Adelaide United have continued their mid-season revival with a workmanlike 1-0 win over Melbourne Victory in Saturday’s National Youth League clash at Burton Park.
Adelaide United have continued their mid-season revival with a workmanlike 1-0 win over Melbourne Victory in Saturday’s National Youth League clash at Burton Park.
Baby Reds striker Teeboy Kamara broke a prolonged and testing deadlock when he combined with Ian Kamau to score in the 69th minute, which ultimately proved the difference in the battle of the cellar dwellers.
Down but unbowed, Victory fought to the death and created more good scoring opportunities in the final 10 minutes than they did in the previous 80, but were unable to find the back of the net.
Momentum finally appears to building in the United camp, with the Baby Reds now undefeated in their past four matches.
It was also United’s second win over Melbourne in the space of around a month, while for Victory it’s back to the drawing board, the visitors unable to replicate their duck-breaking triumph from last week against Newcastle.
The home side’s control and possession rate were in another league throughout a scoreless first half, but Melbourne were not made to pay.
While Adelaide’s ball use was good – skipper Jordan Elsey and Jake Monaco calculated and clever in defence as usual – too often the hosts were slow and tentative in setting up their attacks, while many nice crosses went unrewarded.
The play was largely contained to Melbourne’s third, Victory’s many hurried blocks and clearances in defence invariably seeing the ball land back in United’s lap.
A rare Melbourne opportunity came at the seven-minute mark when midfielder Chris Cristaldo, just outside the six-yard box, had an open look but smashed it a good 15 metres too high. But otherwise it was all Adelaide.
11 minutes in, Scott Nagel turned Cristaldo inside-out and lobbed a cross to Kamara, but the African’s nod was also too high.
In the 20th minute, Evan Kostopoulos miscued when he had a crack at an open look, while a minute later at the other end Cristaldo had Reds keeper Paul Izzo beaten but missed a prime opportunity to the right, against the flow.
Kamara started to break free of opponent Daniel Petrov after the half-time break and in the 49th minute, he whizzed and spun past Petrov and fellow African Kwabene Boahene, only to force his shot straight at experienced Victory gloveman Tando Velaphi.
Damir Lokvancic forced Izzo into a high leaping save when he tried to sneak a towering ball past in the 53rd minute, the match suddenly springing to life.
It should have been 1-0 to the home side two minutes later when Kostopoulos, on the break and with just Velaphi in front of him, relinquished a golden chance when he surprisingly decided to pass to the trailing Kamara on his right, but Kamara lost his footing and was probably in a worse position to score anyway.
The Baby Reds were almost made to pay in the 68th when striker Luke O’Dea – who was shaded by Elsey all afternoon – found substitute speedster John Buceto on the burst, but Buceto’s sweeping effort was denied by Izzo.
A minute later at the other end, Kamara took on Boahene, drew the defence and passed to Ian Kamau, who flicked it back to the hard-running Kamara.
The gited teen, on an angle, one-touched the ball past the outstretched mits of Velaphi for the goal.
Plucky Melbourne responded with plenty of resolve but no goals.
Veteran full-back Matthew Kemp was in everything against his old side and energetic super-sub Melvin Becket created havoc with a few nice runs.
O’Dea’s 80th minute floating effort which just missed the target after he had left Adelaide’s defence for dead, epitomised Victory’s final 10 minutes in which they were attacking and aggressive and looked as dangerous as they had all afternoon.
Lokvancic’s fierce hit in the 89th minute looked headed for the top-right corner of the net but was saved in marvellous style by Izzo, diving athletically and spectacularly to his right.
It was Victory’s last hurrah as Adelaide held their nerve and notched the three points, avoiding a repeat of last week’s finale, when Brisbane forced a draw with an equaliser well after the 90-minute mark.
Adelaide United 1 (Kamara 69)
Melbourne Victory 0
at Burton Park, 14/1/2012
