Adelaide United coach Ivan Karlovic left searching for answers after Reds fail to capitalise on chances in fifth-straight loss
Adelaide United’s W-League season is hanging by a thread after its fifth-straight loss. And coach Ivan Karlovic is searching for answers, as his side’s lack of clinical edge again proved costly.
Football
Don't miss out on the headlines from Football. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Hindmarsh Stadium set for $3m World Cup upgrade
- How to get the most out of your Advertiser digital subscription
Promise, potential but ultimately not enough end product.
That is the scenario facing Adelaide United W-League coach Ivan Karlovic, as his side’s season hangs by a thread.
It was 90 minutes in keeping with the theme of a frustrating campaign, given the hosts had more possession (56 per cent), shots (18-13) and crosses (21-13) than their opponent.
Watch every 2019/20 Westfield W-League game LIVE & On-Demand on KAYO. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
But Karlovic was left scratching his head, as his team had nothing to show for it and remained bottom with just seven matches remaining.
“I’d love to be able to give you an answer,” said Karlovic, when asked what his side can do differently to turn its fortunes around.
“But ... if you don’t take the opportunities, you don’t win games of football.
“That was another case of that today.
“I think we’re playing good football.
“We’re creating those chances.
“It’s just a matter of finding that confidence in front of goal and sometimes when you start to miss more often than not, you start to lose that confidence.
“That’s the story of our season at the moment.”
The Reds started brightly, as teenage prodigy Mary Fowler threatened with her power and pace, and carved out a string of good openings.
Adelaide fell behind to Leena Khamis’ ninth minute stunner and was consigned to defeat when Hayley Taylor-Young volleyed in from an uncleared corner 12 minutes from time.
Emily Condon’s stoppage-time consolation did little to paper over the club’s worst start to a season since 2014.
Karlovic praised the impact of Young Matildas left back Charlotte Grant, one of two changes he made to his starting XI for the Canberra clash.
But he refused to swing the axe ahead of Sunday’s trip to face reigning champion Sydney FC, despite United languishing 10 points adrift of the top four.
“Sometimes you can make wholesale changes, but why are you making the changes?” said Karlovic, in his third campaign at the helm.
“When you’re playing good football, sometimes you’ve got to allow them to find their confidence too.
“At the moment, we can’t look at the bigger picture.
“Our sole focus has got to be Sydney.
“It’s not going to be easy.
“But we’ll go there and we’ll set ourselves up and give ourselves the best opportunity to get a result.
“We’ll have chances – I’m sure we’ll have plenty of them.
“But you need to put them in the back of the net.”