- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Adelaide have missed out on the A-League minor premiership and a guaranteed spot in the 2010 Asian Champions League despite a 1-0 victory over Central Coast at Bluetongue Stadium.
Needing to win by two goals to finish on top of the table, Cristiano’s 81st minute strike set up a dramatic finish to Sunday night’s game.
But having battled all night for one goal, United were unable to secure a crucial second.
The result meant that Melbourne Victory finished the home and away season first and sealed an Asian Champions League berth.
The Victory meet Adelaide in the first leg of the major semi-final next weekend and the Mariners clash with Queensland Roar in the minor semi-final.
The other Champions League berth will go to the winner of the grand final — or the beaten grand finalists if Melbourne win that as well.
Adelaide, the lowest scoring side in the A-League’s top four, couldn’t breach the Mariners’ goal before substitute Robert Younis’s fine run to the byline before cutting back for Cristiano to finish off.
The visitors had the good fortune of knowing exactly what was required before the match but failed to find a way past Central Coast’s cheeky defence in the first half.
United’s Lucas Pantelis hit the post from his 31st minute free kick and it ricocheted into Mariners goalkeeper Danny Vukovic’s head and away from goal.
Just two minutes later, the Mariners were pulling out all stops to keep the ball out of the net with Adelaide striker Paul Agostino’s shot from close range slamming into Paul O’Grady’s buttock near the line.
Central Coast brought striker Nick Mrdja off the bench for the second half and he pulled his shot when one on one with the `keeper in the 46th minute.
United captain Travis Dodd went agonisingly close to producing the opener in the 54th minute with his header from close range hitting the bar.
Mrdja had another shot on goal from close range in the 77th but United stopper Eugene Galekovic produced an outstanding save to his left.
Then four minutes later Younis set up Cristiano whose right-foot shot crashed into the back of the net.
Mrdja had another good chance in the 89th minute to force Adelaide into third spot but his shot went wide.
Adelaide coach Aurelio Vidmar was proud of his players for going so close to winning the minor premiership despite having had the extra burden of going all the way to last year’s Asian Champions League final.
“That is the way it goes, I thought we put in a fantastic effort tonight and probably could have had more than the one but that is the game sometimes,” he said.
“It wasn’t through a lack of trying. We hit the bar, hit the post, it came off the `keeper’s face.
“But we persisted and got one and pushed hard for a second … very hard.”
The Mariners have lost their last three matches heading into the finals.
Central Coast coach Lawrie McKinna said his side had to quickly regain some form before taking on the red-hot Roar.
“We have lost the last three against the three sides above us so I hope we have learnt a wee bit out of that,” he said.
“We have to be better than that and if we are not better than that, then we will play two games and then we will be out.”
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.