Sydney FC vs Adelaide United: A-League live scores, blog

Thanks for your time tonight! Sydney get the 3 points in a pretty boring game overall. It may take Leeds v West Brom tomorrow morning to rinse this dull match from my memory. Good night all, and enjoy the rest of your weekends.

MATCH REPORT. Sydney takes this 2-0 at Leichhardt in a fairly laborious and uninspiring game. Both sides played within themselves and the early goal – Reza’s first in the A-League – allowed Sydney to control the tempo and try to lock the gate for the remaining 85 minutes. The stats show a fairly even game; Sydney ended with 53% of the ball (less in the second half), and had 11 shots to Adelaide’s 14, but 5 on target to 2. But it ebbed and flowed this game, with Adelaide creating some good chances in between moments of brilliance from Sydney’s elite players Reza, leFondre and Ninkovic. Ultimately this game was probably lost to Adelaide before kickoff, where the absence of centreback Jakobsen, joining Elsey on the injury list, forced the Reds into a back 3 with Isaias sacrificed out of the midfield to play beside makeshift centrebacks Marrone and Galloway. This had the knock-on effect of forcing Craig Goodwin – Adelaide’s playmaking left winger – to play as a wing back and, at times, follow Socceroo Rhyan Grant around the Adelaide half. Indeed, Goodwin’s absence from his final third meant too much was expected from Blackwood, Boland and Thomassen to create chances. And while Blackwood was superb all night in one of his better showings in the A-League, neither of his European counterparts looked like threatening Sydney on the ball. Blackwood on the other hand terrorised Warland and Zullo all night and created with his own industry Adelaide’s best chance when he forced Wilkinson to clear off his own line from a deft chip that beat Redmayne. But this game, and Sydney’s first goal, belonged to Iranian import Reza Ghoochannejhad. Playing alongside leFondre, Reza was given licence by Steve Corica to roam. And the move that created his goal was kicked off by Reza himself who collected deep, drove forward, put it wide to Grant to whip in a cross for leFondre who nursed a reverse ball into Reza’s long run path for him to blast past Izzo from close range. It was a highlight reel moment for Sydney and for the Iranian who has looked sharp so far in the A-League but hadn’t found the goals yet. Reza’s creative long ball for Ninkovic almost created the second, but the Serb’s chip was just intercepted by a flying Izzo. After that Sydney made a handful of half chances, but didn’t really play like a team fussed either way. Steve Corica was clearly leaving something in the tank for the visit of Ulsan in midweek, and (correctly) backed his defence and keeper Redmayne to keep the one effective Adelaide forward (Blackwood) in check. The 3 points were confirmed late on with Cameron Devlin scoring his first goal in this league, after a quick break into the wide open spaces of Adelaide’s half. With men forward looking for an equaliser, the Reds allowed O’Neill to run and carry, and lay a neat ball into Devlin’s path who blasted it home from 15 yards. It was a good, confidence boosting finish for the young man, who indirectly caused a minor scene in the celebration as several metres of Leichhardt oval wall crumpled under the weight of the Sydney fans celebrating with their players. I suspect that may be an incident discussed at length during the week. MAN OF THE MATCH was Reza. He scored with a finish to a move he forged, nearly set-up Ninkovic and was a general terror all night. A Sydney FC in top gear for 90 minutes and leFondre, Reza and Ninkovic in top form could cause some real upsets in the finals series and would be a dark horse for the championship.

A fairly comfortable and deserved win for Sydney. Adelaide made chances, but Sydney made the better ones. The real question about this Sydney team is whether they can actually play for 90 minutes... Corica seems to like them to turn it on-and-off depending on the status of the game. Against a better side they might need to be in top gear for a full match and not risk letting-in their opponents.

It was BERNARD TOMIC! I spent a lot of time at the end there trying to think of who Luke Ivanovic looks like.....

FULL TIME! Sydney take this one 2-0

94' - GOAL TO DEVLIN!!!! AND the LEICHHARDT FENCE FALLS OVER IN THE CELEBRATION! It was a carbon copy of the last chance and REDEMPTION for O'Neill, who carried it 30 yards before going RIGHT to Devlin this time and he buries it for his first A-League goal!! [2-0]

93' - Poor poor read from O'Neill. Sydney broke at pace with a 3 on 3 from an Adelaide CORNER, and O'Neill dwelt on the ball and went left for Ivanovic, hitting it behind him, but should have gone to Devlin. [1-0]

91' -Sydney make their final change. Calver is ON for leFondre, who jogs OFF with an assist tonight.

There will be 5 EXTRA MINUTES

90' - Ivanovic takes them on and blasts a SHOT into the side netting. Great pressing from Devlin created that, who knocked it into Ivanovic's path who looked for a teammate but decided to take it himself on a tight angle. Good try from the young man [1-0]

We're nearly at the 90 and Steve Corica will be hoping this one just continues to peter out

Adelaide has brought D'Arrigo ON and Strain is OFF. Welcome to 17 year old Louis D'Arrigo on his A-League debut

87' - Redmayne again SAVES, and again it's no contest for the Sydney keeper. Blackwood collects on the left this time, executes a couple of step overs then takes it on the left looking for the back post but Redmayne gets low to collect on the near post. [1-0]

85' - Redmayne SAVES. It's an easy one for the experienced Sydney keeper. It's a decent cross from Strain who finds Ilso who wins the aerial contest, but can't get enough pace on his shot and Redmayne is up to the challenge low to his left. [1-0]