Adelaide United and Western Sydney Wanderers have fought out an entertaining 1-1 draw in scorching conditions that hampered both teams in their National Youth League clash.
Adelaide United and Western Sydney Wanderers have fought out an entertaining 1-1 draw in scorching conditions that hampered both teams in their National Youth League clash at Burton Park on Saturday.
United again featured a solid contingent of senior players against the baby-faced Wanderers but fell behind only seconds after half-time only to equalise shortly after as the temperature reached a top of 34 degrees and called for regular drinks breaks.
Wanderers skipper Yianni Perkatis broke the deadlock when he dispatched a penalty that was won by the instrumental Nicholas Olsen.
The breakthrough for the visitors sprung a flat Adelaide into life as they equalised minutes later through Thomas Briscoe.
Senior coach John Kosmina was in attendance after only arriving back in Adelaide an hour prior to kick-off following his side’s heavy 6-1 defeat to Western Sydney in the Hyundai A-League on Friday night.
Awer Mabil was the first to threaten for either side in the fifth minute when he sliced through the Wanderers’ back four with only goalkeeper Thomas Manos to beat.
However Manos did his best to get a touch to Mabil’s shot and flick the ball just round the post.
The visitors eventually adjusted to the searing weather with a chance five minutes later.
Olsen lobbed a ball over to Zakeriya Elrich inside Adelaide’s area, but the delivery was difficult to control for the forward as he failed to keep his shot from lifting above the bar.
Towering defender Zach Mackenzie had the next opportunity for Western Sydney when he met Olsen’s dangerous set-piece, but he fired his header just over.
Similar to the heat, the goal-scoring opportunities dried up until Jon McKain hit a rasping long-range drive from a free-kick in the 35th minute that forced Manos to dive low to his right and tip the ball away.
Briscoe tested Manos again as the break drew near when he burst forward and unloaded with a thunderous strike, but the midfielder’s effort skidded inches wide.
The Wanderers raced to the lead immediately upon the restart when Perkatis converted a spot-kick.
Olsen cleverly wedged himself in between McKain and Daniel Bowles as he was tussled down in the box before Perkatis stepped up and sent Baby Reds custodian Paul Izzo the wrong way.
The goal forced United onto the front foot as they poured forward in search of an equaliser.
The offensive display had its reward on 57 minutes when Briscoe levelled.
Mabil impressively weaved and danced his way into the visitors’ box before cutting a pass back to Briscoe who placed the shot into the net.
The duo combined again in a similar passage of play on 68 minutes but Briscoe smashed his shot into the side netting from a tight angle.
Sergio van Dijk could have stolen the three points for the hosts with the final whistle looming but he cannoned his back-post header over the bar.
Adelaide United 1 (Briscoe 57)
Western Sydney 1 (Perkatis 46)
Adelaide United: 1. Paul Izzo (gk), 3. Jordan Elsey (c), 4. Daniel Bowles, 7. Liam Wooding, 8. Thomas Briscoe, 12. Jake Barker-Daish (10. Dion Kirk 58), 14. Awer Mabil, 15. Jacob Melling, 16. Antony Golec, 17. Sergio van Dijk, 18. Jon McKain (11. Nikola Mileusnic 58)
Western Sydney: 1. Thomas Manos (gk) (20. Blake Tuxford (gk) 59), 2. Jacob Williams, 3. Zach Mackenzie, 4. Stepjan Paric, 5. Jayden Koulizakis (12. Brian Jamba 59), 6. Jake McGing, 7. Alastair Quinn, 8. Yianni Perkatis (c), 9. Nicholas Olsen, 10. Jake Madgwick (14. James Baldacchino 54), 11. Zakeriya Elrich (13. Mark Cindric 41)
