Injury-hit Adelaide United goes down 2-1 to Melbourne City in A-League clash at AAMI Park
Injury-ravaged Adelaide United has fallen to Melbourne City to open the A-League season with back-to-back defeats, three days out from meeting the same opponent in the FFA Cup final.
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PATCHED-UP Adelaide United needs a rapid response against a familiar foe, as it bids to extend its FFA Cup dominance despite failing to kickstart its A-League campaign.
The slow-starting Reds went down 2-1 to Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Sunday to open their first domestic season under Dutch coach Gertjan Verbeek with back-to-back defeats.
Jamie Maclaren’s first-half brace sunk United, which was missing six key performers due to a combination of injury, illness and suspension.
Riley McGree pulled one back midway through the second period with an expert finish, after Michael Jakobsen and Michael Marrone had kept Louis D’Arrigo’s corner alive.
But an equaliser eluded the two-time cup winner, three days before it meets the same opponent in the knockout decider at Hindmarsh Stadium.
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Verbeek said his side needed to learn fast from the frustrating reverse.
“If you looked at the chances we had, we had a possibility,” Verbeek said.
“But overall, I think Melbourne City was a little bit better than us.
“We have to improve ourselves and look to ourselves to get a better result.
“We made too many mistakes and that’s giving a good opponent good opportunities.
“We had a lot of problems last week with injured players ... so we had to improvise.
“I can only give the team a compliment that they still believed in a good result.”
The Reds’ depth was severely tested against a City side it also faced three times in pre-season.
Centre back Jordan Elsey was ruled out with a knee injury and right back Ryan Strain was suspended.
George Blackwood (hip) was not fit enough to travel and Ben Halloran pulled out on match day due to illness, leaving Adelaide with just four players on the bench.
It meant a debut for 20-year-old Croydon Kings product Yared Abetew on the right side of defence, while Marrone slotted in at stopper in a rejigged 4-2-3-1 formation.
Danish striker Kritian Opseth and Curacao wide man Michael Maria made their maiden league starts, and veteran Vince Lia came in as one of five changes from the round-one loss.
United’s new-look line-up, which was also missing Mirko Boland (hamstring) and star signing James Troisi (lack of fitness), looked shaky early as City started brightly.
Ramy Najjarine tested Paul Izzo with a near post strike the Reds No. 1 parried on to the post, before gratefully gathering at the second attempt.
Maclaren made the breakthrough with a typically composed effort in the 24th minute, but the home side needed a double slice of luck to create the opening.
The ball fell for Connor Metcalfe in a 50-50 with Lia outside the box and when the teenager’s shot was half-blocked by Abetew, it dropped kindly for the Socceroo to steer home.
Maclaren doubled City’s advantage four minutes later.
United switched off as a short corner was worked for ex-Adelaide defender Scott Jamieson to whip in a menacing delivery.
Another former Red, Rostyn Griffiths, and Richard Windbichler challenged hardest for the ball and it again popped up for in-form hitman Maclaren to lash in on the volley.
Adelaide was shell-shocked, but recovered to threaten three times before break.
Maria cut inside beautifully and rifled in a powerful drive which Dean Bouzanis had to be sharp to beat away.
The lively Nikola Mileusnic started and almost finished a slick counter attack soon after, then a threatening Ryan Kitto cross was guided just wide of the far post by Opseth.
Young Socceroo Lachlan Brook was introduced at the break in place of Abetew, who picked up an ankle knock.
Maclaren nearly sealed his hat-trick and put the contest to bed twice in quick succession.
But United dragged itself back into the battle thanks to returning off-season recruit McGree.
The impressive D’Arrigo’s corner was headed back into the danger area by Jakobsen and laid off by Marrone for the SA-born young gun to steer in an clinical right-footed finish.
It gave Adelaide a much-needed lift.
McGree went close to his second when he shot narrowly wide from Mileusnic’s cross and substitute Nathan Konstandopoulos’ long-range fizzer was kept out by Bouzanis.
Al Hassan Toure, introduced 18 minutes from time, produced a mazy dribble at the death and just failed to pick out Opseth with the goal gaping.
But the battling Reds came up short, leaving them with some soul searching to do 72 hours out from the cup final.