Crafty Nicky Carle scored the game-breaker as Sydney FC logged their first win of the A-League season with a 2-1 triumph over Adelaide United on Saturday.
Carle’s strike delivered a deserved victory on foreign soil at Hindmarsh Stadium, with Sydney coming from a goal down to take the points.
Carle’s polished finish in the 81st minute ensured a fitting result for the visitors, who outplayed their hosts.
But Sydney did it the hard way, battling lousy fortune before breakthrough second-half goals to Carle and defender Jamie Coyne.
Coyne slotted Sydney’s first goal in three matches this season, nullifying a first half strike by Adelaide’s Dario Vidosic.
Vidosic accepted a gift from Sydney defender Michael Beauchamp who, positioned on the goal line, inexplicably chested the ball into the path of the Reds’ playmaker.
Vidosic struck from a metre out in the 28th minute, with Beauchamp’s blunder coming as Sydney hit the crossbar and sidebar in a luckless opening half.
But the Sky Blues finally got just reward for their toil – and their first goal of the season – courtesy of a slick Coyne strike in the 59th minute.
Coyne was afforded time and space some 10 metres from goal and slotted a right-footer which silenced the 12,054-strong Adelaide crowd.
Sydney’s marquee signing Brett Emerton was subbed five minutes later, fatigued after doing a power of work during an influential stint.
And it wasn’t until the 81st minute when Carle, who was a dangerous attacking force all match, found himself with only Reds ‘keeper Eugene Galekovic to beat.
Carle calmly steered through Galekovic’s legs to ensure Sydney won their game of the season and left Adelaide with two losses in three outings.
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Central Coast sit second behind Wellington, and a victory over Adelaide will see them finish the regular season on top of the ladder.
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