Adelaide, Gold Coast draw blanks

Adelaide United equalled the Hyundai A-League record of 12 games undefeated after a bland scoreless draw with Gold Coast United at Skilled Park on Sunday afternoon.

Socceroos’ boss, Holger Osieck, was a spectator amongst another disappointing crowd of just over 2,000 that oversaw the match that failed to reach any real heights.

Rini Coolen was the happier of the two coaches as his Adelaide side, minus Marcos Flores and Mathew Leckie, cemented their spot at the summit of the A-League table, keeping a six point gap over Brisbane Roar.

The first half was an evenly balanced affair devoid of many chances, as both sides struggled to find any real attacking spark.

Adelaide had the best chances of the half, the first coming inside 15 seconds, with Joe Keenan firing a shot just wide after some sharp footwork from Lucas Pantelis.

Iain Ramsay looked most dangerous for Adelaide, the midfield dynamo nearly setting up Pantelis for a goal after a clever nutmeg on Michael Thwaite.

Gold Coast showed why they have only scored nine goals in eight games as they rarely threatened the deep-sitting Adelaide defence despite enjoying more of the possession of the half.

Adelaide really bossed the Gold Coast attack, the Reds rarely allowing space to Gold Coast’s key men Jason Culina, Zenon Caravella and Bruce Djite.

The drab first half performance sent the sides into the break locked at nil all, Gold Coast’s ground announcer appearing to be the most excited person in the stadium.

The second half started with a little more tempo than the first, though both sides continued to struggle to produce much quality and flair going forward.

Adelaide came close to taking the lead early in the second half when Sergio Van Dijk looped his header just over Glen Moss’ goal from a Daniel Mullen cross.

Culina hit back for Gold Coast in the 53rd minute with a sumptuous back heel that would have set up Djite on goal had Joe Keenan not made important block.

Cassio rose higher than the count for shots on target in the 68th minute when he hit the turf heavily after leaping over the top of Bruce Djite for a header.

The match got scrappier as the second half wore on as both defences continued to dominate each other’s static attacking attempts.

With the match yearning for some cutting edge up front, Miron Bleiberg brought on Joel Porter in an attempt to swing the match in Gold Coast’s favour.

The move nearly proved a master stroke as Porter won a free kick just outside the box.

The resulting free kick should have seen Goal Coast awarded a penalty in the 83rd minute after the ball struck the hand of Van Dijk from Culina’s dangerous cross.

The absence of Flores and Leckie really showed in the final third of Adelaide’s game as the match finished nil all.

While the point keeps Bleiberg’s men in fourth spot on the ladder, the match left a lot of questions to be answered on and off the pitch by Bleiberg and Clive Palmer respectively.