Saturday 28 November 2015: Melbourne Victory’s North Terrace active supporters march out of Etihad Stadium before half-time in protest at the treatment of A-League fans by sections of the Australian media and the meek response from football administrators. They turned on their heel and set the week’s agenda emboldened by a 2-0 lead against old enemies Adelaide United. They journeyed home with their side on top of the A-League ladder and their winless rivals rooted to its bottom. It remains a defining moment in the season.
Impossible to interpret at the time, the match would prove significant on the field as well as off it. Over three months later it stands as the turning point in one of the more remarkable A-League stories, one that now sees the once hopeless Reds top the table after thrashing Wellington Phoenix 4-0 and extending their unbeaten run to 14 matches.
Arriving into that November showpiece without a win in their opening seven games (including a run of four in a row in which they conceded at least three goals) United were out of the contest by the 29th minute when Oliver Bozanic’s free-kick crept inside Eugene Galekovic’s near post. In the 14 matches and 61 minutes since that strike the Reds have conceded just eight goals, scoring 32 of their own.
The first of those goals was from the penalty spot in the 87th minute of that defeat in Melbourne. When Kosta Barbarouses bundled over Craig Goodwin it seemed an unlikely fork in the road but after Marcelo Carrusca slotted home the consolation penalty the pilot light of revival flickered into life. Red shirts swarmed around Danny Vukovic to retrieve the ball in an unsuccessful attempt to salvage a point from the contest. That spirit, ignited in defeat, remains undimmed half a season later.
On Saturday evening in New Zealand Adelaide United became the fifth club to top the A-League ladder this season. It reflects a topsy-turvy campaign where, outside of the marooned Mariners, the maxim that “anybody can beat anybody on their day” can hardly be more true.
Adelaide’s ascent has been dramatic but by no means irresistible. They don’t have Melbourne Victory’s imposing aura. There is no transcendent superstar in their midst like Bruno Fornaroli. There isn’t the formidable spine of Tony Popovic’s Wanderers.
Guillermo Amor has benefitted as much from circumstance as meticulous planning. He has skilfully manipulated his squad in recent months, tweaking attacking structures, allowing his defence to take care of itself, and taking full advantage of a fixture list that has opened invitingly before him.
The impact of captain and marquee man Galekovic cannot be understated. He was absent from the opening six matches of that false start to the season. Since his introduction, United have the league’s stingiest defence and he has the highest save percentage of any goalkeeper in the competition. Whether by chance or design, injuries and a lack of depth in front of him have resulted in a settled, increasingly effective back four.
In midfield the departures of Osama Malik and James Jeggo in the January transfer window have meant youngsters George Mells and Stefan Mauk have been afforded the freedom to flourish. Mauk, returning to his home state in the deal that sent Mailk to Melbourne City, was nominated the young player of the month for February. His introduction has increased Adelaide’s attacking potency, not only through his own endeavour but in the way his arrival has freed the elegant Carrusca to occupy more advanced positions. Adelaide’s second against the Phoenix showcased the growing understanding between the pair and the youngster’s composure in front of goal.
In the final third the lack of a prolific goalscorer suggests Adelaide are at an historic disadvantage. However, Bruce Djite’s textbook positioning in the Cake Tin means he has now netted in three of his last four outings, while around him goal threats are sprouting like woodland fungi. Bruce Kamau is a late season revelation, Craig Goodwin is in bursts unplayable, Sergio Cirio and Pablo Sanchez continue to bag crucial goals while Mauk and Carrusca offer midfield menace. Almost every other title rival relies on a dominant centre-forward for goals. Adelaide’s more even distribution may now prove a blessing, not a curse.
The schedule has been kind to United. All three matches against Perth Glory were taken care of before Glory’s recent resurgence. Victory over Victory in Melbourne came the week prior to the onset of the Asian Champions League group stage and was the fourth in a five-match winless sequence for Kevin Muscat’s side. Two wins against Brisbane Roar both came after the Queenslanders had suffered heavy defeats on the road the previous round and failed to win the match before that. Adelaide did not waste a fixture against the Mariners in their awful opening winless run.
A churlish assessment perhaps, but one that bears consideration as the playoffs approach. This finals series promises to showcase a system that is largely alien to football culture away from Australian shores. In a season where the side second bottom can thump the side second top 5-2 away, the first past the post system may not be the most effective measure of establishing overall dominance. A postseason featuring an evenly-matched top six that have consistently thrilled in head-to-head contests promises a satisfying method of distributing silverware.
History has so far dictated that only the top two sides on the A-League ladder can triumph in such a scenario. Four teams remain within one fixture of those spots, lending an element of desperation to the run home. Adelaide are now in pole position for that final assault and with inconsistency plaguing their rivals, they deserve favouritism to lift the Premiers Plate for the first time since the end of the A-League’s first season, back in 2006.
