Saturday, February 21, 2009

Adelaide United in A-League grand final

Adelaide United showed a remarkable form reversal to beat Queensland Roar 1-0 tonight at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide and qualify for their second grand final.

Adelaide will meet Melbourne Victory at the Telstra Dome next Saturday in the grand final.

A 25-th minute bullet by Fabian Barbiero gave Adelaide victory.

A long clearance by goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic was headed sideways by Queensland captain and defender Craig Moore and straight into the path of Barbiero, who drove an unstoppable shot past Liam Reddy from the edge of the box on the right and into the roof of the net.

Queensland pinned Adelaide into their own half for the last 20 minutes but could not score.

Sasa Ognenovski, who has decided to make himslf available for the Macedonian national team after not receiving a call-up from the Socceroos during the past two years, was brilliant at the back for Adelaide and thwarted quite a few opponents as they sought an equaliser.

Substitute Charlie Miller was excellent for Roar, but he was introduced much too late in the match. When he did come on, he went close on a couple of occasions and also fashioned chances for his team-mates.

Adelaide have also again qualified for Asia as a result of them making the grand final.

"It was important that we won tonight," said Adelaide United coach, Aurelio Vidmar.

"How we played tonight was how we played for the majority of the season.

"There was a real will and intent about our game tonight."

Queensland had only lost once in twelve outings before tonight's match.

"We lost to a wonder goal," said Roar coach, Frank Farina. "We had our chances.

"What really won Adelaide the game tonight was scoring first. If we'd scored first, it would have been different.

"They'll go into the grand final with no pressure."

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Walter, I disagree with the term 'form reversal' but will admit Adelaide had a result reversal. I saw nothing from them tonight that suggests they won't get flogged by Melbourne in the final. As a Roar fan I was disappointed tonight, especially with how flat the side seemed, they missed the zing they've had in their movement and passing of late. For some reason Adelaide brings the worst out of the Roar.

I'm sad to see Minnecon moving on, and I wish we'd kept Ognenovski this season but salary caps introduce these challenges and in the context of the entire league that is a good thing.

Melbourne to win the final at least three nil.

Anonymous said...

Tommy, point taken.

Do you think Charlie Miller should have come on earlier?

Anonymous said...

Adelaide will be out to prove to Melbourne that they are not a push over team. Melbourne may be the stronger team but Adelaide out to prove a point will be tough in the final to beat. Either team could win this one but not by a vast goal difference.

1 nil either way (preferably Adelaide)

Anonymous said...

Hey Walter,

Yes I do. He makes things happen, we were chasing the game and we'd persisted with the same approach for too long, in a knockout situation you have to go for it.

An interesting note Miron Bleiberg, formerly of the Roar and set to coach Gold Coast said that if Adelaide played Salley they would win as he's always had the better of McKay and Murdocca.