Adelaide United battles to goalless draw with Melbourne City to move to fourth on A-League table

The goalkeepers have shone as Adelaide United battled to a goalless draw away to Melbourne City to move into fourth place on the A-League table and pole position to secure a home final.

Adelaide United’s Nikola Mileusnic fires in a shot during the Reds’ goalless draw with Melbourne City. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

What a difference a month makes.

Just 29 days ago, Adelaide United was in danger of slipping out of the A-League’s top-six after stretching its winless run to five matches.

On Saturday night, it battled to a goalless draw with Melbourne City to extend its unbeaten streak to three games and take an important step towards securing a home final.

The Reds might have left AAMI Park with all three points were it not for a goalkeeping masterclass by their former captain Eugene Galekovic.

But they also needed the heroics of their own custodian, Paul Izzo, to ensure they cashed in on Wellington’s loss to Brisbane and moved clear in fourth place with two games to go.

Adelaide bossed the opening 45 minutes only to be denied by two brilliant Galekovic interventions, either side of a deflected Nikola Mileusnic effort which hit the post.

City flexed its muscle in the second half, but found Izzo in unbeatable form as he produced world class stops to frustrate Harrison Delbridge and Jamie Maclaren.

Reds championship winner Galekovic had the final say when he expertly tipped Craig Goodwin’s free kick to safety three minutes from time

It meant Adelaide had all but guaranteed its finals berth after a rollercoaster campaign.

The result also moved it a point clear of the chasing Phoenix (fifth) and City (sixth) to edge closer to a Hindmarsh playoff ahead of coach Marco Kurz’s exit.

Adelaide grew into the contest as the first half progressed and would have hit the front were it not for Galekovic.

The United great denied Goodwin smartly with his feet in the first minute after the visitors’ winger was played in by Ben Halloran.

Ex-Adelaide United captain Eugene Galekovic frustrated his former club with a string of fine saves. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

The veteran was at it again just before half-time when he produced an outstanding block to keep out George Blackwood’s close-range finish and recovered to hold Halloran’s rebound.

Between those chances, substitute Mileusnic almost broke the deadlock with his first touch having come on for striker Jordy Thomassen.

The wide man, himself just back from injury, cut inside cleverly before firing in a low shot which deflected off Ritchie de Last and on to the inside of the upright.

Mileusnic’s pace and mobility added an extra dimension to the Reds’ attack as they finished the opening period on top.

But City had threatened earlier as Kearyn Baccus clipped the woodwork with a delightful curled effort and Izzo pushed a powerful Shayon Harrison strike over the bar.

Kurz had recalled Thomassen in place of the suspended Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, but the Dutch striker lasted just 36 minutes before rolling his ankle and limping off.

Australian under-23 forward Blackwood also returned, initially as No. 10 in a reshuffled 4-2-3-1 system, before moving up top when Thomassen went down.

Paul Izzo produced an outstanding display for Adelaide United to ensure his side earned a point against Melbourne City. Picture: AAP Image/David Crosling

Izzo did well to hold a downward header from Delbridge just after the break and Socceroos hitman Maclaren struck a volley wide having been beautifully found by Luke Brattan.

Adelaide was being forced back deeper inside its own half and it needed an Izzo wonder save to divert Delbridge’s blistering header on to the cross bar.

The Reds shot-stopper then showed superb reflexes to flick a powerful Maclaren drive on to the post and preserve his side’s clean sheet.

Galekovic kept out Goodwin’s set piece and the visitors threw bodies in the way at the other end when a Brattan cross caused havoc in their box.

But United stood strong to earn a precious point and move towards a fitting send off for Kurz.

Kurz insists finals remain an open game.

“Anything can happen. Last season it wasn’t the team that finished top who won the final,” Kurz said.

“You have to perform, you have to deliver (in finals).”

United’s Dutch striker Jordy Thomassen went down at the 31-minute mark with a rolled ankle and was replaced.

Kurz said post-match it wasn’t clear how serious the injury was. The change in personnel sparked the Reds’ attack, with substitute Nikola Mileusnic hitting the right post in his first minute on.

Soon after, former Reds skipper and keeper Galekovic again proved his worth with a double save - first stopping a blast by George Blackwood before securing a Ben Halloran shot to keep the the match scoreless at the break.

The tide turned again early in the second half with momentum back with City. Their first big chance of the half came in the 63rd minute through Harrison Delbridge, with Izzo tipping his header from a set piece onto the bar. The home side continued to dominate with Jamie Maclaren looking for a matchwinner when he beat Izzo for pace but his strike struck the left post. United also had a late chance with a Goodwin free-kick in the 87th minute but Galekovic again saved the day.