Adelaide United have earned a reputation for sluggish starts this season, but coming home with a wet sail has benefited Carl Veart’s side on six occasions – and it’s firmly entrenched the Reds in the top four.
On Tuesday night, Adelaide met Melbourne City at AAMI Park. After scoring late goals to draw on two prior occasions with City this season, the Reds continued their last-gasp escapades with an 85th-minute winner netted by Mohamed Toure in a 2-1 triumph.
It’s the latest in a string of dramatic Adelaide fixtures this season, with Carl Veart’s side adding nine points to their overall tally with goals scored after the 84th minute in six fixtures to date.
Toure’s late winner on Tuesday night came the game after Bernardo Oliveira’s equaliser against Wellington Phoenix scored in second-half stoppage time pinched the Reds a point in a 1-1 draw at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
That was the fourth game this season in which a Reds goal scored from the 90th minute onwards impacted the end result.
Adelaide’s late show has impacted not only their own fortunes, but those of other sides around them jostling for ascendancy in the top six.
The Reds have denied City an extra five points this season across their three meetings whilst the Phoenix – who sit in seventh after their 1-1 draw with the Reds on the weekend – would be in the top six had Bernardo’s stoppage time header not denied Ufuk Talay’s side all three points at the death.
Against the Jets on January 30 the Reds trailed by a goal to nil with less than five minutes to play, before a dramatic two-goal turnaround after 87 minutes of play not only drew Adelaide level, but put them in front by the final whistle.
Prior to Tuesday night’s late winner, the Reds did the business late like so:
Adelaide United v Melbourne City – November 27
- 80’: ADL 1-2 MCY
- FT: ADL 2-2 MCY (Halloran 90’)
Melbourne Victory v Adelaide United – January 8
- 84’: MVC 1-0 ADL
- FT: MVC 1-1 ADL (Goodwin 90+1’)
Adelaide United v Melbourne City – January 15
- 80’: ADL 1-2 MCY
- FT: ADL 2-2 MCY (Ibusuki 84’)
Newcastle Jets v Adelaide United – January 30
- 80’: NEW 1-0 ADL
- FT: NEW 1-2 ADL (Nestory Irankunda 88’, Ibusuki 90+1’)
Wellington Phoenix v Adelaide United – February 12
- 80’: WEL 1-0 ADL
- FT: WEL 1-1 ADL (Bernardo 90+2’)
Paramount+ analysts Tarek Elrich and Daniel Georgievski, watching on as Adelaide came home strong once again against the ‘Nix on Saturday afternoon, praised the club’s never say die atttide.
“You can never write off an Adelaide United team,” said Elrich on the Paramount+ post-game show.
“Daniel, you know, you’ve played against them a number of times. They always find a way.”
Georgievski replied: “They’re annoying, to be honest – that’s probably the perfect word to use.
“They’re annoying in a good way if you’re an Adelaide United fan, because even if you put your head down for a second (they’ll surprise you).”
“Elrich continued: “It’s their history, all season they’ve been doing it. It’s just a common theme: they start games really slow, I don’t know what the reason is behind it but they are a team that keep fighting.”
