Western Sydney Wanderers upset Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium
An inspired Western Sydney Wanderers stunned fourth-placed Adelaide United with an impressive A-League victory at Coopers Stadium on Saturday night, with Reds coach Marco Kurz hitting out at his side’s laziness.
Resilience, character and courage.
It disappeared when Adelaide United needed it most.
Coach Markus Babbel repaid the faith delivering a win just two days after Western Sydney chairman and owner Peter Lederer said the German’s job was safe for another campaign despite having an ordinary season.
For out of contract Adelaide boss Marco Kurz his side delivered a performance to forget.
The Reds had a chance to put pressure on earning third place.
Instead Adelaide is luckily still sitting fourth after a horror 3-1 loss at Hindmarsh.
Wanderers Oriol Riera changed the narrative in a match Adelaide was expected to win when the clash was just 12 minutes old.
Ryan Kitto equalised after Craig Goodwin’s first half penalty miss before Wanderers got lucky.
Roly Bonevacia scoring a deflected second half goal seemingly planted seeds of doubt into the minds of the Reds.
Manyiel Majok making it 3-1 after the Reds had huge gaps in midfield and defence in the 71st minute despite outnumbering the attacker ended a frustrating night.
Adelaide’s traumatic night was kick started by poor positioning during a set piece.
That was all it took to sour a good opening from the Reds.
A foul on Keanu Baccus saw the ball placed in an area which United should have defended comfortably as the ball sat 35m out from Paul Izzo’s goal.
However Riera heading the ball home unmarked from 7m from Bonevacia’s free kick highlighted that concentration wasn’t at a premium for the hosts.
Adelaide after goal was immediately on the front foot in search of an equaliser.
It should have arrived in the 17th minute after the video assistant referee was forced to intervene when Reds Dutch striker Jordy Thomassen got in a tangle with Wanderers stopper Brendan Hammil.
SA-based referee Daniel Elder put the whistle to his mouth but held his breath allowing play to continue before the VAR called him to have a look at replays of the incident.
Elder then changed his mind and pointed to the spot.
Goodwin stepped up but was denied by a Vedran Janjetovic save — the first time the Reds winger failed to score in three attempts since he took on 12-yard duties.
Kitto levelled the score just before the break from 18m when he latched onto a rebound after Janjetovic fisted the ball in his direction from a Michael Jakobsen cross.
Adelaide however was made to suffer before Kitto’s goal as indecision and not being able to move the ball quick enough in the last third was telling.
Riera continually dodged cautions when he caught Kitto and Goodwin very late in challenges as United was forcing Wanderers to retreat deep in the 51st minute.
A cruel deflection saw a 25m Bonevacia shot cannon into the back of the net when the Dutchman rolled Isaias and George Blackwood with one touch before making his way towards goal as Reds failed to close him down.
That second Wanderers goal took the sting out of the Reds with the threat of being caught on the counter attack always on the cards especially through Bonevacia’s super form.
After the match, Adelaide United coach Marco Kurz says laziness and not being street wise cost them big time.
The German was disappointed with the 3-1 loss, claiming a lack of discipline and not paying attention to minor details as the most costly factors in the shock loss.
“When I saw how we conceded the goals it was too easy,’’ Kurz said.
“The first half the free kick, the second half they (Reds had) played three against one and the third as well and then it’s hard to come back.
“We came back and shot the equaliser but the feeling that we were good in the game but then the second goal was too easy.
“The three-against-one situation, you must be strong in the duels you must be strong in the challenge, little details but at the end details they bring the game in the right direction, we were a little bit too lazy.
“We need to be more clever.”
Kurz was disappointed that Riera had been allowed to score an opener which shaped the destiny of the game.
“We saw this in the team meeting (before the game) and Riera does always the same, a shirt (grab) and a push and if you don’t jump in his way you have no chance,’’ he said.
“That means you must be strong and you must know what comes and you must defend better.
“That was in my eyes too easy and that’s why I’m disappointed, the goals we conceded always after a set piece, and after a goal kick, that’s too easy.”
Kurz was also puzzled by referee Daniel Elder’s reluctance in blowing his whistle for a first half penalty kick when Jorday Thomassen was fouled by Brendan Hammil.
Elder was summoned by the video assistant referee to have another look on replays before he changed his mind.
“I saw the contact in the first moment,’’ Kurz said.
SCOREBOARD
Adelaide United 1 (Ryan Kitto 43m) Western Sydney 3 (Oriol Riera 12m, Roly Bonevacia 54m, Manyiel Majok 71m) at Coopers Stadium — Referee: Daniel Elder — Crowd: 8880.
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Originally published as Western Sydney Wanderers upset Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium
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