Craig Goodwin’s lovely volley has earned Adelaide United a 1-1 draw with Melbourne Victory, whose striker Nick D’Agostino scored a goal of the season contender.
D’Agostino’s thunderous strike put Victory in front in the 84th minute, before Javi Lopez was controversially denied an equaliser two minutes later and Craig Goodwin finally levelled with a brilliant volley in the 91st.
“I’m extremely proud of the players for the effort that they put in tonight. They never gave up,” Adelaide assistant coach Ross Aloisi said.
“We kept Melbourne Victory to one shot on target and that was the goal. Our goalkeeper didn’t make a save.
“We scored two goals, we could have had another two on set pieces but one hit the crossbar and Jacob Tratt should’ve scored in the first half.”
The game burst to life late when Lleyton Brooks perfectly controlled a long ball then squared it to D’Agostino, who took a couple of touches before firing a superb left-footed strike into the top corner.
Two minutes later, Lopez lashed home a brilliant strike but in the lead-up, Stefan Mauk had dived for a header then got caught between Kelava’s legs, forcing the Victory goalkeeper to jump over him.
Kelava protested that the offside Mauk had impeded him, and the goal was chalked off.
“Stefan Mauk’s headed the ball, he’s gone to ground. That’s part of the game,” Aloisi said.
“He’s not standing in front of the keeper, he’s not blocking him.
“It just happened that he was there and Javi Lopez scored a cracking goal.
“I’m told it didn’t go to VAR, I don’t know if it did or didn’t. But we’ve got to accept it and move on.”
Adelaide equalised nonetheless when Lopez broke down the right and lifted a cross towards Goodwin, who smashed a precise volley home.
In the aftermath, Reds veteran Isaias received a second yellow card.
Aloisi said his understanding was that referee Shaun Evans believed Isaias had yelled ‘f*** off’ in his face, but the veteran had told him he’d actually celebrated by shouting ‘vamos’.
The Reds will look into whether they can appeal the card.
Victory coach Tony Popovic lamented his side’s poor decision making and execution in the final third.
“In some areas there, we probably lacked a bit of experience in how to deal with certain moments but that will come,” he said.
“Overall, I thought we should have won the game.”
An understrength Victory confirmed Jason Davidson, Matthew Spiranovic and Chris Ikonomidis were injured, while “a number of players” were sidelined due to COVID-19 protocols.
Adelaide were also missing Michael Jakobsen, Mo Toure and Yaya Dukuly, along with head coach Carl Veart, over COVID issues.
Adelaide’s Josh Cavallo suffered concussion and blurry vision in one eye after an accidental elbow to the head from Brooks in the 94th minute.
Louis D’Arrigo was assessed for concussion and a knee injury after a late head clash with Jason Geria.
jbinnie
Guest
Brainstrust - A part of your statement amused me no end. I quote, "Folami had a superb game, Its disappointing when a player beats so many players but then defenders still outnumber attackers." unquote. Inadvertently I feel in this sentence you actually highlight the disappearance from our game of a former highlight, ,that of the attacking wingman using skill and pace to "dribble" behind a defence. The saying governing your observation is "it is easier to defend than attack" and it is this anomaly that has haunted our game since the 1960's and sadly shows little sign of abating. Cheers jb ps I too thought the boy Folami had a good game. jb.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
Clubs reported it and will hopefully get the card reversed. Also reported the homophobic chanting. Nothing will happen because the apl and fa pander to the east coast big boys
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Pretty good equaliser by Goodwin (although Kelava's keeping was more than questionable on the night). Mauk definitely impeded Kelava, and goal rightly overturned (although is was so obvious, ref should have called it immediately).
Harry Selassie
Roar Rookie
How does Shaun Evans confuse "Vamos" which means, "Let's go" with " F*** off?" :unhappy: Adelaide United have had an unlucky start to the season. They haven't played bad, but they can't seem to win.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
Came to life in the last say 20 mins... P Ants lack a striker of quality
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
That's upsetting. Guessing it was the away supporters. Was it a couple of idiots acting independently, or coordinated chanting?
jupiter53
Roar Pro
Sorry Andy, if you look carefully at the laws of the game, Mauk was rightly penalised for offside. He was clearly in an offside position. The question then becomes, was he committing an offence? From law 12 - “ [when] a player moving from, or standing in, an offside position is in the way of an opponent and interferes with the movement of the opponent towards the ball this is an offside offence if it impacts on the ability of the opponent to play or challenge for the ball” Given that the keeper’s attention was focussed on trying to avoid falling over Mauk, Mauk was committing an offence. Whether Mauk had intended to end up under the keeper’s feet or not doesn’t matter; intention is irrelevant to the offside law. Anyway, 2 great goals. And Adelaide would have won if Tratt could just have got his headers on target.
The Ball Bobbled
Roar Rookie
An offside player cannot physically obstruct a keeper
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
Let's see what the apl and fa do about the homophobic chants aimed at cavallo, it's happened in both recent matches I bet they do nothing
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
That's one of those situations where it's rough on whichever side it goes against. Could've gone either way.
Tekkers
Roar Rookie
It’s a disappointing call with the offside but the correct one. Just have to accept it as unlucky been that way for a long time now.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Offside is relevant to being in the line of sight, when you sliding in at the goal keepers feet as shot is being taken it doesn;t matter if your offside or not.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
DAgostino had a massive shocker , he stuffed up the tap in, another easy finish without getting a shot off, stuffed up 5 or 6 other opportunities like when he slowed down and the ball goes over the sideline , then he scores a great goal from long range his worst look at goal. I dont think one great goal however makes up up for all his stuff ups, he should have scored one goal minimum already if not two, and helped setup another. Brimmer while he didnt have as many stuff ups as Dagostino particularly that one when he had a choice of three players to put in on goal and he doesn't pass was inexplicable and neither did he make up for anything by scoring a goal. He was slow to back up attacking opportunities, Folami would beat players then be short of options. Folami had a superb game , its dissapointing when a player beats so many players but then defenders still out number attackers . He beat Lopez and Isaias so many times. At this point in time Juande who a bit mellow last season has outperformed Isaias . Isaias he is as crazy as every physically he cant do the job anymore. Tratt he didnt miss two sitters, the first one he propped then Kavalo missed it and couldn't get to it. The second one underside of the bar, another inch and it would have gone in, harsh to call that a miss. He does have a lot of height and is a set piece threat but his passing from the back is a problem. Timeathou looks a much better player with the ball and defender why is he on the bench maybe he eats too much. Bernado has been great , the major threat Adelaide have at the moment, he did set up Mauk by drawing two ,but Mauk shooting has been an issue , he is more of a shooter from close range or tap ins. I thought the way he rushed into the area and managed to get the goal disallowed was stupid he didnt look like getting to the ball kept going top speed, Blackwood you would not know he is actually playing in attack. Goodwin is getting on so he cant take on defenders as much. With Blackwood useless then maybe they need to think how they use Goodwin better. MV got good mileage out of Archie by not having him track back, staying on the last shoulder so he was a big threat on the break. Adelaide need to do that with Goodwin, when Adelaide switched to the two midfielders in the center with Caletti Mauk, Goodwin was able to come into the game. Have one midfielder track back and cover left fullback and leave Goodwin free. MV need to find more subs, Brooks looked another gem. The question is though why exactly did they have lattanzio featuring 2 season ago, when you have all this talent, Lattanzio looks pretty run of the mill yet to see him doing anything of note this whole lot of talent didnt come into the picture until late last season.
The Ball Bobbled
Roar Rookie
IF Mauk had been offside then accidental or not it would have been ruled as impeding the keeper
NoMates
Roar Rookie
Adelaide def the better of the two sides they should have been 3 nil up but like always are lacking in the final 3rd to putting chances away.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
Dissapointing result, all thr best chances fell to adelaide – tratt missed 2 glaring sitters and that mauk “goal” would’ve stood if it was not on the east coast No way is that interference and even with offside, what was he meant to do with his momentum? That was the third “worldie” scored against Adelaide this season – must be an a league record Adelaide also now holds the record for most 15 year olds debuted in the league. Bonada failed his trial (second time at 2 different clubs) And shinji kagawa (yes that same shinji kagawa) is being heavily linked with a transfer at the moment!