3 minute read
After 16 rounds of the A-League season, Adelaide United have snatched fifth place on the table, while Sydney FC are out to a 10-point lead at the top.
With a perfectly even win-loss ledger after 14 games in 16 rounds, Adelaide United coach Gertjan Verbeek says his side is exactly where it deserves to be on the A-League table.
Sunday's dramatic 4-3 win over Western United - their second victory on the bounce - left the Reds with seven wins, seven losses and zero draws from the opening half of the season.
"You stand where you stand in this round," Verbeek said.
"We have now played 14 games and I said the whole season we can win to everybody but we can also lose to everybody."
Adelaide scored three goals in 10 minutes at Western United - and conceded one - with the visitors up 3-1 after just 18 minutes of play.
Reds winger Nikola Mileusnic opened the scoring in the ninth minute, and Besart Berisha responded in the 12th before Mileusnic and Riley McGree put the Reds back in control with goals in the 15th and 18th minutes respectively.
Berisha clawed one back in the 43rd minute and Alessandro Diamanti equalised in the 54th before Adelaide substitute Nathan Konstandopoulos snatched all three points in the 79th.
Western United coach Mark Rudan was frustrated with what he saw as his team's lack of progression.
"Everybody else is talking about what that did for us, and for us it's about the process, it's about building, it's about continuing, making sure that we do the right things more often and improving every day," he said. "Today we weren't, we didn't improve today."
Earlier in the round Melbourne City ground out a 0-0 draw with Perth Glory on Saturday night to maintain second place on the table, while Brisbane Roar beat Central Coast 1-0 courtesy of Corey Brown's 86th-minute strike to maintain pressure on the top six.
Sydney FC are now 10 points clear at the top after comfortably accounting for Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park on Friday night.
Adam Le Fondre opened the scoring in the 27th minute, Kosta Barbarouses made his old team rue their inefficiency in front of goal by doubling Sydney's lead in the 53rd minute before Alexander Baumjohann rounded out the win with five minutes to play.
Sydney's win was soured by Baumjohann being sent off for retaliating to Leigh Broxham dragging him down. Broxham received his second yellow card for the original offence.
Wellington Phoenix kicked off the round with a 2-1 victory over Newcastle, consolidating their hold on fourth place.
Wellington's Jaushua Sotirio opened the scoring in the 53rd minute and Newcastle's Abdiel Arroyo responded in the 66th, before Ulises Davila handed the New Zealand side the lead in the 69th minute.
A superb late save from Stefan Marinovic denied Arroyo an equaliser and ensured Wellington took home all three points.
