Ryan Kitto was Adelaide United’s hero for the second successive match as his brace consigned Western Sydney Wanderers to a 2-0 defeat at Coopers Stadium on Sunday.
A week on from his stoppage time winner against Central Coast Mariners, 23-year-old Kitto scored either side of half-time to make Josep Gombau’s return a forgettable experience.
Wanderers earlier had captain Robbie Cornthwaite sent off for a second yellow card on 20 minutes, the latter for a handball that sent Baba Diawara to the penalty spot.
Diawara was denied by the woodwork – the first of three such occurrences – but Kitto’s goals ensured that miss and Ben Garuccio’s own late red card wouldn’t overshadow a win that eases some of the pain from the midweek Westfield FFA Cup Final loss.
STORY OF THE GAME
- Nikola Mileusnic’s poor touch from Ben Garuccio’s cross robbed him of a good chance.
- The first half erupted when Cornthwaite was ruled to have handled the ball inside his own area and was shown a second yellow, having earlier shoulder-checked Kitto.
- But Diawara planted the resultant spot-kick into the base of the left upright.
- Kitto tested the other post just six minutes later from Daniel Adlung’s enticing delivery.
- An unmarked Mileusnic then inexplicably headed straight at Vedran Janjetovic from Garuccio’s inswinger.
- Kitto eventually made the breakthrough in first half stoppage time.
- Incredibly, the woodwork was rattled for a third time when Oriol Riera rose and headed Raul Llorente’s cross against the bar.
- It was instead left to Kitto to double the Reds’ advantage just after the hour with his second of the game and fourth of the campaign.
- With fewer than 15 minutes to play, Adelaide’s second straight victory was soured somewhat by Garuccio’s sending off for a high boot on Roly Bonevacia.
GOALS
Kitto, Adelaide United 45’+1: 1-0
Matmour’s cross from the right was nodded on by Mileusnic to the far post, where Kitto stabbed beyond Janjetovic.
Kitto, Adelaide United 63′: 2-0
Mileusnic was first to Paul Izzo’s seemingly harmless clearance from the back. The speedster held his nerve, turned away from Janjetovic and put the ball on a plate for Kitto to poke past the retreating defenders.
