Sergi Guardiola’s headed goal gives Adelaide a 1-1 draw against Brisbane, snapping run of losses
ADELAIDE United needs to give Sergi Guardiola a goalscoring hand, as a lack of support is what is stopping the Reds from earning maximum points this season.
It was Guardiola scoring his third consecutive goal of the season which dragged United out of a mire after Brett Holman — who has his roots steeped in SA, despite being Bankstown born — rocked Hindmarsh in the second half with a goal that had the potential to wreck United’s entire season.
His Adelaide-born father Trevor and late grandfather Alfred both represented the Port Adelaide Cricket Club with pride before Brett became a third generation Holman to grace Adelaide Oval in 2011, playing for the Socceroos in an international friendly.
But wearing the Brisbane Roar kit on Friday night it was the FIFA World Cup Socceroo who almost broke the hearts of Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium, before Guardiola halted a potential five game losing streak record.
But Adelaide only managing to score a goal a game in its past five matches has robbed United of valuable points after Holman scored the opening goal on the hour.
It was a 25m strike which struck the hand of stopper Iacopo La Rocca before wrong footing skipper Eugene Galekovic and crashing into the back of the net.
To its credit, Adelaide reacted with determination after the Roar goal stung the Reds and silenced the home crowd of 9,146.
Michael Theo first kept Adelaide at bay in the 72nd minute when he dived low to cut out a stinging cross from teenager Jordan O’Doherty, before Guardiola saved United from a third consecutive home defeat with a clinical header from a perfect Ben Garuccio cross when Roar was forced to defend in numbers in the 79th minute.
O’Doherty claimed the Tomas Dale medal for the Remembrance Round named after Adelaide-based Dale who was serving in Afghanistan in 2010 with the Brisbane-based 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, and was killed in action.
But despite O’Doherty’s super game, Roar still found space and time to potentially put the tie to bed after Guardiola’s equaliser.
Tommy Oar had a fourth personal shot on target seconds later, in a pattern which surely must have alarmed Reds boss Guillermo Amor after Roar had four clear cut first half shots.
Oar then had a fifth long-range shot on target in the 81st minute which was parried over the bar as the Reds searched for a winner which never arrived, after Roar poked and prodded Adelaide for every mistake the Reds made when turning the ball over.
Galekovic was at full stretch first from a Brandon Borrello 25m shot in the 19th minute after Luke DeVere — who created the opening — looked to have illegally won the ball from Guardiola seconds earlier.
Oar tested Galekovic three minutes later with another long-range effort, which was parried before the fringe Socceroo had the Reds captain again at full stretch from a 25m effort, before Brett Holman was called offside when he cannoned the spilt ball into the upright.
Oar again had room to unleash another effort in the 33rd minute as United — although it had 56 per cent of the ball — was forbidden to enter the Roar penalty box without a decent fight from stoppers DeVere and Jade North.
Adelaide stuck to its game plan and with Carrusca finally giving the Reds a creative outlet in his first start since breaking his metatarsal in August, United finally had some joy in the dying seconds of the first half.
North escaped a mandatory caution for a studs-up challenge on Tarek Elrich two minutes before the break, which led to a set piece that should have rewarded Adelaide at least with a shot on target.
But after Isaias floated in a perfectly weighted 35m free kick, leaving Roar’s back men stranded, Dylan McGowan ghosted in — only to nod his free header off target from 5m.
A-LEAGUE ROUND SIX
Adelaide United 1 (Sergi Guardiola 79m) Brisbane Roar 1 (Brett Holman 60m) at Coopers Stadium — Referee: Chris Beath — Crowd: 9,146.