A-League, round 27, news and scores: Goodwin stunner keeps Adelaide Utd’s finals hopes alive

Archie Goodwin’s last-minute goal gave departing Adelaide United coach Carl Veart a small chance of having a respectful home game send-off during the finals series.

Stefan Mauk celebrates after scoring Adelaide United’s second goal. Picture: Getty Images

Archie Goodwin’s last-minute goal gave departing Adelaide United coach Carl Veart a small chance of having a respectful home game send-off during the finals series.

That’s if the Reds make the A-League’s elite top six with two league games to play after ending an eight-game winless streak.

Goodwin’s strike from a Dylan Pierias assist saw Adelaide beat Wellington Phoenix 3-2 at Coopers Stadium on Good Friday.

“I knew the chance would come and I’m so happy I got there,’’ Goodwin told Paramount +.

“It’s been eight games without a win, and two more games to go, and two more wins to go, we’re relieved with this result.”

Archie Goodwin celebrates after scoring his side’s first goal. Picture: Getty Images

Goodwin’s 13th goal of the season saw Adelaide dislodge Sydney from sixth place after the Reds appeared to be on their way to dropping more vital points at home after taking the lead.

Phoenix was in all sorts of bother after just 12 minutes when Adelaide’s Panagiotis Kikinianis and Stefan Mauk scored relatively easily from headers.

Phoenix’s defending was woeful from a Zach Clough corner, which saw Kikianis nod the ball home unmarked in the eighth minute.

Four minutes later, Phoenix’s defending was comical as Yaya Dukuly danced inside the box before Ethan Alagich provided an unchallenged assist for Mauk’s headed goal.

Mauk had a chance to make it 3-0 in the 20th minute when his 10m effort crashed off the upright.

Isaac Hughes equalised for the Phoenix. Picture: Getty Images

The miss almost proved costly, as it was Adelaide’s turn to show why they have the second-worst defensive record in the A-League this season.

Adelaide skipper Ryan Kitto had his pocket picked by midfielder Hideki Ishige before the Japanese created a perfect assist for Kosta Barbarouses, who made no mistake in the 31st minute.

Isaac Hughes made it 2-2 just four minutes later when a harmless-looking long throw was poorly cleared before Adelaide’s shambolic defending was again on display.

EASTER CHOCOLATES

Mauk and Phoenix’s Tim Payne were lucky to stay on the park after a heated melee saw several players lose their cool just before the half-time break.

Despite boots and arms flying, referee Tim Danaskos, who brandished cautions to the pair, wasn’t summoned by VAR to take another look at the ill-disciplined incident.

Players push and shove during a heated incident. Picture: Getty Images

VEART’S FINAL FAREWELL?

Adelaide United need the gods to be on their side to have any hope of seeing Veart again on the bench at Hindmarsh during finals time.

Veart was again made to watch - perhaps in agony – his side collapse after holding what appeared to be a commanding 2-0 lead until the 31st minute.

The affable boss has done a remarkable job on a shoestring budget since taking the helm in July 2020 at the height of COVID-19.

Since Veart has been installed in the hot seat, Adelaide has reportedly earned about $8.3 million in transfer sales according to transfermerkt.com

Former Adelaide gloveman Joe Gauci was the club’s record transfer sale when he signed for England’s Aston Villa for $2.67 million.

Carl Veart will finish his tenure as coach of Adelaide United at the end of the season. Picture: Getty Images

ISA STAYING OR GOING?

Isaias featured off the bench in the 79th minute to break Adelaide’s games’ record, his 286th appearance, beating club legend Eugene Galekovic’s previous record.

The long-serving Spaniard’s contract is up at the end of the season.

LONG LIVE THE CHIEFY

The Phoenix offered very little resistance in the opening minutes of the clash.

Given the visitor’s season was over before landing in Adelaide, Phoenix coach Giancarlo Italiano AKA Chiefy deserved better from this side after copping two goals in the space of 12 minutes.

Wellington managed to fight back to tie the clash at 2-2, only to lose at the death.

Italiano led Phoenix to a semi-final berth last season as a rookie boss.

Italiano’s two-year contract is up at the end of the season.

Giancarlo Italiano‘s contracted as Phoenix head coach is up at the end of the season. Picture: Getty Images

ROAR ENDS 13-MONTH DROUGHT

by Thomas Smith

Brisbane Roar’s first A-League home win in 13 months has put Western United’s Premiership prospects out of their control.

Defeat at Suncorp Stadium, a second successive loss for John Aloisi’s men, saw them pass up the opportunity to both close the gap on league leaders Auckland FC to one point and leapfrog Melbourne City, who visit Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers respectively on Saturday evening.

Victory for the former would end Western’s hopes of taking top spot, whilst a City triumph would leave them five points short of the coveted AFC Champions League Elite qualification place available for the highest-placed Australian finisher.

Luke Vickery’s Western United competes with the Roar’s Samuel Klein. Picture:Getty Images

Sam Klein’s second-minute strike and Florin Berenguer’s stroked finish midway through the opening 45 ripped up the form card as Brisbane, previously winless on their own patch, pulled clear of an opponent boasting the best away record this term.

Despite Hiroshi Ibusuki halving the arrears in the final regulation minute of the first half, a scoreless second period lifted Brisbane off the bottom on an impactful night at either end of the ladder.

BRISBANE COME ROARING OUT THE BLOCKS

The hosts made a flying start thanks to their quickest goal of the season - breaking the deadlock after just one minute and 35 seconds.

Jacob Brazete’s snake hips had Tate Russell caught on his heels and some studs stuck in the turf before the attacker’s accurate pull-back was converted by 21-year-old Klein, whose third counter in five outings - planted from 12 yards - beat Matt Sutton for pace.

He was fetching the ball out of his net again in the 24th minute when Berenguer collected a deflected backpass ahead of composing himself for what proved to be the winner.

300 NOT OUT FOR JACK HINGERT ON WINNING OCCASION

Jack Hingert played his 300th A-League game, and his 273rd for Brisbane Roar. Picture: Getty Images

An A-League icon and Brisbane legend made a club record 273rd A-League appearance on the occasion of his 300th game in the competition, the 13th player to reach the milestone.

Before kick-off, Jack Hingert, accompanied by his young son Billy, lined up alongside his teammates before being called forward to receive a framed shirt commemorating the landmark, with his wife Symmie being invited onto the field for a photo opportunity.

Captain Jay O’Shea, after their winless home stretch ended at 12 matches, commented on Hingert’s achievement: “He deserves all the plaudits that he gets. We dug deep for him tonight.”

On the theme of records, at the second-half’s midpoint, teammate Ben Halloran replaced Berenguer to become a double centurion.

Tate Russell and Western United are facing a tough fight to finish in the finals. Picture: Getty Images

THINGS THREATEN TO GO SOUTH FOR WESTERN

There is little to be gleaned from their trip to Queensland, where Ibusuki’s smart movement and finish, taking his tally into double figures, was as good as it got.

And whilst wins for the teams in first and second would be a worst-case scenario weekend for Western United, the reverse - successes for Victory and Wanderers - would drag them down to fifth, complicating the path to championship glory.

Originally published as A-League, round 27, news and scores: Goodwin stunner keeps Adelaide Utd’s finals hopes alive