Adelaide United have pulled off a dramatic 2-1 win over Melbourne Victory in an Original Rivalry meeting at Coopers Stadium that will go down as a classic.
Adelaide’s indefatigable left back Ryan Kitto decided the match in the 97th minute with a brilliant headed ball after a quality ball from Juan Muniz.
Craig Goodwin put the Reds ahead inside the first six minutes of the game, and Victory poured the pressure on before equalising via Matt Grimaldi in the 75th minute.
Both sides thought they’d found a second goal in the second half, only for VAR to rule each of them out for offside.
Kitto scored in the 68th minute, only for the replay to show that Goodwin’s knee was offside when he received the ball in the lead up.
Grimaldi then thought he’d won the game in the 88th minute when he fired a left footed shot into the top left corner, only for the referee Lachlan Keevers to review the vision and adjudge that Keegan Jelacic had been in Adelaide keeper Johnny Smits’ line of vision while in an offside position.
Craig Goodwin had earlier opened the scoring with his trademark combination of pace, footwork and composure.
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Jonny Yull’s brilliant ball found the Socceroo in acres of space, and he made up for a heavy touch with a sharp nutmeg on Sebastian Esposito before dinking over Jack Warshawsky.
Yull continued to terrorise the Victory defence for the rest of the first half, linking up frequently with Goodwin and debutant Ajak Riak.
All three were involved when Goodwin hit the post just after the half hour, with Yull playing a one-two with Riak before Yull laying off to the Socceroo whose shot deflected on to the upright.
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Victory could still have potentially gone into half time level, but Nishan Velupillay’s effort from the top of the D flew just over just on the stroke of the break.
The boys in blue piled the pressure on after the interval, with Velupillay responding to being entrusted with the captain’s armband by appearing to take it upon himself to try and drag Victory level.
He took four shots himself of varying quality in the second half, but the goal came after he was withdrawn along with Victory’s other two attackers Nikos Vergos and Clarismario Santos.
The trio were replaced with Matt Grimaldi, Jing Reec and Keegan Jelacic, who were all involved in the equaliser.
In the 75th minute Warshawsky claimed an Adelaide corner, and played it to Jelacic who found Reec in space 25 metres out from goal.
His cannon of a shot was saved by Smits, but the otherwise excellent Adelaide custodian spilt it into Grimaldi’s path and the lifelong Victory fan crashed the goal home.
The game remained end to end after the equaliser, with Adelaide probably having the better of the opportunities.
Grimaldi then thought he’d won the game for the Victory, before Kitto went and pinched the points in the 97th minute.
Arthur Diles – who picked up a yellow card after the full time whistle – will need to pick up the pieces for Victory ahead of a Big Blue against Sydney FC on Monday January 26.
Adelaide will look to take their momentum into a game against Brisbane Roar at Suncrop Stadium next Saturday.
ALEX TOBIN MEDAL VOTES:
3. Jonny Yull
2. Ryan White
1. Matt Grimaldi
