction too late to meet a whipping cross from Henrique just after the half hour.
Nichols was left with a one-on-one with the keeper but the Roar striker could only manage to parry it straight to Galekovic.
The Adelaide keeper came to the rescue minutes later in almost identical fashion to deny Henrique from point blank range to close out the half.
The visitors started the second period more positively, but it was soon more of the same as Brisbane butchered another chance when Adam Sarota panicked when he reached the Adelaide box.
Then with 15 minutes to go the Roar were hit with a sucker punch when Leckie found plenty of space down the right, and he seemed to have all the time in the world to deliver a perfect cross for Barbiero who calmly headed the ball into the net.
Adelaide coach Aurelio Vidmar said Galekovic was a stand out and deserved World Cup selection.
“Eugene was fantastic again – I’ve been saying it for most of this year that since he came to this club two-and-a-half years ago, he’s just been spot on since day one,” Vidmar said.
“I’ll certainly be pumping up his tyres for (Socceroos coach) Pim (Verbeek) to make sure he gets into the World Cup squad because I think he’s been in fantastic form for two-and-a-half years.”
Vidmar was thrilled with the team’s performance and said making the finals was still a realistic goal.
“Tonight was unbelievable – a lot of people really stood up tonight and I was really pleased with that,” he said.
“This has certainly, with the results today, has made it very interesting and extremely tight.
“It’s a very good step for us but we can’t get carried away.”
His counterpart at the Roar, Ange Postecoglou, was also upbeat despite the loss.
“Obviously it was a fantastic opportunity for us to make up some ground on everyone else but you can’t really fault the players tonight.
“I thought they were fantastic and did everything we asked of them.”
© AAP 2012
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Chook said | December 14th 2009 @ 10:33am | Report comment
Galekovic wont be ever playing for the Socceroo unless he can kick straight. I think he lobbed about 6 times out on the full.
The Crowd was dismal as the brisbane roar season gets worse, the crowds have gone from bad to apathetic. Even the Den was quite.
The roar played ok but the runs made by Henrequie (7.5) and Zullo (6.5) where often killed off by the final pass, Nicoles (5) was woeful and Dodd (5) whilst tried his heart out isnt up to standard I like the man but was lucky not to get a red from a dodgey tackle that left him with studs in the air a groin height. Sarota (4) needs his head read as I dont know where after recieving the ball thinks it ok to kick it 3m in front of him in the centre of the park with out losing it. Devere (7), Moore (7)and McCloughlan (6) played well and the back line looks ok, McMaster (6.5) im liking more and more one error with the lack of communication with Devere but made a very good save in the 2nd half. Packer (4) is a shocker and panics every time he gets the ball, he isnt a bad defender but not a player who can give the final pass. Packer was out of position and didnt mark his man in the box and gave away the goal . Van Dijk ( 6) hardly saw the ball but I think he might be better to play a holding forward role to flick it on to Nicoles, Henrequie or Zullo. Murdocca (6) played well for the 15min he was on an look like he will start in for the NF game on Wenesday night. Smits ( 5)
Brisbane needs 2 more centre mids who have a presence and can feed the ball forward effectively.
AU played ok for a team on the bottom, it was a very humid and hot night, they played a pretty basic game they cant handle the runs from mid field from Zullo and Henrequie an got enough bodies behind the ball to mute any attack, BR main attack was through a break away run from the midfield and the central simple are not good enough to build and retain the ball.
I look forward to Wednesday and the Robbie Fowler. Im going a 2-2 draw.
* numbers are rated out of ten
Il Duce said | December 15th 2009 @ 1:20am | Report comment
Adelaide did play ok with Eugene and the back 4 having to make many desprate saves. Once again the only two Adelaide players who look like they could and did change the game where Leckie and Barbiero, Dodd played better but was still far off his best. Adelaide also have played well this season when Reid has been in the side however Adelaide are far of there best and the test will be this week against Wellington where the reds will be hoping for back to back wins.
Brisbane did diserve something out of this game as Chock said the runs from Zullo and Henrequie killed Adelaide all night and if it wasnt for the final touch or for Galekovic Brisbane would of atleast drawn if not won this match.