Sydney FC's struggles in front of goal have shown little sign of improvement after playing out a frustrating 0-0 draw with Adelaide United.
The Sky Blues remain 10th - one place off bottom - on the A-League Women table after Friday's stalemate with the Reds in sapping conditions at Leichhardt Oval.
Ante Juric's side have failed to score in their past five games and look in danger of missing the finals for a second straight season if they do not find a solution to their spluttering attack.
Not until the second-half introduction of livewire winger Riley Tanner did they look like creating something, with the Panama international hitting the woodwork and conjuring several late chances out of thin air that her teammates were unable to convert.
Adelaide, who remain one point ahead of Sydney, were on top for most of the game and could consider themselves unfortunate to have not walked away with the three points.
Adriana Taranto was particularly threatening, making a handful of slaloming runs through the Sydney defence and playing Emily Condon in on goal in the first half, only for the Adelaide stalwart to be denied by Sydney goalkeeper Heather Hinz.
Adelaide were the only side to hit the back of the net through the entire 90 minutes, and they could feel somewhat aggrieved when Erin Healy had a goal chalked off after the hour mark.
Referee Lara Lee ruled Healy pushed Sydney defender Willa Pearson off the ball before flashing the ball into the back of the net.
Tanner's introduction gave Sydney some spark and hope, and soon after coming on she rattled the crossbar.
The import was in the heart of her side's best passage of play, too, creating two chances in quick succession that attacker Skye Halmarick was unable to put away.
