Melbourne City have blown a golden chance to go top of the Isuzu UTE A-League table, slumping to a 2-1 loss to Adelaide United while also counting the cost of injuries to Scott Jamieson and Marco Tilio.
REACTION: Mo’s ‘gamble’, Jenkinson’s ‘collapse in concentration’ – ‘You can’t be doing that’
Mohamed Toure was Adelaide’s hero, pouncing on Carl Jenkinson’s loose backpass in the 82nd minute to drill home the winner at AAMI Park, after City failed to make their earlier dominance count.
The 17-year-old Toure guided Adelaide into third place, just one point behind City.
Jamie Maclaren earlier snared City the lead in the 11th minute only for Javi Lopez to equalise nine minutes later, his intended cross finding the back of the City net.
In City’s third game in eight days, Tilio limped off after just 41 minutes while Jamieson left the field holding his hamstring in the 52nd minute.
City drew first blood when Jamieson’s searching pass prompted Adelaide goalkeeper Joe Gauci to come off his line and accidentally nudge the ball into the path of Maclaren, who pounced.
Maclaren’s eighth goal of the season sent him to outright top of the golden-boot race with eight, one ahead of Newcastle’s Beka Mikeltadze.
Adelaide responded when Lopez floated in a cross from the right and Tom Glover misjudged the flight of the ball which dropped into the City goal.
Maclaren had the ball in the back of the net again in the 31st minute but it was chalked off for offside, while Craig Goodwin was also denied by the linesman’s flag two minutes later.
Curtis Good then headed home in the 48th minute but it was ruled out for a push in the back.
Gauci made a brilliant one-handed stop in the 66th minute to deny Stefan Colakovski, before batting away Scott Galloway’s long-range effort four minutes later.
Then, against the run of play, Jenkinson’s poor back pass under pressure was intercepted by Toure who burst forward and coolly slotted the winner.
LIVE FEED
By Matthew Comito for KEEPUP
FULL-TIME: MELBOURNE CITY 1-2 ADELAIDE UNITED
What a result for the visiting side – the sixth time this season Adelaide have manage to impact a game’s final result with goals scored after the 84th minute (two wins, four draws).
City took the lead in the first half but goals to Lopez and Toure turned the tide as the home side squandered the chance to go top of the Isuzu UTE A-League table.
Watch all the highlights below.
GOAL! Toure pounces on Jenkinson mistake to give Reds shock lead (9.42pm AEDT)
Another game, ANOTHER late goal for Adelaide, as they come from behind to take a 2-1 lead in the 85th minute of play at AAMI Park.
And it all came from a horror mistake by City defender Carl Jenkinson, whose attempted back-pass was intercepted by substitute Mohamed Toure before being placed into the back of the net.
The Reds now have just minutes to hang on before recording a shock win on the road.
CHANCE: Colakovski goes closest for City as tension rises (9.22pm AEDT)
An open, free-flowing first half preceded a tight beginning to the second 45, with chances harder to come by down either end. With 25 minutes to play City almost regained the lead through substitute Stefan Colakovski, who touched the ball down from the heavens, cut onto his right foot and angled the ball at Gauci’s near post.
The Reds keeper got down quickly to his right to palm the ball away from the bottom-left corner.
Play resumes at AAMI Park (9.02pm AEDT)
The Reds have made an attacking switch at the break, bringing new recruit Zach Clough off the bench in place of the defensive-minded Juande in midfield.
HALF-TIME: City 1-1 Reds
That was some first half at AAMI Park.
City went ahead then Adelaide equalised, before offside goals to both sides in the same order were chalked off to see the teams head into the sheds locked at 1-1.
GOALS! Maclaren and Goodwin score, but on both occasions… the flag goes up! (8.30pm AEDT)
Jamie Maclaren score his second, Craig Goodwin scored his first – but neither strike down either end would count as the offside denied the respective stars of both teams.
Both sides could have two goals each at the 35-minute mark, but instead the score remains at 1-1.
The Reds are continuing to apply the attacking pressure, with Hiroshi Ibusuki denied from close range and Goodwin climbing over Scott Galloway to force a corner off the head of the City defender at the back post.
GOAL! All square at AAMI Park as Lopez catches Glover napping (8.17pm AEDT)
A goal out of nothing from Javi Lopez has seen the Reds come from behind to draw level at 1-1 with City after an over-hit cross from the Spaniard made its way across the box into the top-left corner.
Bernardo Oliveira created the opportunity for Lopez to cross and his curling delivery off his right foot had too much power and pace on it. But Glover misjudged the flight, eventually falling into his own net along with the ball as the Reds equalise out of nowhere.
GOAL! Maclaren retakes Golden Boot lead after Gauci gaffe (8.06pm AEDT)
Too easy for Maclaren to score his eighth of the season.
Joe Gauci came off his line to collect a Scott Jamieson free kick, but he squandered the opportunity to collect the ball; instead it bounced off his chest under pressure from Maclaren and into the path of the City striker to bury into an unguarded net.
There was a significant delay as VAR checked to see if Maclaren was offside, but eventually the goal was allowed to stand. The hosts are off to a great start at AAMI Park!
KICK-OFF: City, Reds kick-off at AAMI Park (7.55pm AEDT)
Melbourne City head coach Patrick Kisnorbo is back on the sideline after recovering from COVID-19 as City get us underway at AAMI Park.
Mathew Leckie drops to the bench for the hosts with Marco Tilio starting in his place in City’s frontline, as Stefan Mauk captains the Reds into what could be his last Isuzu UTE A-League fixture before his departure overseas.
PRE-MATCH
Melbourne City can go top of the Isuzu UTE A-League table with a win over Adelaide United at AAMI Park on Tuesday night – but the plucky Reds have shown on two occasions to date this season they’re more than capable of spoiling the City party.
TEAM NEWS
Adelaide have prevented City from running away with maximum points in a pair of 2-2 draws at Coopers Stadium decided by late goals to the home side. From a possible six points City have managed to take just two off Adelaide, to sit in second spot behind Western United leading into this fixture.
Reds captain Stefan Mauk is still expected to be available for the home side as he awaits a VISA for his pending move to Japan. New signing Zach Clough looked bright off the bench in his Reds debut and could be deployed from the start for Carl Veart’s side.
An in-form Mathew Leckie has helped City’s star-studded attack finally live up to expectation, combining with fellow Socceroo Jamie Maclaren to devastating effect in recent games. Leckie has three goals in two City appearances, and returns to face his former club Adelaide for the first time since returning from Europe to sign with the Isuzu UTE A-League champions.
Melbourne City v Adelaide United
Isuzu UTE A-League
Tuesday, February 15 2021
AAMI PARK
Kick-off: 7.55pm AEDT
MATCH CENTRE | HOW TO WATCH
