Adelaide United are 10 games undefeated. They have also scored four or more goals in three consecutive matches. It is the form of a team destined to win the Isuzu UTE A-League Championship?
Network 10 commentator Simon Hill labelled them “The great entertainers” and Adelaide have been almost irresistible since their run began on January 14, scoring at will and making history along the way.
That rampant form continued on Friday thanks to a 5-1 demolition of high-flying Wellington Phoenix at Coopers Stadium, where the Reds closed within three points of reigning premiers and league leaders Melbourne City.
For the first time in their history, Adelaide scored four or more goals in three consecutive home games as Luka Jovanovic, Lachlan Barr, Hiroshi Ibusuki and Craig Goodwin found the back of the net after Scott Wootton’s 16th-minute own goal.
Adelaide picked apart the Phoenix just like they did against City in a 4-2 win earlier this month, to leave the Paramount+ crew asking one question.
Is there another team that can match the Reds at their high tempo?
“I don’t think there is. We saw two weeks ago they did the same against Melbourne City,” Co-commentator and former A-Leagues striker Daniel McBreen said post-game.
“I think I said during the call that Ibusuki goal reminded me of a goal against Melbourne City but it might’ve been against Newcastle Jets last week.
“They just score that many goals at the moment!
“They move the ball so well, they pressure so well. They go in with conviction and when they get that ball, they go forward. When they go forward, it’s usually with forward runners, limited touches and guys getting into the box.
“It’s just so fluent and so quick that defences can’t do anything about it.”
The Reds have now scored 13 goals in their past three matches, having beaten City and Newcastle Jets 4-2 in successive weeks.
It means Adelaide have joined an exclusive club as just the third team in Isuzu UTE A-League history to score at least four goals in three consecutive games after Sydney FC (April 10, 2016 to October 15, 2016) and Melbourne City (November 27, 2015 to December 13, December 2015).
Carl Veart also tied John Kosmina for the record for most games and wins as Adelaide head coach in A-League Men history – 83 matches and 37 victories.
Adelaide have 37 points from 21 rounds, only three less than City. However Rado Vidosic’s men have two games in hand as they prepare to face Macarthur FC on Sunday.
“I actually think Melbourne City now will be looking over their shoulder,” McBreen said.
“I know they have a couple of games in hand but they will be looking at Adelaide going: ‘do we really want to meet them in finals?'”.
‘We’re still hungry’
Looking at the scoreboard, you could be forgiven for thinking it was a one-sided contest.
But, the Phoenix had their chances against a clinical Adelaide side in South Australia.
Adelaide were far from their absolute best in a game Veart described as “crazy”, yet they still managed to sweep aside a team that had the opportunity to leapfrog the Reds into second position.
“We’re still hungry. We still want that perfect 90 minutes so to speak,” Goodwin told Paramount+ afterwards, while insisting Adelaide wanted revenge for their two previous trips to Wellington which yielded no wins.
“We don’t have to be in control of the ball all the time but we need to be in control of the game.”
Goodwin took his tally to the season to 10 goals, to go with nine assists as the Socceroo now prepares for two international friendlies against Ecuador in Sydney and Melbourne.
“If we’re sitting in, we need to be comfortable,” he added. “We need to be okay to suffer at times. We don’t have to have the ball and be at them for 90 minutes because it’s impossible when you’re tired.”
Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay – who was without leading goalscorer Oskar Zawada due to the impending birth of his first child – felt the score did not reflect his team’s performance.
Kosta Barbarouses missed a gilt-edged chance in the first half which was branded “one of the misses of the season”.
“Overall, I thought we played well,” he said. “We played straight through them at times, we created opportunities.
“Did we have opportunities to score? Definitely we did. Were we as clinical as they were? We weren’t tonight and that’s why the result is the way it is.”
Report – AAP
Adelaide United have turned in a five-star performance to thrash Wellington Phoenix in the A-League Men at Coopers Stadium.
The thumping 5-1 victory puts the Reds clear in second spot, six points above Central Coast Mariners, Western Sydney Wanderers and the Phoenix who are all locked on 31 points.
The result extends Adelaide’s unbeaten run to 10 matches and marks the fourth time in five games they have scored four goals or more.
United broke the deadlock on the quarter hour, courtesy of an own goal from Phoenix defender Scott Wootton, who deflected a cross to catch goalkeeper Oli Sail off guard.
On 23 minutes, young striker Luka Jovanovic made it 2-0, scoring in consecutive matches after back-to-back starts.
Just after the half-hour it was Wellington’s turn to apply some pressure, Lucas Mauragis squaring for Yan Sasse whose powerful half-volley forced Joe Gauci into a stunning reflex save.
Gauci almost went from hero to villain just before the break when he dawdled in possession and was robbed by Kosta Barbarouses inside the area, but the Phoenix attacker could only hit the upright with an open goal beckoning.
Adelaide added their third in the 50th minute through Lachie Barr.
Craig Goodwin whipped in a delightful in-swinging corner from the right and the Reds defender rose highest to power a header past Sail.
Three minutes later, the Phoenix pulled a goal back from the penalty spot after Yan Sasse was felled inside the area, with captain Alex Rufer stepping up to coolly convert the spot kick.
It was not to be the start of a comeback, though, and United made it 4-1 just after the hour with a stunning team move.
Substitute Hiroshi Ibusuki controlled possession in the middle of the park for Ryan Kitto whose first-time long ball found Goodwin in acres of space on the left.
The Reds winger threaded a pass into the area for Louis D’Arrigo who cut the ball back for Ibusuki to calmly tuck it away in the bottom corner.
Goodwin completed the scoring, making it five for United in the 71st minute.
Midfielder Isaias released his skipper with another long ball over the top which Goodwin raced onto before taking a touch, cutting inside the defender and slotting his right-foot shot past Sail.
