Adelaide United extends worst start to a W-League season since 2011/12 with a 0-2 away loss to reigning champion Sydney FC
A fighting display and a string of chances have again delivered nothing for Adelaide United, as its horror W-League season continued at the hands of reigning champion Sydney FC.
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Adelaide United’s horror W-League season has lurched to another low, after a cruel slice of misfortune and a flash of brilliance denied the Reds their first points of the summer.
The SA club’s worst start to a campaign since 2011/12 continued as it fell to a 0-2 loss to reigning champion Sydney FC at Jubilee Oval on Sunday.
A gutsy display, during which the visitors carved out a string of openings, came undone 13 minutes from time when Remy Siemsen’s cross deflected in off defender Amber Brooks.
United’s fate and its sixth-straight defeat was sealed in stoppage time thanks to substitute Princess Ibini’s stunning long-range thunderbolt.
It ensured the Reds remained planted to the foot of the table and all but out of finals contention at the halfway point of the regular season.
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But in keeping with the trend of its frustrating campaign, Adelaide started brightly.
It had plenty of the ball and forced Sydney into a series of turnovers with a relentless high press.
United was without teenage Matildas striker Mary Fowler due to an ankle injury, meaning Chelsie Dawber shifted into the No. 9 role.
It appeared to matter little as Mallory Weber wreaked havoc on the left flank and continued her impressive debut season Down Under.
First the US import fed Brazilian playmaker Lais Araujo, whose powerful drive was well kept out by Aubrey Bledsoe’s legs.
Weber then whipped a superb ball in behind the Sky Blues’ back four, which just evaded lively youngster Charlotte Grant at the back post.
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United had a strong penalty call waved away midway through the opening period, when Weber made a surging burst into the box only to be up-ended by Alanna Kennedy.
The recalled Dylan Holmes, another to shine, was inches away from giving the Reds the lead with a low strike from the edge of the box.
In reply, the best the Sky Blues could muster was a pair of efforts from former Adelaide midfielder Sofia Huerta, the second of which was saved smartly by Sarah Willacy.
But Sydney grew into the contest after the break.
Ex-Reds striker Veronica Latsko, making her first start since overcoming a serious knee injury, dragged a finish just wide following more good work by Huerta.
Matilda Chloe Logarzo then spurned a glorious chance when she failed to make contact 5m out from another Huerta pass, before Latsko’s header was denied by a brilliant Willacy stop.
But just when a positive result looked on the cards for United, its resistance ran out.
Ibini fed Siemsen with a clever ball into the area, which the young forward looked to square for a teammate and instead cannoned off the shoulder of the helpless Brooks on its way in.
Weber came close to an equaliser, as she got on the end of Kahlia Hogg’s long diagonal and once more found Bledsoe an impossible barrier to pass.
As United pushed, Ibini pounced on Georgia Campagnale’s weak clearing header to lash in an unstoppable 25m strike and settle the contest.
It ensured Adelaide’s wait to get off the mark would go on, and left coach Ivan Karlovic again scratching his head.