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07/01/04 Adelaide United

Strikers Too Hot for Adelaide

In the searing Brisbane heat, the Strikers got one over the old coach at Perry Park last night.  In one of the best performances of the season, Brisbane overcame Adelaide United by a solitary goal.  It was only poor finishing by Brisbane which stopped them from a goal scoring spree.

Brisbane certainly began the match the stronger of the two sides, in which the heat perhaps played a large role in Adelaide’s performance, however only one word can describe Kosmina’s side, predictable.  The typical 4-4-2 with the side defenders getting forward at every given opportunity was very much reminiscent of Brisbane last season.

In the 4^th minute of play Matt McKay put a good ball through to Steve Fitzsimmons (who was playing in Stefanutto’s position on the left) down the left.  Fitzsimmons skipped past two defenders and struck a well hit shot to the far post; the ball went just wide of the upright. 

The opening minutes were full of relentless pressure by Brisbane, their excellent passing and pressing of the opposition allowed this to occur.  In the 11^th minute Brisbane had a throw in near the opposition area on the right hand side.  The long throw caused panic in the Adelaide defense, and the half clearance fell to Luke Morley.  With a strikers instinct Morley hit the shot first time on the near post, and it went under the keeper and into the back of the net.  It was 1-0 to Brisbane, and a goal they full deserved.

Even in the lead Brisbane did not cease the pressure on the Adelaide goal.  In the 18^th minute a long ball from defense put Luke Morley clear on the left hand side.  He squared to Louis Brian in the area, who, with just the goalkeeper to beat hit his shot over the bar.

Only two minutes later, some excellent passing in midfield by Brisbane led to Adam Webber going down the right hand side.  His well hit cross was met by the head of Luke Morley.  The header however, went just over the bar.

Steve Fitzsimmons was having a very good game on the left hand side, and his running was causing problems for the Adelaide defense.  In the 28^th some sublime skill saw him brought down on the left hand side.  The free kick was nice struck into the area.  Peter Grierson once again rose above everyone, and his header almost had the beating of David Scarsella, yet Scarsella managed to tip it over the bar.

It was Adelaide’s persistence in throwing players forward which was giving Brisbane so much space in the final third of the field.  In the 37^th minute a Brisbane counter attack led to Brian putting an excellent ball through to Luke Morley on the left.  Morley was one on one with the goalkeeper, however the angle was acute and his shot went over the bar.

It took forty minutes for Adelaide to cause any danger to the Brisbane goal.  After a free kick on the right the ball bounced loose in the Brisbane area, Valkanis latched onto it with a good half volley, which forced a good save from Scott Higgins.  

The last chance of the half in the 47^th minute fell to Brisbane.  From a well hit corner, Peter Grierson got up above everyone and headed it just over the bar.

The first half was an excellent display of patient, purposeful attacking football by the home side.  Brisbane’s tactics were proving too superior against the men from Adelaide, and the heat was also playing a factor.  However Brisbane with all their chances only managed to put one away in the first half, which allowed Adelaide to be still in the hunt.

The second half began with Adelaide going for broke.  They were pushing players forward every time they gained possession, and at time left only one or two defenders behind.  It would prove to be a tough task for Brisbane, however every time a counter was created a goal scoring opportunity would arise. 

In the 52^nd minute Luke Morley was put clean through on the right hand side by an excellent Matt McKay pass.  Morley somehow over hit the ball and Scarsella raced off his line.  However Morley did well to regain control and put the ball into the area, but the Adelaide defenders were back in numbers by this time and cleared the danger.

Adelaide’s predictable attack was on show for all to see.  Get the ball to Alagich for a cross into the area must have been Kosmina’s words at half time, as that’s all Adelaide did in the entire second half. 

The 60^th minute saw Adelaide’s first real chance of the second half.  Some good passing got Vidmar into the area, and he tried to chip Higgins from an acute angle, but the ball went over the bar.

Ten minutes later the usual route to goal by Adelaide was taken.  Terminello this time went down the right and put a good cross in, which Carl Veart headed well, yet Higgins was equal to it and forced the corner.

Brisbane were defending well and keeping most of the Adelaide attacks.  In the 74^th minute another counter attack led to another goal scoring chance.  A long ball by Karl Dodd was flicked on by substitute Joshua Rose.  The ball went to another substitute Matthew Hilton who had the awareness the go for goal while Scarsella was off his line.  The ball went just over the bar and Scarsella must have been thanking his lucky stars.

From then on Brisbane were getting as many players back as possible in order to stop wave after wave of Adelaide crosses.  In the 82^nd minute Adelaide squared the ball into the area and Smeltz’s deflected shot almost went into the top corner.

With Brisbane defense having an excellent game, one lapse in concentration could have undone all the good work.  In the 89^th minute Smeltz did well to get wide down the right, his excellent cross fell to the unmarked Budin in the area, six yards from goal.  Budin however fluffed his shot and it went straight to Higgins.  It was heart in the mouth stuff for Brisbane fans and no doubt Kosmina would have been pulling ears in the dressing room after the match.

The match ended soon after, and in the end it was a comfortable victory for the Brisbane Strikers.  Adelaide’s unimaginative play was easily dealt with by Brisbane in the second half, and only a chance at the end ever threatened the score line.  It was six points out of six for Brisbane this week, and the fortress of Perry Park is increasing in stature as well as size, with crowds of almost three and a half thousand for both games.  Brisbane has taken a giant leap towards the finals this week and no doubt the Brisbane fans will come out in force to watch the Strikers take on the Australian U23 side on Saturday night.

Brisbane Strikers 1 (1) 

v 

Adelaide United 0 (0)

Scorers: Luke Morely (10')

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