World News – AU – Melbourne City falls to Adelaide when Skipper Jamieson sees red

Melbourne City ended an A-League game with 10 men for the second game in a row but unlike last Tuesday when they held out to win in Brisbane, they crashed 2-0 against Adelaide United.

Adelaide celebrated their first win of the new season in a game City captain Scott Jamieson will want to remember shortly.

He had been booked earlier in the game and when he crashed Yaya Dukuly on the edge of the city area 25 minutes before the end, he took off his armband and made his way to the sidelines before being shown a red card to know that his fate was sealed.

After the resulting free kick, Adelaide midfielder Louis Darrigo found former Socceroos striker Tomi Juric, who peeled off and shot a low shot to beat Tom Glover’s nosedive. It was a well-rehearsed move that was executed perfectly and left City a mountain to climb.

A difficult task soon became nearly impossible when the Reds doubled their advantage. Their own captain, Stefan Mauk, drove through from midfield and played a one-two with youthful substitute Mohamed Toure before firing a deflected shot past Glover.

Adelaide coach Carl Veart set up an unchanged line-up that was impressed at last Monday’s goalless draw against Western United in Geelong.

Melbourne City skipper Scott Jamieson won’t want to remember the game anytime soon. Photo credit: Mark Brake

Rookie City boss Patrick Kisnorbo made two forced changes to the team that won in Brisbane. Florin Berenguer and new signing as well as A-League debutant Marco Tilio came for the suspended Adrian Luna and the injured Andrew Nabbout.

It was the two new City boys who met for the first time within five minutes. Berengeur pushed a pass over the gate that Jamie Maclaren couldn’t find.

Socceroos frontman Maclaren then scored an excellent save against former youth goalkeeper James Delianov, who moved to SA this season to carry out the first team action after a season as a substitute at Western United.

Delianov had to dive up to push Tilio’s ranged combat over the bar after the ball hit 13. At the other end, Adelaide’s youngster Dukuly’s positive run threatened until Jamieson blocked his shot.

Juric fell under in the penalty area and the ball fell to Adelaide defender Ryan Strain, whose shot was blocked while Ben Halloran, who turned 100. A League game denied, one shot missed.

City then had the best chance in the first half when Connor Metcalfe pushed an inch-perfect pass to Maclaren and Delianov came down quickly to save well.

It was an end-to-end game with neither side willing to sit deep and give up ownership, and so the pattern went on. Dukuly shot wide after Halloran and Mauk teamed up before Berenguer’s shot was easily saved by Delianov.

Strain was injured and was replaced by another ex-City man in Michael Marrone, a veteran defender.

Delianov dumped the ball a couple of times early in the second half and was lucky when Maclaren knocked the ball into the back of the net only to be sidelined.

The pace of the game slowed as both sides stepped in and wanted to win, but also wanted to make sure they didn’t lose.

Juric hit Glover in the hands with one shot after beating City defender Curtis Good, while Halloran saw another attempt at goal.

The game was still very even until Jamieson’s hasty challenge gave Adelaide the opportunity, which they seized with open hands, inflicting the first loss of his tenure as City head coach on Kisnorbo.

Michael Lynch is The Age’s chief football reporter and also covers motorsports and horse racing

Adelaide United Football Club, A-League, Melbourne City FC, Coopers Stadium