RED ALL OVER | CRAZY
What a incredible game of football as Adelaide United get just their fourth win of the season and defeat Brisbane Roar in hot conditions. I almost want to start this article at the end and work backwards as really all the controversy, drama and action happened in the 95th minute.
But let’s work up to it as we all take a collective breath on what we just witnessed at Hindmarsh stadium. The game to be fair started well for the REDS when on 15 minutes BABA DIAWARA gave the home side the lead in just Adelaide’s 2nd forward attack. A great header from a beautiful Carrusca corner. Baba the REDS new striker now has 2 goals in 2 games and is certainly looking the part so far for United.
The Roar though did dominate most of the first half and really caused a lot of havoc down their attacking right flank and would of felt a little frustrated to be losing at half time 1 zip.
The second half saw more sustained pressure as Brisbane really did put UNITED on the back foot and continued to press for the equaliser, so I guess on 60 minutes it’s was just rewards to see McLaren tap home the goal to square things up. However the RED’s would be disappointed with their poor defending and Galekovic error who gifted Brisbane the goal.
A brain snap from Carrusca deep into the 2nd half saw the RED’S go down to ten men, a really silly 2nd yellow as the maestro kicked the ball away after the foul. I much prefer seeing Marcelo do his sublime back heels and clever touches on the ball which we saw just minutes earlier. A bit of the good the bad and the ugly 45 minutes for the Argentine.
Adelaide United were now under the pump as the ROAR went all out for a winner, already on top in the game and now with a numerical advantage. The REDS were in big trouble and a point was even going to be a tall order with still some 15mins to play against a rampant Roar.
The home side dug deep though and defended with a lot of guts and pride in the shirt as the game entered 95mins. Time was up and the RED’s fans were going home happy with a point.. But that would have been a boring way to end a game and an article.
What happened next was something I have never seen at a Football game and may never see again. In the final 30 seconds UNITED got a free kick some 30 yards out, a last flurry forward as the REDS packed men in the box. A disappointing free kick it must be said saw THEO the Roar keeper claim the ball but spill it. Theo quickly gathered it up again as Dylan McGowan the United player grabbed him and held him to delay the quick pump forward. Theo not liking the attention from McGowan then decided to elbow the United defender in the face.
The REF pointed to the spot sent off THEO giving the REDS a last second penalty to possibly win the game.WOW the crowd was going nuts, the ROAR players outraged and Thomas Kristensen the Roar defender saw himself in goals to face a Cirio penalty. Cirio calmly slotted the penalty home and gave the stunned REDS fans a chance to celebrate and take all 3 points. It was a game hard to take if you are a Roar fan and probably the craziest way to end a football match you will ever see.
On a personal note, I believe it was a straight RED and therefore a penalty to UNITED but i do see it from a ROARS point of view too McGowan did initially foul THEO…but if you have been watching Football for as long as me you will realise 9 times out of 10 the Referee pays the free kick or penalizes the guy retaliating. The question is I guess was the correct decision made, did United deserve the Win or was the Roar cheated out of a point? Reality is though United won and the Roar lost so as a REDS fan I will just take it and quietly move on. Football is crazy sometimes and doesn’t always make sense. Adelaide were I guess on the right side of CRAZY !!!
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