No goals in Youth League clash

Adelaide United and Perth Glory played out a hard-fought 0-0 draw in their National Youth League clash at Hindmarsh Stadium on Sunday.

Adelaide United and Perth Glory played out a hard-fought 0-0 draw in their National Youth League clash at Hindmarsh Stadium on Sunday.

The fact neither side could muster any real advantage was a testament to the work ethic and resolve of both club’s defensive units in what was a scrappy encounter.

Adelaide had a golden opportunity to take advantage of an undermanned Glory outfit following the red-carding of Howard Fondyke in the 70th minute for a crude challenge, but despite some promising forward forays, particularly from Andrew Ciarli, the Reds would be denied.

After a scrappy opening, the first potent attacking chance came in the ninth minute when an attempted cross from Perth’s Ludovic Boi and subsequent defensive deflection resulted in the first corner of the match.

The Reds’ defence safely negotiated Glory’s attack, while veteran Nick Rizzo’s shot in the 18th minute was safely pouched by United custodian Lucas Andreucci.

Less than two minutes later, in-form Adelaide striker Francesco Monterosso almost snared the afternoon’s opening score and his fourth goal of the season with a well-connected headed attempt from a Matthew Mullen cross, but he was athletically denied by outstretched Glory keeper Dejan Aleksic.

Perth’s best effort of the opening half came 28 minutes in when Boi had a peg from close range only to be saved by Andreucci, as was Ryan Pearson’s shot in the 35th minute.

Boi’s eventful first half was capped by being yellow-carded 30 seconds later for a crude challenge on Alex Sunasky.

The second half was largely a stalemate. Rizzo’s perfectly-weighted corner kick in the 68th minute found Anthony Skoric but Skoric’s attempted header sailed well high.

Perth was down to 10 men when Fondyke was sent off two minutes later, but Adelaide could not capitalise.

Ciarli’s dribbled attempt in the 75th minute came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock while a bullet-like attempt four minutes later, again from Ciarli, soared just wide.

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