Adelaide United have etched themselves a place in the A-League record book after three goals in six minutes saw the Reds destroy Wellington Phoenix 3-0 at Hindmarsh Stadium on Friday night.
United stretched their unbeaten run to a record 13 matches after blowing the match open on 70 minutes with three superbly taken goals from Sergio van Dijk, Marcos Flores and Travis Dodd.
Wellington had matched the Reds in an entertaining first half and even played better in patches than the league leader, and Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert felt his side were unlucky not to be in front at the break.
“I wouldn’t say it was even,” he said.
“I think coming in at half time we should have been comfortably in control. I think the chances you’re getting you need to put them in the back of the net and on the flipside I think Adelaide were clinical.”
Reds coach Rini Coolen was obviously delighted with his side’s performance in a much improved second half.
“It’s a great performance when you win 3-0,” he said.
“We weren’t so happy with the first half, we didn’t play the way we prefer to play. We didn’t give anything away in the second half. We created a lot of chances and they were a few terrific goals. We are totally happy with the way we played.”
Wellington almost opened the scoring just after the half hour mark, if not for the brilliant reflexes of Reds keeper Eugene Galekovic.
Troy Hearfield tore down the right for the visitors before squaring into the penalty area with a low cross.
Phoenix striker Chris Greenacre got in ahead of the United defence and got his toe to the ball flicking on to the far post, but Galekovic parried the shot to safety.
As the sides went in level at the break, the game was in the balance before the Reds began stamping their authority on the match, creating some golden chances shortly after the restart.
Flores, van Dijk, Dodd and captain Lucas Pantelis all looked dangerous as the attacking quartet combined to threaten the Phoenix goal.
Dodd went close to breaking the deadlock minutes after coming on, when the ball fell nicely for him after a goalmouth scramble involving Pantelis.
It was Pantelis who went close next when Flores released him with a delightful through ball and the diminutive midfielder was bearing down on goal, but his skewed his shot wide.
Not long after, United midfielder Paul Reid hit a rasping drive from the edge of the area with Wellington keeper Mark Paston tipping it onto the post and out.
On 70 minutes, the deadlock was finally broken when Pantelis found space on the left and whipped in a superb, pin-point cross to the back post.
Van Dijk raced in at full speed and headed home his fifth goal of the season.
Wellington looked to respond immediately but again Galekovic saved the Reds and it was his clearance that led to the second goal.
A minute later and Flores had doubled the Reds lead with another delightful finish for his highlights reel.
Dodd used his pace to burn off two defenders on the right and squared the ball to the top of the box for the Argentine.
Flores took the ball in his stride before lifting the ball over Paston in the Wellington goal with a sublime chip.
It was Dodd who put the icing on the cake for United in the 77th minute latching onto a long ball from defence.
The hopeful pass bounced over two Wellington defenders and the Reds speedster was in the clear, taking a touch before smashing past Paston from 10 metres out.
Dodd limped off in injury time leaving the Reds to see out the final couple of minutes with 10 men.
Adelaide United 3 (van Dijk ’71, Flores ’73, Dodd ’77)
Wellington Phoenix 0
11, 206 at Hindmarsh Stadium
