Mileusnic strikes in injury-time, Adelaide pull off one of the greatest comebacks against Brisbane

Adelaide United have grabbed all three points  in one of the most memorable Hyundai A-League thrillers, overturning a 3-0 deficit to down Brisbane Roar 4-3 on Saturday night.

Henrique opened the scoring after Ken Ilso was sent off on nine minutes, before Dylan Wenzel-Halls doubled Brisbane’s lead.

Adam Taggart grabbed his half-century of Hyundai A-League goals on the edge of half-time, but not before Isaias pulled one back for the hosts. 

Brisbane would concede two red cards in the space of five second-half minutes when Dane Ingham received his second yellow card for kicking the ball away, and Jamie Young received a straight red for colliding with Craig Goodwin. 

Goodwin reduced the deficit to one goal, before George Blackwood made it 3-3 on 75 minutes with a leaping header.

Nikola Mileusnic would break Brisbane hearts in the final minute of injury time, heading home from a few yards out and completing the greatest of comebacks.

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The Reds began on the offensive, playing penetrative passes into Brisbane’s flanks but unable to produce the final product. 

On nine minutes, the game would turn when Ilso slid into McKay, raising his studs in the follow-through. Referee Alex King produced a red card, ruling he had raised his studs dangerously during the tackle.

Brisbane made the one-man advantage count 10 minutes later when Taggart played Henrique in behind Adelaide’s defence. 

The Brazilian forward rounded Izzo with his first touch, before slotting the ball into an open goal with his second.

After initially being ruled as offside, a VAR intervention ensured the goal would count.

The Reds would double their lead on 38 minutes when Ryan Strain’s attempt to deal with a Jack Hingert cross fell into the path of Wenzel-Halls. 

The 21-year-old fired the volley into the bottom-left corner, giving Izzo no chance, and doubling Brisbane’s lead.

Things would get worse for the Reds when Taggart turned from provider to scorer. 

Brisbane’s talisman received the ball 25 metres out from Adelaide’s goal and let fly with a rocket.

Izzo reacted quickly to the shot, but let it slip past his clutches and into the bottom-left corner, helping Taggart to his 50th goal in the Hyundai A-League and 11th goal of the 2018/19 Season.

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The entertainment would not stop there, however, after Goodwin was pulled down by Hingert at the edge of the box. 

Isaias stepped up for the ensuing free-kick, leading by example with a delicate strike that glided over the Brisbane wall and into the top-left corner.

Adelaide would begin the second half as they ended the first, as both Goodwin and Mirko Boland had chances to reduce the deficit. 

Goodwin flashed his shot just wide after being played through by Boland, before the German then had a shot of his own, missing the target from more than 20 metres out.

Brisbane Roar would be reduced to 10 men, too, after Ingham kicked the ball away. Referee Alex King had no choice but to produce Ingham’s second yellow, sending the New Zealand international off for an early shower.

And then, minutes later, Young would be sent off after coming out of his box and colliding with Goodwin. The goalkeeper completely missed the ball over the top, pole-axing Goodwin in what may have been a goalscoring opportunity.

Goodwin would pick up the scraps from his ensuing free-kick, finding the back of the net with his second bite of the cherry.

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The comeback would be complete on 75 minutes when Blackwood leapt highest to head home from a few yards out. 

The goal was Blackwood’s second in as many games, with the 21-year-old appearing to find some form.

Jordan Elsey had a chance to put the Reds in front in injury time, meeting Goodwin’s hung-up cross but heading over the bar.

There would be one final twist in the game when Adelaide United chased the winner. And winner they would receive when Mileusnic met a late cross and headed home in the final minute of injury-time.

Cue pandemonium.

Adelaide have now entered the top four and taken a step closer to a coveted top-three finish.

https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=5997734279001

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