The race for the Hyundai A-League premiership remains alive with Adelaide United and Queensland Roar playing a 0-0 draw in their catch-up game at Hindmarsh Stadium on Wednesday.
Overall, Queensland was the more imposing side and had more chances to win the game however a dogged but out-of-sorts Adelaide scrapped and fought and managed to take a point from the contest.
United holds a two-point lead at the top of the ladder but no longer has games in hand, giving the Victory and the Roar hope they can chase down the South Australian side by the end of the season.
Both teams made a scratchy start to the contest with turnovers a key statistic in the opening 15 minutes.
The errors did mean there were opportunities to score with United’s Robbie Younis and Fabian Barbiero both getting their head to the ball near the penalty box while the Roar’s Serginho van Dyk had the best chance of the half.
The Dutchman nodded the ball towards goal but was denied by Eugene Galekovic who flipped the ball over the crossbar.
When the nerves had subsided it was the Roar who emerged the pacesetters – the visitors putting together some dangerous pieces of play.
Tahj Minniecon was having a good tussle with Scott Jamieson while Mitch Nichols was an influential player.
In contrast, the Reds’ performance was sub-par with most of their players struggling to find space or a team-mate with their passes.
Their half was summed up by a terrible 39th minute misunderstanding between Sasa Ognenovski and Paul Reid near the penalty box, which almost gifted Nichols a goal.
The ball rebounded to other the end of the pitch where Younis and Barbiero butchered an opportunity deep in attack.
United should’ve gone into the break relieved the score was 0-0.
Adelaide brought a more positive game to table in the second half with Travis Dodd and Robbie Cornthwaite having opportunities in the opening five minutes.
A misfiring Younis was then replaced by Cristiano and the Reds had the intent to push for an unlikely victory.
However the Roar kept coming and the tense arm wrestle continued. Nichols was again amongst the action had two powerful shots in two minutes.
And Michael Zullo slipped behind United’s defence but curled his goal-attempt over the cross bar.
Barbiero was given a late opportunity to make amends for a disappointing game but he couldn’t control a bouncing ball and sprayed his shot at the 85th minute.
Adelaide United 0
Queensland Roar 0
Crowd: 14,450
