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Scoreless draw at Mount Gambier

Posted on August 2, 2008, 5:05pm and updated on August 3, 2008 at 7:06 am

Adelaide United and Perth Glory played an uninspiring scoreless draw in the A League Pre-Season Cup at Vansittart Park this afternoon.

The crowd of about 3000 people left disappointed as the game never scaled any great heights.

Perth GloryAdelaide had several strong chances in the second half but failed to put them away.

United now misses out on a chance to compete for its third-straight Pre-Season Cup title.

Either side could have scored in the frantic first 30 minutes. Adelaide had a good chance through Cristiano, who headed wide of Frank Juric. Lucas Pantelis had two chances, including an air-swing at a cross near goal.

Perth’s main threat early was Eugene Dadi, who spoilt three clear chances. He met Hayden Doyle’s free kick with a poor header that Eugene Galekovic batted away, then attempted from distance and went over.

The third was the best of them, with Scott Bulloch intercepting in midfield and feeding the ball to the Ivorian, who couldn’t get the shot past the legs of the advancing keeper.

Cassio’s free kicks were causing headaches among the Glory defence and Travis Dodd and Robert Cornthwaite both headed wide from good chances created by the Brazilian in quick succession.

Then Cristiano prompted a diving save from Juric with a powerful shot, while Bulloch skied a good-looking chance late in a half where three players were booked — Cristiano, Doyle and Jonas Salley.

The second half took a while to warm up, with Jamie Coyne almost knocking the ball into his own net on 55 minutes, while Mark Lee was booked just before the hour.

As the result of the Melbourne-Newcastle match filtered through, it became apparent that the Reds would need a goal, but the chances had dried up. Bulloch and Adrian Pellegrino went into the book and the Glory went into their shells, making it hard for the home team to get the goal they needed.

After the game, Adelaide United Coach Aurelio Vidmar was left to rue his team’s missed opportunities, and while he said it was disappointing that United could not capitalise and reach its third straight Pre-Season Cup Final, he was satisfied with the effort.

“I thought after the first half the game should have been more or less all over with the chances we had but that’s the way it goes sometimes,” Vidmar said.

“I was fairly pleased with the first half, we just lacked a bit of quality in front of goal.

“The boys were heavy in the legs after half time because they had a hard week at training leading into the game, so now we will just taper off a bit and get ready for round one.”

Adelaide United: 20.Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 2.Robert CORNTHWAITE, 3.ALEMAO, 4.Angelo COSTANZO, 6.CASSIO, 7.Lucas PANTELIS, 10.CRISTIANO, 13.Travis DODD (Captain), 14.Scott JAMIESON (21.Jason SPAGNUOLO 61’), 15.Jonas SALLEY VALKANIS 83’, 18.Fabian BARBIERO MULLen 87’. Unused subs: 30.Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk). Yellow cards: Cristiano 24’, Salley 36’.

Perth Glory: 20.Frank JURIC (gk), 3.David TARKA, 4.Jamie COYNE, 7.Nick RIZZO, 14.Eugene DADI (24.Brent GRIFFITHS 73’), 15.Hayden DOYLE, 16.Adriano PELLEGRINO, 17.James DOWNEY, 19.Naum SEKULOVSKI, 21.Mark LEE, 26.Scott BULLOCH. Unused subs: 1.Jason PETKOVIC (gk), 23.Anthony SCORICH. Yellow cards: Doyle 32’, Lee 60’.

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One Response to “Scoreless draw at Mount Gambier”

  1. Jeremy on August 3rd, 2008 2:18 pm 1

    I went to the game expecting a spectacle..the weather was kind but the game was boring! Well done to the organisers though they did a great job to get the teams here, but can someone from the WBFL do the same and get some real footy down here again!! Real footy with people that dont trip over their own feet and get stretchered off!!!!!