Melbourne City vs Adelaide United: A-League live scores, blog

Match result:

Melbourne City have flexed their premiership credentials against an Adelaide United team that was seeing stars.

Marcin Budzinski grabbed a first-half double to give the home team the comfort of a lead, while Adelaide wasted the only two clear-cut chances on goal they had for the entire match.

While Adelaide were the stronger in the second half, Melbourne were never troubled, as a listless Reds side struggled to get their attack going.

When Apostolos Stamatelopoulos wasted the second one on one, granted with a great Dean Bouzanis save, City weather the loss of Nathaniel Atkinson to an horrific leg break, to not only take the win, but pile on misery.

Dario Vidosic stood up for a second half double, while Ross McCormack struck a blow of such ferocity, AAMI Park will be on the look out for a new net.

Thursday looks sensational now, as City welcome Newcastle, in what promises to be the match of the next round.

Until then, City can soak up a landmark and important win.

Adelaide, meanwhile, will wonder why they left last week’s resolve against Sydney, back home.

Final score
Melbourne City 5
Adelaide United 0

Match preview:

Melbourne City will look to make use of lost points from the top two teams against Adelaide United, in the match of the round that sees fourth play fifth. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of the match at AAMI Park on Sunday evening from 7pm (AEDT).

This was the match that looked to be the best of the round leading into Round 17, as the race to stay at the top of the table with only ten rounds left starts to heat up. With fourth hosting fifth, there is a fair bit on the line.

However, the A-League is proving to be a somewhat mysterious creature on Saturday in particular, as the Jets lost at home to the bottom-placed Phoenix, and the top-placed Sydney dropping points at home to the Mariners.

So Melbourne, who are fourth on the basis of the Victory’s demolition of the Wanderers, needs this win to maintain their top-two charge.

And the Reds, who would draw a fair amount of confidence from a home-draw against Sydney last round, having fielded one of the younger teams in memory, will travel to Melbourne smelling what on table position would amount to an upset.

Prediction
Melbourne would be wise to draw as many fouls around and in the area as they can, so that their deadball specialist Ross McCormack can do what he does best – score from set pieces.

Melbourne should have the goods, but I can’t discount a Reds team that will welcome back players from international duty, hoping to score a prize away scalp.

And given the top teams, Victory aside, are dropping points, I can see Melbourne maintaining the trend.

Adelaide 2-1.

Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of the match between Melbourne City and Adelaide United at AAMI Park on Sunday evening from 7pm (AEDT).