Adelaide United youngster Luka Jovanovic scored a stoppage-time goal to inspire his side to a dramatic 2-1 win over Macarthur Bulls at Campbelltown Sports Stadium on Monday night.
Macarthur struck first in the 80th minute through Valere Germain but the Bulls kept their lead for just five minutes before a foul from Oliver Randazzo on Yaya Dukuly sent Zach Clough to the penalty spot, who brought Adelaide back on level terms with a clinical finish.
Then, having recalled Jovanovic into his matchday squad after omitting the teenage striker for disciplinary reasons in Round 10, head coach Carl Veart was rewarded for putting his faith back in the young forward as his 92nd-minute finish into the bottom-right corner earned Adelaide all three points, and sent the Reds up to second on the Isuzu UTE A-League table.
BUY TICKETS TO THE ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE!
MIDWEEK PREVIEW: What you need to know for midweek fixtures in the Isuzu UTE A-League
Ethan Alagich took 49 Isuzu UTE A-League games to score his first league goal and the young Reds midfielder almost doubled his career tally with his second strike in as many games when he broke into the box and put a shot on target – but Bulls keeper Filip Kurto got off his line to make the save.
CORICA DOES IT AGAIN! Auckland boss earns Coach of the Month honours
Adelaide continued to apply early pressure and came close to an opening goal when Clough struck the post from close range in a chaotic sequence of events in Macarthur’s defensive box.
Jay Barnett was next to threaten the Bulls with a shot from outside the box which Kurto did well to tip over the bar.
SHARK PLAYER OF THE MONTH: Auckland defender wins December fan vote
The visitors had the ball in the back of the net in the 16th minute but an offside call on Clough kept the Bulls on level terms. The Englishman had strayed beyond Macarthur’s defensive line before receiving the ball in the build-up to Stefan Mauk’s disallowed goal.
Adelaide’s seventh shot of the first 22 minutes of action came off the left foot of Dylan Pierias but yet again it was Kurto who came to Macarthur’s rescue with a diving save.
MIDWEEK PREVIEW: What you need to know for midweek fixtures in the Isuzu UTE A-League
Having survived the early Adelaide onslaught, Macarthur grew into the game and kept the visitors from scoring before the break as the two sides remained locked at 0-0 heading into the second half.
Macarthur head coach Mile Sterjovski brought young forward Bernardo off his bench with half an hour to play and the 20-year-old called Reds keeper James Delianov into a rare save just before the 70-minute mark.
Bernardo shot on the turn from inside the box after Mauk failed to clear the danger from a Bulls free-kick routine, but Delianov got his left arm to the ball to keep the hosts at bay.
After 79 goalless minutes at Campbelltown Stadium, the game burst into life when Germain headed the Bulls into the lead.
Adelaide had scored at least one goal in each of their Isuzu UTE A-League fixtures heading into Monday’s clash with the Bulls and with that record in danger, found a quick response from the penalty spot to keep the streak alive and restore parity in Campbelltown.
Randazzo committed the offence on Dukuly and after referee Tim Danaskos pointed to the spot, Clough stepped up to convert the penalty and setup a dramatic finish.
With 92 minutes on the clock, Adelaide received a late chance to go ahead through a free-kick routine and Jovanovic got on the end of the delivery with a majestic left-footed volley on the turn, which buried into the bottom-right corner as Adelaide surged to a 2-1 win and up to second on the table.
