Summary
Well. How bout that. At 2-0 up it looked all Easy Rider with Bruno Fornaroli as Dennis Hopper – but you can’t discount the reigning Premiers and Champions, even with this horrific injury list. A great attempted fightback, but to no avail – Amor can take heart, but for his men it’s a third-consecutive 2-1 loss.
City looked very good value for all three points for a good two-thirds of that encounter but without the experienced heads of Cahill and Jakobsen (also Sorensen) on the pitch you just worried for a moment that they might roll over.
Adelaide perhaps lacking a real link player in attack – the Carrusca role, if you will, to link up with Guardiola, who despite his toil looked isolated at times. Kitto showed promise once more, and all of the Adelaide youngsters who came in offered hope for the future, but you very much wonder what a Cirio or Henrique might have brought to that last ten minutes.
Van ‘t Schip will take that, you’d hazard, after City’s FFA Cup heroics midweek. It’s a third win in four, and they roll on nicely in the league after last week’s upset at the hands of Perth.
Updated
Full-time: Melbourne City 2-1 Adelaide United
90 + 4 min: “They think it’s all over – it is now”.
A courageous late challenge from the Reds, but it’s all in vain. City have the three points, and a relieved John van ‘t Schip puffs out the cheeks.
90 + 3 min: Great chase by Guardiola he draws a throw in out of Rose. Over-exuberance in the corner though, and that’s a freekick to City. Is that it?
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90 min: Handball called against Muscat, accidental, but still the case. Kilkenny and Malik break up the play, and Brandan heads for the corner flag.
McGree does well in midfield and now the Reds attack down the left. Choi and Garuccio look to double up on Muscat, but the former Nix player stands tall. Good defending.
Now it’s Brandan off for a time-sapping substitution.
Have they done enough City?
89 min: Adelaide with the lion’s share of possession, as you’d expect – they still build patiently, probing and prying, to see if they can find an opening.
It’s been all round the outside and down the flanks from both sides tonight, neither have necessarily really split each other straight down the guts.
87 min: Caceres then brings down Elrich – it’s getting scrappy right at the finish.
Choi whips in another good ball, and Chapman is forced to clear his lines. Corner to Adelaide – Choi to send in once again.
He finds La Rocca! But it’s header wide, amid heavy traffic.
85 min: Now it’s Brattan that heads to the bench, van ‘t Schip is staggering his substitutions here to break up the momentum, as is his prerogative. On comes Caceres.
Definitely a tug on La Rocca, replays suggest, but I’d warrant perhaps a harsh one if that was handed a penalty.
Now Elrich goes straight through Brandan who rolls between sixteen and twenty-seven times; he got the ball first, yes, but some definite feeling there. A leveller for the Argentine’s early horror-tackle?
83 min: Ooh, McGowan appeals for a penalty – was there a tug on La Rocca? Chris Beath says no, but they might have had a shout there, Chapman the alleged infringer.
Choi looking lively on the left flank, he’s been lively since his inclusion.
81 min: Muscat fouls Guardiola, Choi looks to beat his marker out wide. Now he clips in another cross, but Bouzanis dives to intercept.
Elrich looks to cross, but a bubbling deflection of the shin of Brandan almost sets up a calamity! Bouzanis backpedals rapidly and just tips it over! What an equaliser that could have been.
Corner to the Reds, they’re starting to build something now.
79 min: Marc Marino – remember him, City fans? He’s just come on for Adelaide – what can this young striker fashion?
La Rocca flashes a header just wide after a very fine ball in from Isaias. And then Retre also goes in the book, City’s fifth, for a cynical break in play with McGree racing through.
Is it starting to bubble nicely? What type of last ten do we have in store?
Bruce Kamau heads off, he’s replaced by Nick Fitzgerald.
77 min: A scampering counter attack with Brandan driving the charge through the middle. As Adelaide push further forward for the equaliser gaps increasingly open up.
But the Argentine then blots his copybook with a frankly horror tackle on Elrich. Shades of Santalab in that one as he leaps in two-footedly, and catches the right back.
Elrich looks okay, thankfully, and it’s a yellow for Brandan.
75 min: A break in play now as Fornaroli stays down after a challenge from Isaias.
You don’t want to tempt fate with 15 to come, but credit where credit is due – Chris Beath has adjudicated this one very capably thus far.
73 min: Kilkenny tries his hand at this delivery – but it’s even worse than Brattan’s last! Easily cut out by the Reds defence.
Another young face, Riley McGree, jogs on for Adelaide – what can he bring to the mix?
71 min: A sixth corner for the home side, after fine close control from Fornaroli. It’s not Brattan’s best – before Fornaroli and Kamau combine to test Galekovic at his near post, and in the process picking up another corner. So lively – and would you believe it, the same combination have almost picked each other out on a lightning counter attack.
Result? A corner.
68 min: So game on now – that’s taken the bravado out of the home crowd. To their credit they’re still cheering their side with voice and drum.
Isaias picks out the youngster, O’Doherty, but his final ball is poor. City look to counter now, but it’s Retre with a sloppy final pass for Kamau. No excuses for midweek tiredness there, Retre only made a cameo of the bench.
66 min: Choi comes on and Kilkenny goes into the book – gifting United another freekick set piece. Surely they can’t fashion a quick-fire double?
It’s intricately worked – which as always is code for: “they tried something really tricky, and completely botched it”.
Goal! Melbourne City 2-1 Adelaide United (Garrucio)
64 min: Welly, well, well, well! With City apparently very much in control it’s a moment of real quality from Garuccio who jinks round his opposite number and puts a tantalising cross in.
Guardiola bisects his markers, Chapman and Malik, far too easily – were they expecting the ‘keeper to come claim just then?
Oh dear, City – let’s hope their trademarked ‘fragility’ from seasons past isn’t about to rear again!
63 min: Amor may be looking to freshen things up here – Danny Choi (he of the NPL and FFA Cup wonder goals) could be about to come on for just his 4th minute of A-League action. Incidentally Galekovic just notched up 23,000 in the A-League. Stats, eh?
60 min: Home fans now in fine fettle, and why not – even without Tim Cahill their lads are putting on another imposing display thus far.
Garuccio with a long raking ball looking for Guardiola – almost a miracle ball there but it’s well intercepted by Chapman.
Kamau goes down with cramp; he’s only just back from that Dino Djulbic-inspired concussion, so perhaps a touch short of full match fitness.
57 min: Well, we made much of City’s midweek heroics, and how they might be facing some tiredness late in this game – but can anyone see Adelaide getting three here?
They’ve not created great moments (two strikes of the frame aside, that is) but Reds fans will hope they only need one.
29 goals in 33 A-League games for Bruno Fornaroli. Now that is some track record.
Goal! Melbourne City 2-0 Adelaide United (Fornaroli, pen)
55 min: How do you like that! Facing one of the best shot-stoppers in the history of the A-League, Bruno clips it straight and high – it’s a panenka and Galekovic has no chance!
52 min: Now it’s Elrich in the book – the fourth yellow card of the evening.
Fornaroli tries another shot, and as City win a corner it’s Makarounas who joins his teammate with a booking, for his late clattering tackle on Fornaroli.
Ooh, it’s going from bad to worse for Adelaide here – the balls played in and it’s Brandan with the header, and it strikes the out-raised arm of Sergio Guardiola!
What does Chris Beath say? Yes, penalty!
Updated
50 min: Garuccio getting the better of Kamau on that occasion, great little tussle that one. Now it’s Brattan who rotates into the wide space as Kamau cuts inside, and his side have won a corner.
Short corner combination between Brattan and Kamau and an excellent ball puts it on a platter for Fornaroli! He heads over from about six yards – too much on that already stinging cross from Brattan.
47 min: For fans of the AAMI Park seagulls, be assured they are out in strong numbers tonight. REALLY, strong numbers. Reminds me of a Test match about fifteen years back when one of the batsman cracked an unwitting pigeon out on boundary, and Bill Lawry in commentary was almost beside himself with emotion. Scenes.
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Second half: Melbourne City 1-0 Adelaide United
45 min: And we’re back (as I brush chip crumbs off the keyboard). Don’t tell the big boss. No changes from either manager, not that you’d have necessarily fancied any after that first offering – no real weak spots or glaring tactical deficiencies.
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Troy Henderson’s offered his thoughts on that Kilkenny-Isaias flashpoint:
“Six of one half a dozen of the other”.
Thanks there, both a touch cryptic, and arguably entirely fair. Isaias did make contact with the face of the City player but he really did make a meal of it – and certainly by rugby standards it was nowhere near a decent ol’ eye-gouging.
Your two cents otherwise on that first opening stanza?
Updated
Feel free to offer us your version of what happened there – bonus points if you only use emojis.
So, City very much in control under the watchful eyes of Ange Postecoglou. Brattan and Kamau pulling the strings with Brandan and Fornaroli lively as always.
The half-time stats suggest it was more even than perhaps it looked; City only shading possession 53-47% but they did presumably a lot more with it. Nine shots to four – and except for that late, late header all the best efforts came from City.
An update on Fornaroli’s yellow card – for touching the referee apparently. Not inappropriately, obviously. But also, inappropriately, by the letter of the law.
Half-time: Melbourne City 1-0 Adelaide United
45 min: Wow. Great drama right at the death! It’s Adelaide with a freekick and remarkably after all that’s happened in the first 45 minutes it’s only the width of the crossbar that’s prevented the Reds from going in on an even standing!
Great ball to the far post and there’s a run that’s not been picked up – I want to say Kitto, but to be deadly honest the bl**dy office cleaners just turned the vacuum on and I’ve missed the commentary..
It is ALL happening here at Guardian HQ; as well as at AAMI Park evidently.
42 min: Not sure if Foxsports still has their Cahill-Cam option on, but as things on the pitch drift into a lull we’re treated to an extensive close up of the Socceroo great in the crowd in his civvies.
It’s another freekick for City now, and it’s Brattan to deliver.
Ooh, wickedly curled in – just evades the first man and it flies off an Adelaide boot behind for a corner! That could have gone absolutely anywhere.
From the resulting corner it’s Kamau who has a shot cleared off the line, before Fornaroli lofts an attempted effort just over the bar.
Real hearts-in-mouths moments for Reds fans there; they’ll take a half-time whistle about now you’d hazard.
40 min: Adelaide continue to play out from the back, and this time it’s Garuccio who’s almost caught in possession by Kamau. They have to be careful the Reds – they’re not subscribing to once bitten, twice shy – and fair enough, that’s the way Amor has them playing, and presumably he’ll take the good with the bad.
37 min: Well, maybe there is some spite out there – Kilkenny and Isaias have a coming together and the City midfield falls to the ground dramatically. He’s claiming a poke in the eye, but that looks a touch far-fetched.
There’s a yellow card out – is it for simulation by Kilkenny, or a second yellow for the Spaniard?!
Neither – it’s for the skipper Fornaroli; not entirely sure why, perhaps something in the ensuing melee.
Well officiated by Chris Beath, it would have been a real game-ruiner if Isaias had gone then for what was, well, frankly a big load of not much.
Updated
35 min: Meanwhile it’s Isaias in the book for a block on Fornaroli. Too wily from the Uruguayan – good to see it’s not just agricultural Aussie defenders who fall for his tricks.
Kilkenny with a raking pass to find Brandan – it’s called offside but replays suggest that was harsh on the Argentine. Unlucky City, there was something on there.
33 min: Brandan tangles with Elrich, and he’s perhaps unlucky not to be booked the Argentine. That was a crude hack, and the three-cap Socceroo limps away gingerly.
He’s all bustle and bump the be-rats-tailed Brandan, but he’s the type of player every teammate wants.
31 min: A rare give away from Isaias and Brattan almost picks out Fornaroli with a long lofted pass, but La Rocca intercepts.
Meanwhile O’Doherty pins the ears back to test Manny Muscat, but doesn’t win the corner.
29 min: First yellow – it’s Rose in the book, and to be fair it seemed reasonably innocuous.
The City left back has been pinged for possibly an elbow, but it’s just a hand in the throat of a young opponent. Nothing malicious there.
27 min: Brattan again pulls out wide to deliver a teasing cross, he’s got such a strong delivery, does the former Roar man. They may have lost Aaron Mooy in the off-season, but they’ve not lost too much in the set piece department.
Here’s Brattan again, whipping in a fine delivery after Brandan was clattered. Adelaide scramble clear.
25 min: And out of nowhere, it’s Adelaide crashing one against the post! Not much on there, but Kitto’s done well to skip inside two defenders – his shot is a worm-burner and Bouzanis seems to take an age to scramble across his own goal – but his blushes are spared by the base of the upright.
23 min: Now it’s Fornaroli with the effort! It’s shooting fish in a barrel at the moment. Lovely work from Brattan, he clips a well-paced cross in to a charging Fornaroli, who collects at the near post but flicks his shot just wide.
Eugene Galekovic isn’t one to ever look flustered but even the veteran ‘keeper’s eyes must have lit up then. Great passage.
Updated
21 min: Josh Rose now fires off a shot, it’s very much City in the ascendancy in front of their own fans. Now it’s Kilkenny and Kamau exchanging tight passes, but the former Birmingham City man fails to pull the trigger. Not known for his goals, Kilkenny, but he plays such a crucial role in the heart of the City midfield.
19 min: Lovely interchange between Brattan and Kamau – gee, he’s been prominent the Kenyan-born winger. Great quick feet as he tries to skip round Garuccio, and after a pinballing moment, gets away a shot, but it’s scuffed and Galekovic isn’t troubled.
17 min: Great skill from Brandan to beat his man Garuccio, but the left back recovers to concede a corner. It’s Kamau with the header, amid a crowded pack of players, but it drifts to the left of Galekovic’s upright.
Updated
15 min: Straight into the wall; didn’t look the sharpest that freekick, alas for Reds fans.
Now it’s City looking slightly more content to sit back and allow Adelaide the ball at the back. Why not? It’s already reaped dividends once.
13 min: What can Adelaide muster now? It’s a daunting early task they’ve now been set; and it’s a stern-looking Amor scowling and prowling on the touch line.
Kamau fired the warning shot, and then banging-Bruno – gee, doesn’t he like hitting them at AAMI Stadium – went even better.
Meanwhile Malik goes in heavily on Guardiola. Garuccio’s left foot appears to fancy this one from just to the side of the box.
Goal! Melbourne City 1-0 Adelaide United (Fornaroli)
11 min: Oh dear. The Reds look to play out from the back, but it’s Elrich who’s trapped in possession. Great pressing from Brandan, I believe, and then Kamau – it falls to City’s captain just outside the box and he fires a great curling effort.
Galekovic, no chance – lovely strike!
10 min: Wow. Well, we said Ange was here to watch Brattan but he wouldn’t mind the early sightings of Kamau.
The young winger finds himself with a touch of space, jinks inside one defender before firing off an improbable 30m rocket – Galekovic looks to have it covered but it still flicks the top of the crossbar; great driven shot there; and inch-perfect confidence from the veteran ‘keeper in leaving it.
8 min: Bouzanis launches a quick counter looking for Kamau, but it’s just two long and goes into touch. Reds players remonstrating in backplay for a perceived late challenge from Brattan on La Rocca.
6 min: City probe down Adelaide’s right but Elrich does well to intercept. Well won back by O’Doherty and a sumptuous ball from Isaias finds Garuccio out wide. He swings in a lovely cross and it’s Mells who gets a shot away – deflected behind for a corner.
Nice passage, Adelaide.
4 min: Guardiola pinged for offside, the Spaniard starting his run just too early.
A close up of Ange Postecoglou in the stands – most likely having a good look at Luke Brattan who he’s named in his extended squad of 30 for the Socceroos next World Cup fixture against Thailand.
2 min: First early look for City, Brandan does well out wide and just for half a second it looks like Brattan has space on the edge of the box – but he dallies before trying an ambitious lofted chip that sails harmlessly over.
Updated
Kick off: Melbourne City 0-0 Adelaide United
1 min: And we’re under way! Adelaide in trademark red, City in white with light blue trim. City with early possession, just caressing round the back, and not being pressed too heavily.
Chris Beath is our man with the whistle tonight so all your Shaun Evans haters can go back to burning ants with magnifying glasses.
There shouldn’t be excessive feeling between these two – Victory and Adelaide might have had their set-tos in the past, but that original SA v Vic rivalry hasn’t necessarily translated to these two clubs. That said, they do have a decent record of poaching each other’s players, so watch this space.
The players are in the tunnel, and so’s Yoshi – we’re just a few moments away.
A stack of changes for both teams therefore – for City: Thomas Sorensen remains on the bench with Dean Bouzanis preferred to the veteran Premier League shot-stopper.
Connor Chapman comes in for fellow Dane Michael Jakobsen who along with Tim Cahill is rested after their midweek FFA Cup heroics.
It looks like van ‘t Schip might shift back to a 4-3-3 tonight, with Osama Malik coming in against his old club, and Bruce Kamau also returning from concussion to possibly haunt his former employees.
No Henrique or James Holland for the Reds, youngster Jordan O’Doherty flies into the starting XI – what a big moment for the teenage forward, with George Mells also coming in.
Still a pretty experienced defence for the Reds, but it’s an extremely young looking bench. Watch for Marc Marino – released by City in May to look for minutes against his old teammates.
Our respective sets of players are just warming up – kickoff not too far away. Some team news therefore:
Melbourne City:
Bouzanis; Rose, Chapman, Malik, Muscat; Kilkenny, Brattan, Retre; Kamau, Fornaroli (c), Brandan
Bench: Sorensen (GK), Tongyik, Fitzgerald, Caceres, Cavallo
Our team is in for #MCYvADL tonight, kick-off 7.50pm. pic.twitter.com/gElhzaMbQJ
— Melbourne City FC (@MelbourneCity) October 28, 2016
Adelaide United:
Galekovic (c); Garuccio, La Rocca, McGowan, Elrich; Isaias, Makarounas, Mells; Kitto, O’Doherty, Guardiola
Bench: Hall (GK), Regan, Marino, McGree, Choi
Here's how #AUFC will line up in #MCYvADL this evening! What do you think the score will be? pic.twitter.com/mdwfhbRMtg
— Adelaide United FC (@AdelaideUnited) October 28, 2016
Evening all, Rich Parkin in the chair, as advertised on the can. Looking forward to a decent ol’ battle between these two – the reigning champions and the pretenders to the crown.
As always, we love to hear from you, the people – are you following this coverage from anywhere especially intriguing? (Can you get internet reception whilst scuba diving? I’ve never tried). What do you make of Sophie’s Yoshi’ choice?
Gutted; supportive; largely unmoved? #UGottaHaveAHashtag
Shoot me a tweet @rrjparkin or via email richard.parkin.casual@theguardian.com to join the coverage – as always it’s a better ride with you along.
Preamble
It’s not been the ideal start to their title defence for the champions (and premiers) – they’ve gone within one minute of remaining unbeaten twice in a row – and after 90th minute slip ups against Victory and Wanderers you’d imagine Guillermo Amor will be dreading added time with the likes of Bruno Fornaroli circling.
Melbourne City suffered their own late slip up last week, as a rampaging Andy Keogh upset the early form favourites, with his 85th minute hat-trick.
They’ll be boosted by the key announcement midweek – FFA media campaign poster-child Yoshi was urged #gottahaveateam, and he duly announced he’s found one: Melbourne City
It was a decision reportedly largely driven by the presence of Tim Cahill; but if the youngster has made the long trek from his home city, Sydney, to support his new side then he’s in for bad news; Timmy hasn’t made the squad this weekend after a midweek knock sustained in that bruising FFA Cup semi-final against rivals Melbourne Victory.
Adelaide themselves are having a horror run of injuries – after Jack Clisby’s crude challenge put Cirio on the sidelines for a few months now the news that there’s no James Holland or Henrique around tonight, let alone Marcelo Carrusca who remains on the sideline with a foot injury.
A tough proposition for the Reds therefore, but if anyone remembers their turnaround after round 8 last season, you’d be a brave person to write them off completely.
An intriguing match up therefore tonight, Adelaide haven’t lost on the road in their last eleven matches. Can a fatigued City delight their home fans, or can the Reds carry out a smash-and-grab mission of their own? Find out shortly.
Richard will be here shortly. In the meantime, in case you missed it, here’s David Squires’ review of last weekend’s action, including Kevin Muscat as Tom Cruise, Kenny Lowe in a corporate hospitality box and that Aaron Mooy banner.
