Melbourne City suffered its third loss of the season on Friday night, going down 4-2 to Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium.
Despite an impressive first half where Andrew Nabbout opened the scoring after just nine minutes, Adelaide got the better of the ladder leaders in the second stanza and ultimately took the three points.
Team News
Curtis Good returned from injury and slotted straight back into the starting XI, while Andrew Nabbout also earned a call-up to the line-up.
Those changes saw Callum Talbot and Florin Berengeur move to the bench, while captain Scott Jamieson was also named amongst the substitutes after missing last week through injury.
Starting XI: 1. Tom GLOVER (GK), 4. Nuno REIS, 6. Thomas LAM, 22. Curtis GOOD, 38. Jordan BOS, 13. Aiden O’NEILL, 8. Richard VAN DER VENNE, 14 Valon BERISHA, 23. Marco TILIO, 15. Andrew NABBOUT, 9. Jamie MACLAREN (C).
Substitutes: 33. Matthew SUTTON (GK), 2. Scott GALLOWAY, 3. Scott JAMIESON, 10. Florin BERENGUER, 18. Jordon HALL, 25. Callum TALBOT, 37. Max CAPUTO.
What happened?
In a high-scoring affair where both teams traded chances frequently, City would have the first meaningful chance, with Jamie Maclaren having a sight on goal in the fifth minute.
Nuno Reis went on a run and played a ball to the feet of Maclaren, whose shot was smothered by the covering Adelaide defence.
City wouldn’t have to wait long until it found the opening goal though, exposing Adelaide defensively thanks to some high pressing from midfield.
After stripping Adelaide of possession in the middle of the park, Richard van der Venne quickly found Andrew Nabbout, who scored his third City goal at Coopers Stadium, producing a fine finish inside Joe Gauci’s near post in the 8th minute.
Just a few minutes later City almost doubled its lead when Adelaide was once again sloppy in possession. van der Venne threaded through a crafty ball for Maclaren, but the striker saw his shot go wide.
The game was temporarily stopped in the 31st minute when Nuno Reis and Hiroshi Ibusuki suffered a sickening head clash in the City box, forcing both players to leave the field and play no further part.
Despite the Portuguese defenders absence, the City backline did just enough to squander Adelaide’s flurry of chances in front of goal midway through the first half.
The hosts would eventually find a way through though, Lachlan Barr frustratingly heading home from a set-piece deep into stoppage time.
Tom Glover did well to deny Adelaide’s star man Craig Goodwin early in the second half, but there was little he could do just minutes later when the Reds captain produced a fine finish to give his side the lead.
Adelaide then made it 3-1 through Louis D’Arrigo in the 57th minute, giving City plenty of work to do in the last half hour or so.
After that goal, skipper Scott Jamieson entered the fray in a different role than usual, coming on to replace van der Venne in midfield.
Despite being the smallest man on the pitch, Marco Tilio made it goals in consecutive games to suddenly bring City right back into the contest.
Tilio was allowed acres of time and space and made Adelaide pay, heading it in from a corner in the 62nd minute.
Rado Vidosic’s side pushed hard for a late equaliser and while the game did have one goal left in it before the final whistle, to the disappointment of the large contingent of travelling City fans; it was Adelaide youngster Nestor Irandunka getting his name on the scoresheet.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Melbourne City will now return home to AAMI Park where it will look to bounce back against the Brisbane Roar on Sunday. Click here to get your tickets!
