The Newcastle Jets have been defeated 2-0 at Hindmarsh Stadium tonight in their Hyundai A-League, Round 19 clash with Adelaide United.
The Newcastle Jets have been defeated 2-0 at Hindmarsh Stadium tonight in their Hyundai A-League, Round 19 clash with Adelaide United.
In front of 13,585 fans, Reds midfielders Fabian Barbiero and Lucas Pantelis claimed all three points for the South Australian-s with strikes in the 23rd and 74th minutes respectively.
Promoting three teenagers in Brodie Mooy, Jesse Pinto and Jarrad Ross to the first team squad, a depleted Jets outfit matched their counterparts in the possession stakes throughout and were perhaps unfortunate to be down 1-0 at the break.
In a somewhat lacklustre opening forty-five, Adelaide-s only shot on goal in the opening stanza was rewarded when Barbiero found the back of the net.
Receiving the ball on the edge of the area, Barbiero worked his way into the box, striking a strong left footed shot into the roof of Ante Covic-s goal from an acute angle.
The last few minutes of the first half saw the Jets best chances to restore parity before halftime.
On 42 minutes, Matt Thompson found Jin-Hyung Song who turned cleverly before having his snap shot deflected off Robert Cornthwaite and into the arms of ‘keeper Eugene Galekovic.
Just three minutes later Mark Milligan stung the palms of Galekovic with a rasping drive from 25-yards after another lay-off from Thompson.
After the break coach Gary van Egmond looked to ignite his chargers with some youthful exuberance when he brought on Pinto, Ross and Kaz Patafta.
Pinto nearly marked his debut with a goal when he headed millimetres wide on 70 minutes; however it was Adelaide who would wrap up the points four minutes later.
Breaking through the midfield, Barbiero found Pantelis with a clever ball, with the winger-s shot finding the net via the inside of Covic-s left post, leaving the visitor-s deflated.
After the match, coach van Egmond recognised the difficult task his side confronted against Adelaide, however regretted his sides- defensive lapses.
“Obviously we-re pretty undermanned as everyone knows.”
“There were times there I thought we did quite well, we looked threatening, but unfortunately too often we lacked that killer punch in that final third.”
“A couple of silly errors tonight have cost us a couple of goals,” he said.
The Jets return for their final home match of the season at EnergyAustralia Stadium against Perth Glory next Sunday, 18 January.
Tickets for this Round 20 clash are available from www.proticket.com.au, or by calling (02) 4915 2345.
Match Details:
Newcastle Jets Squad: 1. Ante COVIC (gk), 2. Adam GRIFFITHS, 8. Matt THOMPSON, 9. Joel GRIFFITHS (c), 10. Jin-Hyung SONG (28. Jarrad ROSS 77-), 11. Tarek ELRICH, 13. Adam D-APUZZO, 16. Ben KANTAROVSKI, 17. Antun KOVACIC, 26. Mark MILLIGAN, 32. Brodie MOOY (27. Jesse PINTO 68- (7. Kaz PATAFTA 83-))
Unused substitute: 30. Justin PASFIELD (gk)
Yellow cards: Joel Griffiths 21-, Ben Kantarovski 53-, Adam Griffiths 56-, Mark Milligan 86-
Red cards: Nil
Adelaide United Squad: 20. Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 2. Robert CORNTHWAITE, 6. CASSIO, 7. Lucas PANTELIS (3. ALEMAO 82-), 13. Travis DODD (c), 14. Scott JAMIESON, 16. Daniel MULLEN (5. Michael VALKANIS 45-), 18. Fabian BARBIERO, 19. Sasa OGNENOVSKI, 24. Paul REID, 25. Robert YOUNIS (10. CRISTIANO 71-)
Unused substitute: 70. Codey LARKIN (gk)
Yellow cards: Cassio 83-
Red cards: Nil
Newcastle Jets: 0
Adelaide United: 2 (Barbiero 23-, Pantelis 74-)
Crowd: 13,585
Referee: Peter Green
