A-League 2015-16: Adelaide United 2-1 Sydney FC at Hindmarsh, Round 10

MARCELO Carrusca struck a last-minute penalty as Adelaide United recorded its second consecutive victory with a 2-1 win over a 10-man Sydney FC.

SOCCER - A-LEAGUE - Adelaide United v Sydney FC at Coopers Stadium. Marcelo Carrusca gets the second goal and the win. Photo Sarah Reed.

IT was the flashpoint which had the potential to reignite Adelaide United’s sorry season.

And it did.

Marcelo Carrusca brought Adelaide’s season back to life when he scored from the penalty spot deep in stoppage time to seal a dramatic 2-1 win over Sydney FC.

The clash ended in controversial circumstances after Sydney fought with 10-men for 62 minutes before Dylan McGowan was fouled inside the box in the third minute of stoppage time after a corner.

Carrusca stepped up and blasted the ball into the top corner to give the Reds back-to-back wins for the first time this season after Adelaide was fighting for A-League respect against one if its original A-League foes Sydney FC.

Until the 28th minute Sydney forced the Reds to go through the motions and it really did look like a side which was hovering in eighth place and even content to do so.

Toothless in front of goal, possession was in arrears and Sydney was clearly on top at Coopers Stadium.

That soon changed in a blink of an eye when one of Australia’s finest teenage talents Alex Gersbach had a rush of blood to his very young head.

With a loose ball heading Jimmy Jeggo’s way Gersbach lunged and jumped into a tackle which in hindsight could have a done a lot more damage if the Reds midfielder didn’t see the studs coming.

Jeggo jumped and so too did referee Strebre Delovski who showed Gersbach a straight red card.

Jeggo then became a hero for Adelaide when he nailed the first goal of the match in the 62nd minute after United had the Sky Blues pinned in their own half.

Jeggo was initially unlucky when his 25m effort crashed against the crossbar.

But he got lucky when the ball bounced on Pablo Sanchez’s head before Dylan McGowan nodded the rebound to the reigning A-League young player of the year.

Jeggo struck the ball this time from 22m and with the slightest of deflections the ball crashed into the back of the net.

But Adelaide for whatever reason decided to defend and paid dearly.

Filip Holosko equalised when he snuck in behind the Reds defenders and with still much to do the Slovakian chipped Eugene Galekovic after he was hovering on the edge of an offside call.

Gersbach’s earlier send off was justified as the challenge was reckless.

Sydney coach Graham Arnold responded immediately to the expulsion, introducing Jacques Faty off the bench for Chris Naumoff as the Sky Blues shifted to a 4-4-1 formation.

Gersbach’s red card did manage to galvanise the Reds where sheer adrenaline seemed to be spurring the home side on.

But it turned out to be a flash in the pan as Sydney goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic wasn’t forced into a save while Adelaide had plenty of the ball for long periods in the first half.

Sanchez came closest to opening the score when his set piece cannoned off the crossbar in the 32nd minute when Janjetovic seemingly misjudged the ball.

The clash then became heated as Sydney tried to slow the tempo of the game down and one foul on Sanchez even prompted the usually ice cool Reds coach Guillermo Amor to get off his bench and tap the fourth official Daniel Elder on the back.

But just as the first half was coming to a close controversy reigned after Sanchez headed the ball in the back of the net from a Jeggo cross only to be ruled offside.

TV replays show that referee’s assistant Paul Cetrangolo got the call wrong.

It was arguably a difficult decision to make as Sanchez was coming back from an offside position before Jeggo’s cross landed on his head in the third minute of stoppage time.

Delovski ended the first half to a chorus of boos as Adelaide probably felt they should have taken a break with the lead over a resolute 10-man Sydney outfit.

Sanchez forced Janjetovic into a brilliant point-blank save in the 55th minute from another Jeggo cross as Adelaide turned the screws looking for an opening goal.

Originally published as A-League 2015-16: Adelaide United 2-1 Sydney FC at Hindmarsh, Round 10