Adelaide too good for Heart

Melbourne Heart 0 Adelaide United 2

By Roy Hay

Adelaide United got back to winning form with a two-nil away result against Melbourne Heart at AAMI Park on Friday night.

United have not had much success in Melbourne in recent years but they dominated this match from the beginning and went ahead with a goal after only six minutes.

Cassio sent over a free kick from the left and big Robert Cornthwaite was left unmarked to head easily past Clint Bolton who had come a long way off his line.

It seemed that Iain Fyfe had pushed out John Aloisi as the free kick came in, or someone whistled in the crowd, but the Heart protests failed to move referee Chris Beath.

Heart was very static in the first half and seldom threatened the Adelaide goal. Many long diagonal balls were played out from the back and mopped up by the visiting defenders.

Gerald Sibon had a couple of attempts one of which was blocked uncomfortably by Sergio van Dijk, while the other was a header from a Rutger Worm cross which Eugene Galekovic pushed away.

Wayne Shroj had a blast diverted away for a corner kick, but generally the visitors were in control.

Given their recent pattern of one excellent half of football and one mediocre it was expected that Heart would raise its game after the interval and the first ten minutes were encouraging.

Another Worm  cross found Sibon’s head but this time the ball was directed well wide.

Aziz Behich’s corner kick had to be touched over by Galekovic but gradually Adelaide resumed its dominance.

Alex Terra replaced Adrian Zahra on the hour, Sibon drove a free kick through the wall from distance but it was snaffled by Galekovic and Eli Babalj, another substitute, tested the keeper once again.

But most of the threat was coming in swift Adelaide counter-attacks and it was in tune with the balance of the match that they added to their lead.

Adelaide’s second goal in the 73 minute came from a cross-shot by substitute Iain Ramsay which cleared the keeper and came down off the cross-bar and possibly over the line, but Marcos Flores followed up to make sure.

Sergio van Dijk had a chance to make it three but Clint Bolton dealt with his shot on the turn and time ran out with Heart unable to gain a consolation goal.

One bright spot for the home team was the performance of Josip Skoko who ran out the 93 minutes and sprayed the ball around very effectively for the most part.

Heart was without club skipper Simon Colosimo, whose knee blew up in training this week.

Adelaide continued to miss Matthew Leckie, Daniel Mullen and Nigel Boogard and gave a start to former Victory player Joe Keenan, who had the marking job on Skoko.

The attendance was 6,538.

Match details

Melbourne Heart 0 Adelaide United 2 (Robert CORNTHWAITE 6’, Marcos FLORES 73’)

Friday, 19 November 2010

AAMI Park, Melbourne

Local kick-off: 8:00pm

Referee: Chris BEATH

Assistant referees: Luke BRENNAN and Shaun EVANS

Fourth official: Kevin DOCHERTY

Attendance: 6,538

Melbourne Heart squad: 1. Clint BOLTON, 2. Michael MARRONE, 5. Michael BEAUCHAMP (22. Nick KALMAR 77’), 6. Matt THOMPSON, 7. Rutger WORM, 9. Gerald SIBON, 10. Wayne SRHOJ, 15. John ALOISI (19. Eli BABALJ 77’), 16. Aziz BEHICH, 20. Josip SKOKO, 24. Adrian ZAHRA (11. Alex TERRA 60’).

Unused substitutes: 12. Peter ZOIS

Yellow cards: Rutger Worm 36’

Red cards: Nil

Adelaide United squad: 1.Eugene GALEKOVIC, 2.Robert CORNTHWAITE, 4.Iain FYFE, 6.CASSIO, 7.Lucas PANTELIS (17.Iain RAMSAY 46’), 8.Adam HUGHES, 9.Sergio VAN DIJK, 10.Marcos FLORES (29. Bradley NORTON 91’), 13.Travis DODD (24.Cameron WATSON 73’), 18.Fabian BARBIERO, 26.Joe KEENAN.

Unused substitutes: 20.Mark BIRIGHITTI

Yellow cards: Sergio VAN DIJK 87’.

Red cards: Nil