Melbourne Victory v Adelaide United: Pressure on Guillermo Amor as United lose again

ANOTHER dire performance will heap pressure on Adelaide coach Guillermo Amor as their winless run continued with a 2-1 defeat against Melbourne Victory.

Amor pressure mounts as Adelaide flop

IT was billed as “the original rivalry”, but Adelaide United are a shadow of their former thrilling selves.

Alternating between first and second gears, Melbourne Victory dispatched a woeful United 2-1 at Etihad Stadium with Besart Berisha and Oliver Bozanic scoring.

All the while Kevin Muscat had the luxury of withdrawing a “sore” Matthieu Delpierre at half-time and starting skipper Carl Valeri on the bench.

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The win lifted Victory to top spot, a point clear of Brisbane Roar with a game in hand, though Western Sydney can join Victory on 16 points with a win on Sunday.

An 87th minute penalty from benched marquee player Marcelo Carrusca was a consolation for Adelaide, who were never in the contest, where only 23,415 fans turned up.

Another dire performance will heap pressure on coach Guillermo Amor, whose side have just three points and are winless after eight games.

It sets up for a potentially do-or-die home clash with second last Perth Glory next Sunday.

Surely Adelaide’s hierarchy must consider returning Amor, who has never coached before, into the technical director’s role he was recruited for and the job he did well at one for one the world’s biggest clubs Barcelona.

Adelaide’s seven bookings, largely for ill-discipline, smacks of a frustrated bunch of players who don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel.

The bizarre thing is the squad is nigh on identical to last season, with defender Nigel Boogaard and winger Awer Mabil the only notable losses.

Yet if things don’t drastically improve, the team that finished third and was a game away from last season’s grand final under Josep Gombau will be contending for the wooden spoon.

Amor’s decision to start star attacker and barometer Carrusca on the bench for untried teen George Mells for a third week running is baffling, and United’s best chances came after his 61st minute entrance.

Oliver Bozanic celebrates as Adelaide look on in the background.

Muscat wasn’t complaining, as the relatively low-octane outing was welcome relief after playing six games in 28 days.

Victory got the job done in the first half and the full-backs’ attacking instincts were rewarded as Jason Geria won a 13th minute penalty after he was brought down by defender Jordan Elsey’s outstretched leg.

Berisha stepped up to send Eugene Galekovic the wrong way, rejoining Melbourne City counterpart Bruno Fornaroli atop the scorers’ charts.

Craig Goodwin, who started on the left wing, drew a top save with a cheeky front post attempt that Danny Vukovic had to scoop out.

Victory’s dominance was rewarded as lively Kosta Barbarouses drew a foul from former Victory midfielder Jimmy Jeggo on the edge of the area.

Oliver Bozanic stepped up and appeared to beat the wall rather easily to score at the near post, but replays suggested he did superbly to curl the ball over and out of Galekovic’s reach.

The goal was impeccably timed, just 45 seconds before Victory fans’ planned 30th minute walkout protest.

The second half descended into a dull, slow-paced affair, and Victory took the foot off the gas allowing Adelaide back into the contest.

Sloppy defending from Kosta Barbarouses saw Goodwin win a late penalty as Carrusca put it away.

It meant a flattering final scoreline for the visitors.

Originally published as Melbourne Victory v Adelaide United: Pressure on Guillermo Amor as United lose again