Macarthur FC gets their first win since December after a clinical performance against Adelaide United at Campbelltown Stadium.
The Bulls created many chances before The Reds took the lead, causing momentum to reduce. Fortunately, Macarthur continued to press towards the end of the half and eventually found the equaliser through Apostolos Giannou, securing the club’s 50th A-League goal.
It only got better for The Bulls in the second half when they found the back of the net three more times through Craig Noone, Al Hassan Toure, and Michael Ruhs.
Key Moments
4’| Filip Kurto palmed away a powerful long-range shot from Lachlan Brook.
5’| Graig Noone attempted a curling shot from deep inside the box, but it went wide.
11’| The Bulls came close to scoring when James Meredith’s close-range header went wide of the target after a corner kick.
16’| Ulises Davila attempted a long-range shot before the ball deflected for a corner.
20’| Goal for Adelaide United. Craig Goodwin scores a great goal inside the box by steering the ball low and hard into the bottom left corner, assisted by Stefan Mauk.
26’| Lachlan Rose wanted to try his luck by striking a volley from outside the box, but Joe Gauci comfortably saved it.
38’| Macarthur came extremely close to scoring the equaliser when they had three shots in quick successions. Gauci saved both shots from Giannou and Davila before the Mexican’s second shot went wide.
40’| Craig Noone took a shot towards an open goal before the Adelaide defenders cleared it away.
40’| Gauci made a fantastic save to prevent Giannou’s close-range shot.
41’| Davila decided to shoot from outside the box, but Gauci had no trouble saving it.
43’| GOAL FOR THE BULLS! Giannou powerfully strikes the ball from inside the box after the captain, Davila, assists.
45+1’| Noone had a great chance to give the Bulls the lead; however, Gauci made another great save to deny the ball from entering the goal.
52’| Daniel De Silva seemed to have pulled a hamstring and needed to be taken off immediately.
56’| The Bulls had a great chance that saw Noone try to bend the ball into the top right corner following a fast break. However, it went wide.
61’| Adrian Mariappa had a free header inside the box after a cross from Noone following a corner, but Gauci saved it.
66’| PENALTY FOR THE BULLS! George Timotheou has brought down Davila.
67’| GOAL FOR THE BULLS! Gauci saves the penalty, but Noone redeemed himself by scoring the rebound.
73’| GOAL FOR THE BULLS! Substitute Toure scores a terrific first-time volley into the bottom right corner to increase Macarthur’s lead.
81’| Toure wanted to add a second to his name by attempting to bend the ball into the top left corner; however, it went wide of the target.
86’| The Bulls had the chance to widen the gap when Toure’s close-range header went wide.
90’| Substitute Michael Ruhs takes a shoot from inside the box, but Gauci does well to save it.
90+1’| GOAL FOR THE BULLS! Ruhs puts the ball into the top right corner from close range following a fast break.
90+3’| Kurto comfortably saves Goodwin’s shot from outside the box.
“We haven’t won since we had that long layoff, and the squad was affected by COVID but pleased with the three points, of course,” said Bulls coach Ante Milicic.
“I think the performance was excellent tonight as well, so we knew we were capable of that, to come from a goal behind and to dominate, to create numerous chances. I thought it was one of our better performances this season, and I’m sure it brings confidence in the playing group.
“We had six days between games, we were able to spend a bit more time on the training ground, and even when we were a goal down, I thought we started quite well. We didn’t panic, we remained calm, and in the end, the subs made a great impact when we went up; we were confident as well, so I was very pleased that we just didn’t sit back.
“We wanted more; the boys seemed to be enjoying themselves out there, so very pleased for the playing group because it’s been a real difficult couple of months for us.”
Macarthur FC: 4 (Giannou 43’, Noone 67’ (P), Toure 73’, Ruhs 90+1’)
Adelaide United: 1 (Goodwin 20’)
Macarthur FC: 12. KURTO Filip (GK), 2. McGING Jake, 4. MEREDITH James (22. ROSE Liam 64’), 7. DE SILVA Daniel (24. M’MOMBWA Charles 53’), 10. DAVILA Ulises (C), 11. OAR Tommy, 15. SUSNJAR Aleksandar, 17. NOONE Craig, 23. MARIAPPA Adrian, 31. ROSE Lachlan (35. TOURE Al Hassan 64’), 99. GIANNOU Apostolos (19. RUHS Michael 84’)
Substitutes: 1. SUMAN Nicholas (GK), 8. MUTCH Jordon, 14. NAJJAR Moudi
Adelaide United: 46. GAUCI Joe (GK), 3. TIMOTHEOU George, 6. D’ARRIGO Louis (18. CALETTI Joe 69’), 7. KITTO Ryan (27. CAVALLO Joshua 81’), 8. MAUK Stefan (C), 11. GOODWIN Craig, 15. IBUSUKI Hiroshi (17. TOURE Mohamed 81’), 20. CLOUGH Zach (14. BLACKWOOD George 69’), 21. LOPEZ Javier, 25. BARR Lachlan, 77. BROOK Lachlan (31. OLIVEIRA Bernardo 63’)
Substitutes: 50. HALL Steven (GK), 23. TRATT Jacob
Venue: Campbelltown Stadium
Referee: Alireza Faghani
Assistant referees: David Walsh and Greg Taylor
Fourth Official: Kurt Ams
