In summary
Sydney FC were vanquished, but gallant. Steve Corica may have felt his side controlled the first half, but Adelaide came home in a wave following Goodwin’s goal, and were very difficult to topple thereafter. Sydney could be accused of losing their shape, too, though it would be a harsh assessment. Adelaide won this, rather than Sydney losing it.
It amounts to a wonderful night for Australian football. I’m glad you could join me for it. Can they all be like this? Probably not, but it was a night to savour, and one to remember. Here’s your match report:
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What a cup final!
It was Adelaide 2, Sydney FC 1, and it was as scintillating as it was close. Buoyed by a fervent home crowd at Hindmarsh, Adelaide roused themselves in a spirited second-half display to nullify Sydney and claim their second FFA Cup, in so doing becoming the only team to win it on multiple occasions.
This was a game that had passion and verve, and both sides fought for the entire 90 minutes to armwrestle themselves to ascendancy. There was no backward steps, no cold pragmatism; both teams threw themselves at the encounter with enterprise and spirit, and the end result was - in Simon Hill’s words - the best FFA Cup final we’ve see to date.
It was decided by two outstanding pieces of skill from Craig Goodwin, who is named Mark Viduka medallist. His first goal, a free-kick from distance, looked like something out of Gareth Bale’s top drawer. His second, a perfectly hit, rasping, rising strike with his right foot on the edge of the box, proved the winner.
“I think I’ll take Goody out for dinner tonight,” said Adelaide defender Jordan Elsey, who was himself culpable for Sydney’s first after an under hit backpass allowed Brosque to earn a penalty, duly converted by Le Fondre. He enjoyed a steadier game in the second half.
“I’ve forgotten what this crowd could be like,” said John Kosmina at full-time. “It’s really special.” Tonight will no doubt go down in Hindmarsh folklore, as Adelaide-eans willed their team to victory.
Adelaide coach Marco Kurz was magnanimous. “I am not important. I am a coach. I am very proud for the boys, and for Adelaide United. It’s a great night for Adelaide.”
“This is the best stadium in Australia,” he said. “Nice and close. Fast pitch. I am happy for the boys, now we are champions.”
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Full-time: Adelaide 2-1 Sydney
Adelaide have done it, and Hindmarsh roars! What a game, separated by two pieces of class from Craig Goodwin. He will be the Mark Viduka medal winner, without a doubt. It was a helter-skelter match, and worthy of a final. The crowd were magnificent. Some final thoughts to follow...
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94 min: Adelaide substitution: Boland off, Regan off.
94 min: Foul against Lokolingoy as he tried to chase a ball down. Elsey attracted the contact, and will run down the clock further. Adelaide are just about there. Now a substitution for Adelaide.
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92 min: Throw in deep into Sydney’s half, buying Adelaide precious seconds. They win the throw, and Sydney can’t get the ball back. Another throw to Adelaide.
92 min: Adelaide fairly camped in their own box now, as Sydney pepper them. It still feels a little sterile from the away side, as tension grows at Hindmarsh.
90 min: Adelaide substitution: Goodwin off, Mileusnic on. Standing ovation for Goodwin.
89 min: And it’s off the frame! Michael Zullo came in at the back post, the ball floated back across the goal and cushions the post! Adelaide clears again.
89 min: Lokolingoy holds the ball up nicely and feeds Grant. It comes back in and the former forces another corner. A “spate” of them, says Simon Hill.
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86 min: Goodwin with an unbelievable double-nutmeg at the corner stick while holding the ball up, but his tired cross is sliced and falls into the hands of Redmayne. Sydney go up the other end and grab themselves a corner. It comes in, is cleared, and Sydney give it up again. Adelaide ball.
85 min: Van der Linden delivers, but Izzo stretches to claw it away. The ball comes back in from Grant - another diagonal - and Adelaide wins it. The resulting counter finds Goodwin, but he can’t control it. Sydney short of ideas here.
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84 min: It goes from Strain, to Halloran at the byline. He crosses, but no one’s there. Sydney’s ball, but they seem to have lost all fluency. Even so, a phase or two later, and Lokolingoy earns a corner...
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82 min: Handball against De Silva hands Adelaide a free-kick, one that Goodwin whips it. Redmayne takes it and Sydney spring forward. There’s a diagonal ball from Grant to Lokolingoy, but it trickles harmlessly for a goal kick. That’ll cost Sydney 60 seconds.
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80 min: Brillante off, Lokolingoy on
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79 min: Usually so composed, Sydney do seem rattled by the situation here. Whether it’s the atmosphere, or just being behind, passes are going astray, balls are miscontrolled. As I write this, Corica makes a change.
76 min: “It’s not even a full moon. What’s going on here?” asks Andy Harper, referring to Craig Goodwin’s right-footed strike. Meanwhile, there’s a streaker on the field that we can’t get footage of, but Simon Hill assures us he (presumably) got “absolutely clobbered” by security. It’s The atmosphere, even through the TV, feels primal.
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Adelaide 2-1 Sydney (Goodwin 74)
74 min: Wow! Craig Goodwin hammers home with the right foot, a stunning finish from a ball laid off to him outside the box from Halloran. An incredible goal and worthy of a potential winner here. That’s a brace for Craig Goodwin, who has been a class above tonight.
Great call from Vince here
This is Australian soccer at its best. Boutique stadium, packed house, incredible atmosphere, two good teams and a tense, nervy cup final. Hook it to my veins #FFACupFinal
— Vince Rugari (@VinceRugari) October 30, 2018
70 min: Relatively subdued 60 seconds allows me to ponder this question: Sydney - stick or twist? Corica pointed to ‘a few changes’ at half-time. Both still seem to be vying for the role of protagonist, and the match is richer for it.
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68 min: Hindmarsh is heaving at the moment, you feel the place will explode should Adelaide get another. This fixture has so much sass, would be interested to know the foul count.
67 min: Ninkovic sprints clear on the counter, Brosque somehow follows, Ninkovic weights the ball into his path but Brosque just can’t get there. He was so close. Brosque then inconsequentially nails an Adelaide player and receives a yellow for his trouble.
66 min: And another corner. Some indecision in Sydney’s defence forces it, as Brosque nods an angled cross clear. Sydney counter...
65 min: Corner to Adelaide, Hindmarsh is rocking, the ball falls to Ilso at the back post, Ilso fires it in from a tight angle and Redmayne makes a crucial save! Another corner...
63 min: Substitution: Lia comes off for Ilso.
60 min: Ninkovic, so close! Brosque’s little flick to Ninkovic, then the magician pulls it back, before his rolled shot is tipped away by Izzo around the post. It was beautiful, it came from nowhere, and shows how dangerous the Sky Blues can be.
58 min: Great play from Adelaide. Isaias wriggles free in the middle before swinging it out left.The ensuing ball is hung up and into the box, and van der Linden clears for a corner. The crowd is rising to a hum. The corner comes in, but comes to nothing.
Short break here following that collision. Meanwhile, lots of love for Goodwin’s free-kicks on Twitter.
Craig Goodwin’s free-kicks tonight for @AdelaideUnited Ridiculous. Very impressive. #FFACupFinal
— Robert Grasso (@RobertGrasso) October 30, 2018
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53 min: Halloran is caught offside following a Wilkinson-inspired offside trap (Halloran finishes anyway), before the ball travels down the other end quickly. Ninkovic’s cross is dealt with by Adelaide, before a heavy collision (and foul) gives everyone a rest.
52 min: It just misses, but what a hit! The ball hammers into the boards behind the goal, but it can’t have been far off. It had Redmayne beaten, and nobody would have been surprised had that gone in.
51 min: Some poor defensive play from Sydney FC culminates in an underhit clearance from Redmayne. It let Adelaide get in behind the midfield, but a necessary foul gives Craig Goodwin another chance from the dead ball. A little further out, a little wider.
48 min: Sydney have resumed dominating possession, without probing Adelaide too viciously. Brosque nearly steals in behind Jordan Elsey before Izzo dives on it - the Adelaide centre-back is having a tough time of it.
Lovely sentiment about Craig Goodwin
He's different gravy Craig Goodwin. Great to see him plying his trade in the A-League, but he's too good a player to be running around here. Easily the best deadball exponent we have in Oz and I'll be surprised if he's not playing for the Socceroos in the Asian Cup. #FFACupFinal
— John Takemura (@takaspeaksout) October 30, 2018
The tension! After years and years away I’m back at Hindmarsh Stadium with my dad, an @AdelaideUnited fanatic, just like the old days. It’s 1-1 at half time in the #FFACupFinal against @SydneyFC and he’s stressed. Come on you reds! pic.twitter.com/XqHEsjrhTf
— Daniela Ritorto (@danielaritorto) October 30, 2018
46 min: Interestingly, Sydney FC coach Steve Corica was adamant his team were ‘controlling things’, and ‘on top’. Not sure it was that clear cut.
Half-time: Adelaide 1-1 Sydney FC
“Blood and thunder”, says Simon Hill, describing a pretty pulsating first half between the two combatants. We’re no closer to knowing who’ll come away with the Cup, as both teams showed they’re ‘very much here’ for the full spoils.
The major moment? Craig Goodwin’s free-kick. The Adelaide local and Sydney FC target could not have struck this dead ball more sweetly, and he can look forward to that strike doing the rounds around the world this week. A thunderstrike of the highest order.
But to Adelaide’s dismay, they gave up the lead immediately, and depressingly. Brosque was quick to sniff out a poorly weighted back pass courtesy of Elsey, and Le Fondre was on hand to convert the penalty.
It was probably just rewards however, as the scoreline is reflective of the evenness of the two sides. Adelaide started better and probably finished the stronger, while Sydney muscled their way back in through the middle.
While both sides are finding some joy in the flanks, it’s Brosque from Sydney who seems to be causing the most havoc through the middle. He’s regularly finding little pockets of space in between the line, and permitting the sort of link-up play that you’d think Sydney will eventually exploit.
Adelaide, by contrast, are having plenty of joy themselves in engineering great positions, only to be let down by a poor final ball. On the balance of probability, one of these crosses will have to find a man.
Both sides are giving zero inches, with zero pragmatism. It’s enterprising football, with silverware on offer. Strap in for the second half.
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46 min: A corner to finish the half for Sydney FC. Van der Linden curls it in to a very central area, but Adelaide are first there, and that’s half-time.
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45 min: A long, speculative cross comes in from Sydney FC, and Elsey isn’t able to completely deal with it. The ball falls to the feet of Brosque, who realistically wasn’t expecting it, before Elsey atones for the initial error.
Two minutes of stoppage time
43 min: Some more circumspect possession between both sides now, probably looking to ease into half-time. But as I say that, Adelaide gallops forward. Another cross comes in from the left, before Van der Linden heads commandingly clear. The home side finishing the first half stronger here.
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39 min: Zullo brought down near halfway after quick feet. Sydney move it on quickly. The game has a speedier pace to it now, with plenty of feeling in the challenges. Curious to see who finishes the half stronger - both teams still have ambitions to dominate the ball.
35 min: Another foul, and things getting spicy now. Regular howls from the crowd - it’s heating up.
34 min: The free-kick is a classic training ground move, but Zullo took somebody out (probably part of the plan too), and referee Gillett blows it up.
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33 min: Ninkovic performs a full somersault following a hard challenge from Marrone. The latter earns himself a yellow, and so do both Isais and Sydney’s Zullo for a fee afters, as they say. The free-kick probably just outside shooting distance...
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Craig Goodwin in ridiculous form. Looking a serious chance to get back in the @Socceroos squad for the November friendlies. #FFACupFinal
— Daniel Garb (@DanielGarb) October 30, 2018
31 min: Goodwin goes close! He finds a pocket just outside the box and hits hard and low. It has that slight knuckle-ball effect, and skims its way past the far post. Redmayne looked comfortable enough - not sure he was.
29 min: Izzo strains to collect a cross, and does so, just! This match has come alive, and as I type this the ball funnels down the other end, is crossed in, and Redmayne gathers.
Adelaide 1-1 Sydney (Le Fondre 27)
27 min: Le Fondre powers home! It’s high, hard and right into the top left corner. Izzo went the right way, but he didn’t stand a chance. Sydney hits back immediately, and Hindmarsh is deflated. A huge error on a big stage from Elsey, unfortunately.
26 min: Penalty to Sydney FC! Oh no! Straight after the goal, Elsey errs with an errant, short backpass. Brosque latches onto it, and Izzo brings him down. Huge error from the Adelaide centre-back.
Adelaide 1-0 Sydney FC (Goodwin 24)
24 min: What a goal from Goodwin! An absolute fizzer from the local boy who’s left foot strikes one with power, pace and curve around the wall and into the top left corner. As good a free-kick as you’ll see! 1-0.
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23 min: Free-kick Adelaide, about 25 metres out, straight-on to goal. Goodwin was taken down at the hands of Grant. Goodwin lines it up...
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Critical question
What’s worse? #FFACupFinal #MagicOfTheCup
— michael barbaro (@mbarbaro1994) October 30, 2018
19 min: More pressure from Sydney, who are camped in Adelaide’s half now. A long throw from Rhyan Grant causes headaches as Le Fondre makes a nuisance of himself in the area, but the ball bounces to safety.
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16 min: A bit better from Sydney now. Brosque gets in between the lines and the space he finds allows him to ferry it out wide down Adelaide’s left, where Sydney have had some success tonight. The ball comes in to the back post, but Le Fondre came near, Adelaide off the hook.
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13 min: Sydney’s first positive signs. First, a Van der Linden long ball eventually finds Le Fondre whose early shot on the half turn was dealt with comfortably. Second, another ball came in from a free-kick, Jacobsen missed the header, but Adelaide managed to scramble away.
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11 min: The corner’s worked short, but is comfortably headed clear by Van der Linden. When it comes back, Redmayne rushes out and looked to be struggling, but eventually parried it down and gained control. Sydney need a bit of possession here.
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10 min: Adelaide have started the brighter here, exposing Sydney down both their left and right. As I type Craig Goodwin finds further space down the left, but the final ball - pulled back - can’t find an Adelaide player. Sydney concede a corner, Adelaide’s third.
8 min: Curiously, O’Neill goes down in the centre of the field while Adelaide had the ball at their end. Attention turned to whether there’d been an off the ball incident, but replays confirmed a benign collision between O’Neill and Boland. Furious conversations about O’Neill’s obligations of course ensue. The end result, Sydney give the ball back and Adelaide starts again.
6 min: All Adelaide here, Boland finding Galloway with acres on the left and plenty of time to deliver something telling, but the ball balloons off his boot and is easily claimed by Redmayne.
4 min: Opportunity for Adelaide after they exploited yawning space down Sydney’s left. A dangerous squared ball courtesy of Halloran caused Redmayne some problems, but Sydney’s Grant was there to clear it.
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3 min: Adelaide set up at the halfway line early, before pressing and forcing a mistake from Redmayne. It results in two corners, the first is cleared for another, before the second is worked short. The ensuing cross is too deep and easily collected by Redmayne.
1 min: And we’re off! Adelaide in red shirts, Sydney in sky blue. Everything looks clean and pure. A beautiful evening, a full ground, wonder what awaits...
Always enjoy the tunnel shots - you lean in as you hear the clump of studs on the concrete pavement, eager to glean anything said or roared from either team. Here I could hear someone ‘yiew!’ excitedly, and someone else said ‘come on boys, it’s a final’, which was somewhat more prosaic.
Anthems now, and it’s an A Capella version of Advance Australia Fair, which I’m enjoying. The contrast between the precise soprano of the singer (I missed her name, I’m sorry) and the gravelly distant baritone of blokes in the stands is stirring.
Kick off next.
7.33pm, and the players are still in the rooms...
Or, put another way:
It’s 7:30, why the fuck are they still in the rooms #FFACupFinal
— Adam (@StDelta1873) October 30, 2018
Players milling around their respective dressing rooms now...
The consensus around the traps seems to be that Sydney are likely to be the aggressors, and Adelaide will need to be at full energy to disrupt them. ‘If you can stop Ninkovic,’ says Andy Harper, ‘you’re three-quarters of the way there’. A more conventional piece of analysis from the Fox stalwart, and an accurate one.
HOW.
— Leo James 📲⚽️ (@realLeoJames) October 30, 2018
GOOD.
IS.
THIS.#FFACupFinal@FFACup@AdelaideUnited@SydneyFC pic.twitter.com/gIj6afw1FX
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Very Fox-esque interplay on the TV coverage.
If Adelaide don’t pay attention, Le Fondre will “pull their pants down,” says Andy Harper. “And Ninkovic will smack you on the bottom,” he adds.
“What? A towel flick?” replies host Peacock.
“...interesting analogy,” says John Kosmina.
And that was that.
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More encouragement for Adelaide.
On the road to the final, @AdelaideUnited haven't conceded a goal. If that continues they're in with a great shout of winning the trophy. Goodwin has three goals in this season's competition. #ALeagueFC #FFACupFinal #ADLvSYD
— A-League FC (@ALeagueFC) October 30, 2018
Slight mistake earlier, Sydney’s also missing Trent Buhagiar of course - a massive out as 4 goals in his last 3 games would attest.
Everything points to a tight contest.
Hindmarsh looks a picture...
A beautiful night for it! @AdelaideUnited #FFACupFinal #ADLvSYD pic.twitter.com/kIwLYMGw4L
— Bec Moore (@becmoore14) October 30, 2018
A few stats to whet the appetite
- In four FFA Cup Finals, the home team has won each time
- In three FFA Cup encounters, Adelaide’s won two, Sydney one.
Augers well for the home side...
Now Adelaide
Boland is in, Diawara is out.
ICYMI: This is how we line up for the @FFACup Final. #AUFC #FFACupFinal pic.twitter.com/9VHGAp9E0v
— Adelaide United (@AdelaideUnited) October 30, 2018
Here’s how Sydney look tonight
No Siem De Jong, but otherwise fairly close to full-strength.
LINEUP | Here's how your Sky Blues shape up for tonight's massive @FFACup Final at Coopers Stadium v Adelaide!
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) October 30, 2018
What do you make of the squad?#SydneyIsSkyBlue #ComeWithUs #FFACupFinal pic.twitter.com/IoXsIXUwPO
Preamble
Good evening all, and a big cheers for stopping by this live blog as we take in Adelaide United v Sydney FC in the FFA Cup Final, MK II.
As we count down to kick off, a quick primer on the build-up to tonight’s encounter, which will take place at Cooper’s Stadium Hindmarsh.
In conventional style, Adelaide’s coach Marco Kurz has deftly wrested the all-important underdog tag, citing both injuries and Sydney’s vast finals experience as key factors in securing the label.
Earlier this week, Kurz intimated that Baba Diawara (knee) and Mirko Boland (hip) might struggle to make the match. As it transpires, the former will miss out, but Boland is in.
Kurz is probably right: Sydney are deserved favourites here. They hold the cup, have been to many finals before, and in Milos Ninkovic, a game-breaker who’s likely to go a long way to deciding the match.
It’s a full house and great conditions at Hindmarsh tonight, and, dare I say, has all the hallmarks of a great cup encounter.
Feel free to give me a shout if you’re keen to vent your spleen. On Twitter it’s @sjjperry, and old-school, sam.perry.freelance@theguardian.com.
I’ll have the line-ups next.
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