Reds remain undefeated but are still searching for their first win of the A-League season

Carl Veart’s Adelaide United have started their A-League season with three successive draws.

Adelaide United coach Carl Veart was left to lament the lack of a cutting edge in his side’s attack as the Reds were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw against Brisbane Roar at Moreton Daily Stadium on Saturday.

It was the Reds third successive draw of their 2021-22 A-League campaign, while for the Roar, the result was at least an improvement from their back-to-back away losses to Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory.

Adelaide had a great chance to win the game in the 84th minute when substitute Mohamed Toure got to the by-line before cutting the ball back into the path of the unmarked Kusini Yengi.

However, Yengi’s goal-bound strike was blocked by Brisbane substitute Josh Brindell-South.

It was typical of a contest in which both sides lacked a knockout blow in attack in their fruitless search for goals.

“We’re disappointed,” Veart said.

“We had a lot of control of the game, a lot of possession, and just weren’t clinical enough in that final third.

“We ran the game out quite well, and the last 15-20 minutes were the side that looked the most damaging, the ones that were going to get a goal, and unfortunately we just didn’t get it.”

Referee Chris Beath sends off Adelaide’s Javi Lopez at Moreton Daily Stadium. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Adelaide’s frustrations boiled over in stoppage time when their Spanish import Javi Lopez was sent off by referee Chris Beath.

Booked for a foul on Roar substitute Juan Lescano, Lopez lost his cool and was shown a second yellow card – and subsequent red card – for dissent.

Before the game the Reds were also frustrated at being forced to have Covid-19 tests in their dressing-room after Greater Adelaide had been declared a hotspot earlier in the day.

“We all had to have a test in the change-room, so that was a little bit disruptive for the preparations,” Veart said.

“We now need to go to the hospital and have another test.

“We at the moment just follow what the APL (Australian Professional Leagues) want us to do.”

Veart said the positives were that Adelaide were still unbeaten in the A-League this season despite not yet winning a game.

“We’ve had three tough games to open the season ­– away to Perth, home to the champions (Melbourne City), and away to Brisbane,” he said.

“In all three games we’ve had control of those games. We just have to be better when we’re in control of games.

“We took the game to Brisbane. You would have thought that we were the home side the way that they approached the game.

“They sat back a lot and defended quite deep. We dominated possession by a fair bit. That’s pleasing as an away team.”

Veart said Spanish veteran Isaias was replaced after the opening 45 minutes as a precaution due to a hip flexor injury he carried into the match.”