Adelaide has kept its National Youth League finals hopes alive through a hard-fought 2-0 win over the AIS in their Round 12 clash at the AIS Athletics Track.
Adelaide has kept its National Youth League finals hopes alive through a hard-fought 2-0 win over the AIS in their Round 12 clash at the AIS Athletics Track.
After a seesawing first half with at least three genuine chances for each team but no goals, the Reds took advantage of a couple of defensive blunders to ensure they went home with the points.
The AIS was unlucky not to earn a draw, or even register their first win, however.
The game began with Adelaide dominating early proceedings, getting on top in the midfield and creating a number of good chances.
After 14 minutes one of Adelaide’s senior contingent, Inseob Shin, let rip a low shot which forced a diving save from Lawrence Thomas. Thomas was again in the thick of it from the ensuing corner, parrying a header from Lloyd Owusu over the crossbar.
Twenty minutes into the game the AIS started to gain the ascendancy.
The hosts had scoring chances of their own when Mustafa Amini latched onto a loose ball with a well-struck shot just wide and minutes later they had an appeal for a penalty denied after Eli Babalj was brought down United keeper Codey Larkin.
Adelaide’s Joel Allwright then missed the best of the early chances 28 minutes in, when Thomas was caught too far from his goals, but he managed to get a hand on Allwright’s attempted chip.
Late in the half the AIS nearly nabbed the opener, Jake Barker-Daish delivering a perfect corner to the tall Babalj but his corner was cleared off the line.
With minutes in the half remaining, Barker-Daish was again involved, firing in a curling long-range free kick that caught Larkin off guard but hit the upright.
The second half took off where the first left off, with chances for both teams before Adelaide broke the deadlock in the 57th minute.
As the AIS struggled to get the ball forward, a mistimed clearance from defender Trent Sainsbury close to goal was snapped up by United captain Matthew Mullen and Thomas could only stand and watch as it went by.
In the 65th minute, Shin put in a dangerous cross which was headed just wide by Owusu.
Seven minutes later, Shin was at it again and this time it paid off as AIS defender Brendan Hamill attempted to clear his cross, only to put the ball into his own net.
For Adelaide, Shin was at his dangerous best on the left-hand side Paul Reid worked hard in the midfield as he returned from injury. Barker-Daish was creative for the AIS, and Thomas was all class in goals and unlucky not to keep a clean sheet.
Adelaide United 2 (M. Mullen 57, Hamill 72og)
AIS 0
