Adelaide United coach John Kosmina was thrilled with the resolve and composure shown by his charges in their drought-breaking and emotional 2-0 win over Wellington Phoenix at Hindmarsh Stadium on Friday.
Adelaide United coach John Kosmina was thrilled with the resolve and composure shown by his charges in their drought-breaking and emotional 2-0 win over Wellington Phoenix at Hindmarsh Stadium on Friday.
It was the Reds’ first victory in seven weeks and ensures Kosmina is still undefeated since taking the reins for his second stint at the club after replacing Rini Coolen a fortnight ago.
“Emotionally it’s great – how can you complain?” said an ecstatic Kosmina.
“We got a clean sheet, we had a decent crowd and the football was good.
“The resolve of the players was good as well. Wellington are a good side and they put us under a bit of pressure.
“We scrambled a wee bit at times but I thought we adjusted and responded quite well, especially in the last 10 minutes when we started knocking the ball around and showed composure and a bit of resolution.”
Despite entering the clash dead last on the Hyundai A-League table, United are now within touching distance of challenging for a finals berth, such is the evenness of the competition ladder.
Ongoing consistency is now the key, especially once the honeymoon hysteria of ‘Kossiemania’ inevitably dies down.
“The teams are all a game or two apart,” Kosmina said. “If you can show some consistency in terms of your application and how you go about your business, you’ll start to get some results.”
The Reds’ triumph was set up by Bruce Djite’s excellent goal in 16th minute before Antony Golec iced it for the hosts when he followed up and potted a rebounded deflection after Phoenix gloveman Anthony Warner had stopped Dario Vidosic’s free kick in the 62nd minute.
Kosmina paid tribute to Vidosic, who was busy all night and crucial with his involvement in both scores.
“He (Vidosic) was fantastic,” Kosmina said. “His little touch around the corner was good for Brucie’s (Djite) first goal and he got into a few good goal-scoring situations himself.
“If we can keep that combination of Dario, Serg (van Dijk) and Bruce, it’s going to work pretty well and put teams under a lot of pressure.
“When he (Vidosic) is on the ball, he’s fantastic – he can go past people.”
Spase Dilevski went into the sheds in 42nd minute after his groin tightened up, a move Kosmina described as ‘precautionary’, while van Dijk, without warning, made a hurried exit for the toilets late in the second half, momentarily leaving Adelaide down to 10 men.
“He had a little bit of gastro,” Kosmina said of his star striker’s hurried albeit temporary departure. “He just took off – he said he couldn’t wait any longer. It could have been a horrible sight for television!”
New captain Eugene Galekovic was stoic in goals, accruing his third clean sheet of the season, while the input of the man he replaced, deposed skipper Jon McKain, impressed Kosmina, who knew the 29-year-old would be determined to prove a point.
“He came on and proved a point,” Kosmina said.
“That’s probably a good position for Jon to play, that holding role. He was pretty focused on trying to prove a point to me, which is a good thing, and he did well.
“In terms of his general play he got into some great positions and made it difficult (for them) to find their feet.
“He was good when we were on the ball going forward as well. It was a solid performance from him.”
