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The Champions were back on track with the help of a familiar foe, Melbourne City’s Uruguayan powerhouse was back in the goals and a glut of goals in Adelaide saw the A-League ladder shift about in Round 24 of the Hyundai A-League.
The Prickly Pear is back in action!
Melbourne City frontman Bruno Fornaroli was back to his best against the Western Sydney Wanderers with a goal and assist in their 3-0 win at AAMI Park. The Uruguayan has tasted victory for the first time since he has returned and was pivotal in earning City their first win in a month.
Fornaroli was on the end of a blistering counter attack as he opened the scoring, getting on the end of Daniel Arzani’s cross, while he split the Wanderers defence pulling Michael Thwaite out of position before back heeling Stefan Mauk in on goal to seal the three points.
City leapfrogged rivals Melbourne Victory into third spot with a very important win at home while Fornaroli notched up his third contribution in five games. City haven’t been desperately lacking goals this season but the return to form of the club captain and natural leader in Fornaroli is going to give the team a lift finishing the season.
Up and coming starlet Daniel Arzani is reaping the rewards of working with a top striker like Fornaroli and they’ll need to be in top form if they are to fend off Melbourne Victory to sew up third place in the A-League.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Western Sydney wandering off
Last round The Western Sydney Wanderers ran out 4-1 winners against Wellington Phoenix as they looked dominant although against rather poor opposition. Captain Mark Bridge said that although they were best in most components of the match the scoreline was flattering for the Wanderers.
It looks like Bridge’s comments found some truth as the Wanderers had one of their worst performances of the season in Melbourne. 44 per cent possession, no shots on target and only three completed crosses condemned Josep Gombau to his teams eight loss of the season.
What is pulling the Wanderers back? Is their defensive stock depleted after Jonathan Apsropotamitis injury and captain Robbie Cornthwaite’s departure? Is Marcelo Carrusca, who was injured against City, more important to the Wanderers than we think?
All of a sudden the Wanderers finals race just got a whole lot harder.
Central Coast’s favourite son returns to heap misery on the Mariners
Sydney FC have endured their worst run of form in over two years over the past few weeks. Graham Arnold’s side lost two A-League matches on the trot as well as having a stellar home record snapped by Brisbane last week.
Their trip to the Central Coast was important as both sides were wounded warriors headed into the fixture. The Mariners had just mutually terminated the contract of head coach Paul Okon and his assist Ivan Jolic, keeping the Mariners trapped in an air of uncertainty and poor football.
Milos Ninkovic scored his second goal in a week to give them the lead with a rare header but Jake Mcging equalised with eight minutes to go.
The Mariners teetered on the edge of three points as they made in roads in the closing stages however their point was snatched from their helpless grasp as Paolo Retre sent in a looping cross to the back post for none other than Matt Simon to lunge in and head past Ben Kennedy.
Queue rapture for the travelling Cove as Simon galloped to the away end to celebrate the three points back down the M3.
Jets battered in Adelaide
Ernie Merrick in the space of two weeks has seen his two best Australian players fly out the country. Andrew Nabbout joined Japanese giants Urawa Red Diamonds while him and Dimitri Petratos were called up to international duty.
However, despite their lack of attacking penetration and creativity against Adelaide, the real missing link was Nigel Boogard.
With a passing accuracy of 74 per cent as well as 119 clearances, 16 blocks and 28 interceptions, Boogard has been a cornerstone of one of the meanest defences this season as Newcastle have kept seven clean sheets.
It’s not looking like the best of times in Newcastle at the moment.
(Photo by Nigel Owen/Action Plus via Getty Images)
Adelaide’s Danish delight
Johan Absalonsen statistically has been one of the signings of the season this year for Adelaide United. The Dane has five goals and four assists in eight matches this season currently averaging a contribution a game.
Stationed on United’s left wing, Absalonsen has a unique ability to find space out wide but also penetrate with accurate passes in behind as we saw in their 5-2 win this week against Newcastle.
After Adelaide won possession in midfield Absalonsen blitzed by the Jets defence and cut back for Daniel Adlung to finish for the opening goal.
Before it got embarrassing for Newcastle, Absalonsen scored one of the goals of the season, adjusting his body to volley Michael Marrone’s ball across goal and past Jack Duncan.
Let’s hope he is keen to stay another year in the City of Churches.
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