There was plenty to digest after three entertaining A-Leagues fixtures on Saturday, January 8, with 11 goals scored on an eventful day for both the Liberty A-League and Isuzu UTE A-League.
As all the action unfolded KEEPUP followed on live, to bring you all the talking points from the A-Leagues on Saturday.
A-LEAGUES FIXTURES: SATURDAY, JANUARY 8:
- Liberty A-League: Canberra United v Adelaide United
- Liberty A-League: Sydney FC v Perth Glory
- Isuzu UTE A-League: Melbourne Victory v Adelaide United
ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE: MELBOURNE VICTORY V ADELAIDE UNITED
9.45PM AEDT: Goodwin volley defines action-packed Original Rivalry finale
“It took 85 minutes to ignite tonight – and as ever, hasn’t it ignited!” Said an exasperated Daniel McBreen on co-commentary as the unbelievable drama unfolded at AAMI Park.
Adelaide United had just seen one goal disallowed as they chased down an answer to Nick D’Agostino’s late screamer which looked set to hand Victory all three points.
Up stepped Craig Goodwin with a typically clinical moment of individual brilliance, taking a shot from the left side of the box on the volley and burying it into the bottom right corner to get Adelaide level at 1-1.
In the aftermath of the moment, Reds midfielder Isaías received his marching orders after an altercation with referee Shaun Evans.
9.30PM AEDT: D’Agostino rocket sparks chaos at AAMI Park
“The Dagger is sharp again in front of goal” said Paramount+ and Channel 10 commentator Simon Hill in the aftermath of D’Agostino’s left-footed thunderbolt which had Melbourne Victory in the lead late on against Adelaide United at AAMI Park.
With more than 80 minutes of play gone by, it looked as though a special effort would be needed to separate the two sides, and that’s exactly what D’Agostino produced with his left peg, firing the ball from outside the box into the top left corner.
In the remarkable scenes that followed, Javi Lopez put the ball in the back of the net for the Reds. But Stefan Mauk, who was sprawled on the deck in between Ivan Kelava’s legs as the shot flew toward goal, was adjudged to have hindered the Victory keeper’s movement to save the strike, and the goal was ruled out.
Victory led 1-0 heading into additional time before Goodwin struck the equaliser.
9.20PM AEDT: Chance goes begging as Tratt hits the bar with scores level
Jacob Tratt will be scratching his head wondering how he failed to put one of two golden opportunities away to give the Reds the lead in a tightly-contested Original Rivalry clash at AAMI Park.
Tratt had the best chance of the first half for the Reds, ghosting in at the back post but heading wide after Victory keeper Ivan Kelava failed to claim a cross swung in from a corner.
With the score at 0-0 in the 70th minute, Tratt received a second opportunity to score with his head, but landed his unmarked attempt on the crossbar.
8.40PM AEDT: ‘They have to get that out of the game‘
Adelaide United need to avoid turning posession over cheaply in their defensive half if they have any chance of beating Melbourne Victory, says Paramount+ analyst Bruce Djite.
The Reds went into half-time level at 0-0 with Victory, but former Adelaide striker Djite noticed a recurring pattern in the first half which he believes the visitors need to remove from their game if they are to defeat Victory in the second half.
“They’re giving the ball away in that back third again and again,” Djite said.
“It’s (Jacob) Tratt, it’s Isaías, it’s Tratt (again). We saw in the FFA Cup game (2-1 loss to Victory in midweek), that cost them the second goal.
“I’d be interested to see what Ross Aloisi is saying in the changeroom, but they have to get that out of the game because Victory have had so many chances.”
There was nothing to separate the two at half-time of the first of two Isuzu UTE A-League fixtures this weekend, with neither team managing to get on the scoresheet through 45 minutes.
Victory had opportunities of their own with Nick D’Agostino the busiest of the Victory forwards, and Adelaide captain Stefan Mauk went close to breaking the deadlock with a curling strike which flashed past the right-hand post.
LIBERTY A-LEAGUE: SYDNEY FC V PERTH GLORY, CANBERRA v ADELAIDE
7.15PM AEDT: Sky Blues 4-0 Glory: Sydney put cue in the rack in second half
Sydney FC took 25 minutes to dismantle Perth Glory before cruising to a 4-0 win at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
Paramount+ football analyst Andy Harper warned ‘it could be an avalanche’ at half-time as Sydney took a three-goal lead into the break, but as they did against Wellington Phoenix the Sky Blues eased up in the second stanza, adding one more goal to the total before full-time.
Sydney FC hit the ground running against Perth Glory, with Mackenzie Hawkesby getting on the scoresheet once again after her hat-trick display against Wellington Phoenix.
5.30PM AEDT: Vine time: recalled Matildas winger scores again
Cortnee Vine celebrated her call-up to Tony Gustavsson’s CommBank Matildas squad with a well-taken goal to put Sydney two goals ahead of Perth.
Vine was announced as part of the CommBank Matildas AFC Asian Cup squad this morning, and just hours later she showed head coach Gustavsson just what she’ll bring to the national camp with a touch and finish across the body of Courtney Newbon into the bottom-left corner to put Sydney two goals to the good against Perth.
Siemsen added a third in the 25th minute, before Charlize Rule headed home her second Liberty A-League goal from a corner routine early in the second half to set up the comprehensive win.
At Viking Park, meanwhile…
It was Adelaide United getting off to the perfect start, with Dylan Holmes finishing off a neat team move to put the Reds ahead of Canberra United by one goal to nil.
The Reds doubled the advantage in the 40th minute, with Chelsie Dawber putting a calm finish past Keeley Richards to put the visitors two goals ahead at Viking Park.
‘Vintage Ash Sykes’ gives Canberra a lifeline.. before Worts puts hosts to bed
Ash Sykes has her first goal of her comeback Liberty A-League season – and it came at the most crucial of times for Canberra United, trailing Adelaide United 2-0 in the second half before Sykes’ athletic header halved the deficit.
Michelle Heyman put a gilt-edged chance to equalise past the post, and the hosts were made to pay for their inaccuracy when Fiona Worts restored Adelaide’s two-goal lead with just under 15 minutes to play.
The Reds ensured Canberra couldn’t get back into the contest from there, holding firm to seal a 3-1 win to record successive Liberty A-League wins for the first time this season.
