Gold Coast Send Adelaide to Bottom at Hindmarsh

Adelaide United 0 – Gold Coast United 3
Gold Coast United heaped further misery on a terrible start to the season for homestanding Adelaide United in a 3-0 rout at Hindmarsh. The Reds were not without chances but Gold Coast made theirs count as Ben Halloran scored from a deflection, Maceo Rigters cracked a goal from outside the box and Dylan Macallister scored in injury time for the visitors. After finishing third in 2010/11, Adelaide find themselves in tenth place amid a five-game winless streak. The three points for the Queensland club were enough to lift them above Adelaide but still leave Gold Coast in ninth place. The win was only the second on the season for Gold Coast, snapping a six-game winless streak.

10-Man Victory Survive Gold Coast

Melbourne Victory 3 – Gold Coast United 2
Two goals up after 22 minutes, Melbourne Victory had Rody Vargas sent off, conceded twice and needed a header from Carlos Hernández, of all people, to emerge with a 3-2 win over Gold Coast United at AAMI Park. Playing their first game of the season at AAMI, the Victory looked to have the match wrapped after a first minute penalty was converted by Harry Kewell and a 22nd minute spot kick was scored by Hernández. But Vargas went in on Gol-Gol Mebrahtu with two feet and with studs up, earning a straight red card in the 33rd minute. Mebrahtu won a penalty just before half-time, which was scored by substitute Dylan Macallister, bringing the visitors back into the game. Peter Jungschläger brought further intrigue when he scored just two minutes after the break to level the score and bring reminders of the Victory’s lost two-goal lead just a week earlier. But Hernández headed in an Archie Thompson chip in the 79th minute to finally secure all three points for the home side. Kristian Rees did keep it interesting to the end, hitting the post, just as Jonas Salley had done in the first half, but it was not to be for the A-League’s bottom side. Melbourne jump all the way to third place with the three points, clearing Sydney FC on goal difference.

Wellington Phoenix 2 – Sydney FC 1
Speaking of Sydney, they were the lesser side for the majority of their match away to Wellington, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Phoenix at Westpac Stadium. Though the crowds did not turn out as they’d done in Auckland last weekend, the Yellow Fever were treated to an early goal from the spectacular Paul Ifill and and stunning goal from Tim Brown. The latter will surely be atop the list for Goal of the Year in the A-League as the midfielder slipped around Nicky Carle to claim Liam Reddy’s clearance before lobbing the helpless keeper from nearly fifty yards. That 59th minute goal was vital as a weird goal from Bruno Cazarine pulled one back for the visitors in the 70th minute. Yet the Phoenix were able to hold on with Mirjan Pavlović playing a key role in continuing the home side’s pressure to the end. Gathering full points from a top three (at the time) club was a good win for Wellington and lifts them to eighth place, just a point out of finals football and just two points shy of third place. Sydney had two shouts for penalties in the match, finally do not get a late equalizer or winner and sink to fourth place, now behind Melbourne Victory on goal difference.

Adelaide Get Back on Track with Gold Coast Win

Three goals in a twelve-minute span of the second half decided the tie between Adelaide United and Gold Coast United at Hindmarsh on Remembrance Day. Two of those goals came for the home side as Zenon Caravella (pictured), the former Gold Coast midfielder, and Iain Ramsay bookended the scoring for Adelaide to claim all three points. James Brown did score his fourth goal of the season, a deflected shot that leveled terms in the 67th minute, but Ramsay’s wonderful winner just two minutes later was enough to second straight loss. Despite giving up the two goals, Glen Moss was a key man for the visitors, denying several Adelaide shots that could have made the score much worse than it was. The Reds will also be worried about the leg injury suffered by Sergio van Dijk, last season’s golden boot winner. He was replaced in the first half by Andy Slory. Still, all three points take Adelaide into sixth place and for the time being, into finals football. Gold Cost stay on five points through their six matches and are in eighth place.

Sydney Flip Gold Coast to Reach Fourth

Sydney FC 3 – Gold Coast United 2
Trailing 2-0 after 46 minutes, Sydney FC found a way to come from behind and defeat Gold Coast United 3-2 in front of 11,051 at the Sydney Football Stadium. Goals from Kristian Rees and Dylan Macallister had the visitors in a comfortable position, at least on the score line, just moments after half-time and were preparing to jump into fourth place on the ladder. Instead, a goal from Bruno Cazarine on the hour got the Sky Blues back into the game and an equalizer from Nicky Carle just three minutes later set the stage for the dramatic ending. Thirty minutes after the fourth goal of the game, Macallister was controversially whistled for a foul on Michael Beauchamp in the box late in injury time. Karol Kisel (pictured) converted the resulting penalty and Sydney took all three points. Gold Coast will surely have a complaint about the ending, though the comeback is quickly becoming a trend for Sydney, having taken points from each of their last three matches after initially trailing.

Victory Find First Win Against 10-Man Phoenix

Wellington Phoenix 1 – Melbourne Victory 2
It took four games to score but when they finally did, Melbourne Victory got a wonderful strike from Archie Thompson. The A-League’s all-time leading scorer got things going for the Victory after a difficult first half and led ultimately to a more open and focused attack from the visitors. Dani Sánchez led the way for Wellington at Westpac Stadium, creating chances for himself as well as the likes of Leo Bertos while defender Tony Lochhead again provided fine service, only to see shots by Sanchez and Tim Brown go begging. Despite dominating the first forty minutes, Wellington suddenly found themselves behind after Thompson’s cut-back drive into the box and lifted shot to the far post. Ben Sigmund, who had played admirably in defense for the Phoenix, was sent off in the 66th after taking down Thompson in the box. Carlos Hernández buried the resulting penalty, sending the Victory ahead 2-0. Sanchez pulled one back on a terrific one-touch shot in the 71st but Wellington could not figure out a way past Ante Čović over the game’s final twenty minutes. The Victory could have made it three but another Thompson goal was called back due to Marco Rojas being offside.

Gold Coast United 3 – Newcastle Jets 1
At Skilled Park, Gold Coast United were worthy recipients of three points as Maceo Rigters dominated Newcastle Jets in Gary van Egmond’s return to the touchline. The Dutch recruit scored his first goal for United in the 11th minute before just missing on two more blasts before a half-hour had passed. The Jets had nice chances of their own with Ruben Zadkovich missing just wide and Jobe Wheelhouse stoned by Glen Moss before the 30th minute. Ben Kennedy’s error just before the hour gave the home side the lead as the Jets’ goalkeeper could not hold on to Peter Jungschläger’s free kick, allowing Kristian Rees to score from the rebound. Wheelhouse got Newcastle on the score sheet with a goal in the 68th minute from a Ryan Griffiths free kick, but after Rees hit the post, James Brown scored his third goal of the season to finish off the game for the hosts. Though only 2974 were on hand for the game, United showed again that they may yet have a case for remaining in the A-League, at least based on their on-field performances.

Brisbane Take M1 Derby 3-0

Brisbane Roar won for the third time this season, completing a 3-0 victory over M-1 derby foes Gold Coast United at Suncorp Stadium. Erik Paartalu (pictured), Besart Berisha and Mitch Nichols all scored for the Roar, who made it thirty-one consecutive without a loss. Paartalu’s opener came as a header in the 13th minute but was almost equalized in the 21st when Dylan Macallister hit the crossbar for United. The visitors played well in the first half, particularly through new recruit Maceo Ritgers, but it was not enough to compete with the depth and skill of Brisbane. When Ange Postecoglou inserted Kofi Danning and Massimo Murdocca just before the hour, the match completely turned. Murdocca assisted almost immediately, providing service to Berisha who scored his second goal in as many games. It was then Berisha who set up Nichols for the Roar’s third in the 78th minute, a goal that only emphasized just how good Brisbane are. United were lucky to leave down only three as Paartalu hit the post late on. The Roar retain their top spot on the ladder while Gold Coast await the results of the rest of the weekend’s fixtures to see just how far they fall from sixth.

Gold Coast Look To Traoré

Last week I pondered the chances of more sides taking to attractive, possession-based systems this season in an attempt to reel in the Brisbane Roar, and after two rounds I think it is fair to say that things are moving in that direction. One side which looks to have the potential to play the most attacking football is Gold Coast United, and while it hasn’t really paid off yet, Miron Bleiberg’s attacking 2-3-2-3 formation has some glimpses of real goal scoring (and conceding) potential. The key player in this formation is the 21 year-old Ivorian wing-back Adama Traoré, and his performances will have a massive impact on GCU’s season.

Rostyn Griffiths and the Disappearing Sponsor

UPDATED – Apparently Grifiths had blood on his shirt and changed it at half-time. His replacement shirt did not have the new sponsor and was likely left over from the pre-season when the Mariners had not yet announced their Soocer5s.com deal.

In Saturday’s Central Coast Mariners v. Gold Coast United tie at Bluetongue, Rostyn Griffiths lost his shirt sponsor. Without having watched the match I’m short on an explanation for how he could start the match with a sponsorship across his chest…

yet finish the match without one.

Roar Make it 30 Straight in 2-0 Sydney Win

Sydney FC 0 – Brisbane Roar 2
Brisbane Roar recorded their thirtieth consecutive game without a loss in a 2-0 win against Sydney FC at the Sydney Football Stadium. The Sky Blues were again held scoreless, this time at home, as Michael Theoklitos saved Sydney’s best chances. The visitors were the lesser side for most of the first half but got the first goal after the usually sure-handed Liam Reddy could not hold Erik Paartalu’s shot, allowing Besart Berisha (pictured) to score the opener on the rebound in the 40th minute. Sydney fought back and came close to equalizing through Nicky Carle in the second half but in the end, Brisbane’s quality was too great. In the 70th, young Kofi Danning found Thomas Broich for an easy second Roar goal and the 2-0 score line. Brisbane claim the top of the ladder and drop Sydney ignominiously toward the bottom.

Central Coast Mariners 1 – Gold Coast United 1
This week, Gold Coast United were the side stung by a late equalizer as 36-year old Patrick Zwaanswijk headed in for Central Coast Mariners in the 87th minute. Just over 10,000 were at Bluetongue Stadium as the Mariners went behind just after half-time on another wonderful strike from James Brown. Gold Coast, who needed Brown’s stunner earned the first point of the season in Round 1, surely thought they would steal all three points from last season’s runners-up. But Brad Porter’s long cross gave Zwaanswijk enough time to come forward and send a floating header across goal and just beyond the desperate reach of Glen Ross. The point is the first of the season for Central Coast while United pick up their second 1-1 draw.

Mehmet Scores on Debut to Lead Glory Past Adelaide

Perth Glory 1 – Adelaide United 0
A 76th minute header from new signing Billy Mehmet saw Perth Glory to a 1-0 win over Adelaide United at nib Stadium. The Glory were the better side throughout as Andrezinho terrorized the Reds’ defense and Travis Dodd, Shane Smeltz and Liam Miller, each player debuting for Perth, coming close to giving the home side a comprehensive victory. In fact, Eugene Galeković, Adelaide’s goalkeeper, was called on to repeatedly repel the Glory. In the end, substitute Tommy Amphelett’s cross found Mehmet’s head and was enough to take all three points from the season opener for the home side. Adelaide weren’t without chances, though, as Andy Slory, Bruce Djite and last season’s Golden Boot winner Sergio van Dijk all had shots saved by new Perth goalkeeper Danny Vukovic. The only down side to the match for Perth was the crowd of just 9452. But if the Glory play as well going forward as they did against Adelaide, especially after such a disastrous season in 2010/11, attendance will surely spike.

Gold Coast United 1 – Wellington Phoenix 1
And on the Gold Coast, a superb strike from James Brown in the 88th minute stole a 1-1 draw for Gold Coast United against Wellington Phoenix at Skilled Park. A 17th minute goal from Chris Greenacre gave the Phoenix a deserved lead as the visitors controlled the first half. Dani Sánchez, in particular, found spaces in the United defense, as Wellington were the better side for good portions of the match. Yet as the second half elapsed, Gold Coast started to create chances, namely through Peter Jungschläger, Dylan Macallister, Robson and finally Brown. Wellington will feel they lost out on two points but will be most disappointed with a trio of injuries as Sánchez, Paul Ifill and Vince Lia all exited during the match. For Gold Coast, the last-gasped equalizer came in stunning fashion but left some questions as to why it took so long to get a home goal against the Phoenix.