From the basement to the penthouse – that’s what Adelaide United have achieved in a remarkable campaign, as the Reds deservedly won the A-League grand final.
Guillermo Amor won no less than five La Liga titles as a player with Barcelona – plus a European Cup to boot – and the city of Adelaide might as well re-name Rundle Mall for the Spaniard after he led Adelaide United to their first ever A-League championship.
More A-League grand final:
» A-League Grand final scores and highlights
» Grand final player ratings
» Three big talking points from the grand final
» Match report
Did Amor out-coach Western Sydney counterpart Tony Popovic? That’s debatable – but there’s no denying the fact Popovic has now been on the losing side of three A-League grand finals, following yesterday’s 3-1 defeat.
The third came on the back of a mesmerising performance from Adelaide, with the Reds shaking off any grand final nerves with a first-half performance of the highest calibre.
The opening goal was testament to Adelaide’s undoubted class, as Marcelo Carrusca deftly controlled a high ball and exchanged passes with Stefan Mauk, before skipping away from Andreu to deliver a cross to the edge of the six-yard box.
It looked an innocuous ball in until Bruce Kamau ghosted into the space left by a static Wanderers’ defence, with the youngster side-footing Adelaide in front and sending the home fans into raptures.
If Adelaide’s opening goal was a reminder of their counter-attacking power, then the second from Isaias was as good a free-kick as you’ll see anywhere in the world.
It says much about the global appeal of the world game that a player who once counted four games for Espanyol as his greatest achievement could one day add the Joe Marston Medal to his collection.
His stupendous 34th-minute free-kick would have beaten the very best goalkeeper in the world, so there was little Andrew Redmayne could do when the Spaniard lifted the dead ball over the wall and into the top corner.
Full credit to Western Sydney for refusing to throw in the towel, as the Wanderers came out with renewed determination in a pulsating second half.
Defender Scott Neville might have been the unlikeliest of goal scorers, but his well taken half-volley brought the visitors right back into the contest.
And after the heroics of their 5-4 semi-final win over Brisbane Roar last week, it was tempting to imagine the Wanderers could do it all over again.
That they failed to do so is testament to the outstanding team unity of the Reds.
Not only did Pablo Sanchez come off the bench to add more grit to Adelaide’s guile over the closing stages, but the Spanish star went on to seal victory with a late third.
It was no less than Adelaide deserved, with rookie coach Amor managing to guide his team to the premiership and championship double in his first season as coach.
And he did so despite the fact that the Reds sat rock bottom and winless after eight rounds of the regular season.
Adelaide’s comeback surely marks one of the most astonishing turnarounds in the history of Australian sport, and makes a mockery of those fans who called for Amor’s sacking earlier in the season.
It likewise vindicates Adelaide’s decision to trust Amor with the top job in a season in which, like a fine Barossa wine, the Reds simply got better the longer the competition rolled on.
Amor would no doubt love to emulate legendary coach Zoran Matic, who guided Adelaide City to three championships during the National Soccer League era.
There were far fewer fans on the terraces back in those days, and the 50,000 supporters who packed into Adelaide Oval yesterday deserve plenty of plaudits.
About the only blemish were the flares lit by visiting supporters, with the Wanderers likely to face heavy sanctions next season.
But to dwell on that is to take away from one of the most impressive turnarounds in Australian sport.
Adelaide United are the new A-League champions and deservedly so, following the most gripping finals series we’ve experienced to date.
Tim Walford
Guest
Correction, The SANFL is not an AFL Competition. Its an Australian Football competition and is not run by the AFL.
Horto Magiko
Roar Rookie
As per usual, marron, the voice of reason and wisdom.
Marc
Guest
Read the article you illiterate.
Marc
Guest
I thought you were wanting to compare the 2nd most popular afl competition in the world with the 2nd most popular football competition in the world :)
marron
Guest
Im rbb, this reduces my credibility immediately. ;) the reality is you'd have a he said she said, regardless of the witnesses on both sides. It is next to impossible to identify right next to it anyway. it doesn't ignite immediately and can be popped with minimal movement or noise and then dropped. Meaning someone next to you could do it and you wouldn't know. And yet, CCTV and spotters are used, and used effectively. I have personally seen people removed over it. I've seen someone hauled out but then a radio message come through to the effect of - not that guy, the guy 1 row back with the sunnies, and the first guy let go. and everyone else just gets on with it. Much rather that than provide opportunities for people to pin things on potentially innocent people who can be summarily banned from all football activities as a result. It works at parramatta... more flares came from the away bays this season. And they were removed.
c
Guest
Franko wrong the people came to see the reds
c
Guest
f@ck how many comments was that about flares after one of the best soccer experiences in adelaide grow up children
Horto Magiko
Roar Rookie
Sorry that should've read, is he Argentinian, Italian or Latin...seeing that he has dual citizenship...
Horto Magiko
Roar Rookie
Ok fair point stevo and brian...but amor, Sanchez cirio, isaias, Castro etc all from Spain... The word Latino is a blanket term to weave Fornaroli into the conversation... It kinda does injustice to our Uruguayan friends to throw him in with the spaniards using the Latino card. We should acknowledge the South American influence in the league just as much as Spain's...after all a South American broke scoring records this season...not a spaniard. "La Liga" Here's one for ya. Messi has Italian heritage.. Is he a South American, Italian or Latin? I think he has dual citizenship too...hmm semantics... Lol
Simoc
Guest
Yes. Having seen it at AFL, (not for a flare though) , the police turned up and asked who was it and pretty much everyone pointed out the offender. They wanted him out as did I.
Kaks
Roar Guru
Yep Marron I heard from friends at the game that most seats were broken by people standing on them to cheer/see the game. Just pay to replace the seats and move on.
Ben
Guest
If enough credible witnesses come forward cctv isn't a mandatory requirement. If the offender can't be identified then hit the team with the point deduction - that is a compelling reason for supporters to testify to what they witness. If no supporters see anything then the offender/offending group are ghosts and cctv nor paid spotters will help in the slightest.
Kaks
Roar Guru
In fairness, I have walked out of a state of origin game seeing dozens of chairs left broken too. We deserve to pay for the seats that were broken, but it's not the end of the world.
marron
Guest
What I've said all along.
anon
Guest
Those seats were broken on purpose. Obviously they stomped on them until they cracked. I have never heard of such a thing happening at a football or cricket match. Soccer has one game at Adelaide Oval and look at the damage. You can't accidentally break a seat in half you have to be stomping on it.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
WSW will also have to cover the cost of broken seats to the FFA. We don't need this negative press on our flagship day. Something has to be done to keep these people out of our stadiums.
marron
Guest
Police too kaks. They had an easy day from the sound of it. Anyone who's spent a little time in a big active support group would see how seats get damaged. Have a look down the front row of parra and you'll see the same things. I'm even less surprised about it happening in adelaide given that the view was atrocious so the majority were standing and then jumping on them for a couple of hours. Edit: oh look. The stadium authorities say the same thing... wow.
marron
Guest
Police too kaks. They had an easy day from the sound of it. Anyone who's spent a little time in a big active support group would see how seats get damaged. Have a look down the front row of parra and you'll see the same things. I'm even less surprised about it happening in adelaide given that the view was atrocious so the majority were standing and then jumping on them for a couple of hours.
Waz
Guest
And stadium authorities today said the damage to the 30 seats was only minor and not deliberate: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/adelaide-oval-seats-damaged-during-aleague-grand-final-between-adelaide-united-and-western-sydney-wanderers/news-story/712cf3588d1d75014b0e6310423fb3ef Armageddon postponed until next season then?
marron
Guest
How do you turn them over? You're suggesting notify stadium security. Why should they take your word over anyone else's? A flare takes a couple of seconds to ignite; anyone who tops one is going to do it, drop it, and then deny, most likely with others backing them up. They would in the end have to rely on cctv. In which case... there's no need to turn anyone over because they are identified already. I've seen this play out... The cameras are enough, when security/police are briefed.