Adelaide United are firing on all cylinders as they record their third consecutive clean sheet, marking the first time they have completed the feat since 2018.
It was a complete a performance as Reds head coach Adrian Stenta could have asked for as Adelaide’s formidable forwards in Fiona Worts and Chelsie Dawber continued their goal scoring form, and yet another clean sheet was held.
“It was really good to build on what we did last week. We are continuing to improve and play in a confident manner,” Stenta said.
Newcastle came into this game on a five-game unbeaten streak, their only loss coming to league leader’s Sydney FC in round one.
Furthermore, the Jets had scored in every game so far this season.
Yet they could not break down Adelaide’s defence, amassing only two shots on target.
It was only a few weeks ago that this same Reds side were struggling to keep the ball out the back of their own net.
From their first three games in December, the Reds conceded a whopping nine goals.
Now Stenta’s defence has ironed out the creases, only conceding two goals from their past five games.
“You can tell that they’ve played together for a long time, so they’ve got really great relationships and chemistry all over the pitch,” Newcastle Jets head coach Ash Wilson said.
The Reds’ formidable forward line was now scaring defences, and Wilson said it was not hard to see why.
“[Adelaide’s attack] just has some quality players and they’re very mobile,” Wilson said.
“If there is any lack of communication or lack of organisation, Adelaide will capitalise as they did today.
“They’re a great team.”
Yet despite all the positives, Adelaide struggled to put more than one goal on the scoreboard until the floodgates finally opened in the 75th minute. Something that Stenta was wary of.
“That was the only thing that concerned me,” he said.
“We didn’t make the most of our dominance in the first half. And one nil is always a tricky score line, but we managed to see the game out and finish with a couple goals.”
The Reds sit third on the ladder, and are a step closer to reaching their first ever finals series.
Featured image credit: Jordan Trombetta
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