Sydney FC survive scare to salvage draw against Adelaide

Steve Corica narrowly avoided defeat in his first game as A-League coach after Sydney FC salvaged a point against Adelaide United in their opening match of the new season.

The Sky Blues snatched a 1-1 draw at Coopers Stadium after English marquee Adam le Fondre scored a late equaliser to earn Sydney, perhaps luckily, a share of the spoils.

The speculator: Adam Le Fondre takes a shot at goal at Coopers Stadium in Adelaide.

The speculator: Adam Le Fondre takes a shot at goal at Coopers Stadium in Adelaide.Credit:AAP

Their first league match under new management wasn't a continuation of their usual dominance as the reigning premiers looked very much a team in transition despite minimal changes in personnel. They sought to play their usual fluid way but lacked the pace and precision to strike the same sense of fear into opponents that they had over the previous two seasons.

If this was the dress rehearsal for the FFA Cup final, then Adelaide United look to hold centre stage for the decider. The Reds hadn't scored against the Sky Blues in their six previous attempts in the league but any sense of being overcome by history was quickly washed away by their early confidence. The hosts were disciplined, composed and calm on the ball while Sydney FC's transition from Graham Arnold to Corica didn't begin as seamlessly as many had hoped. At least not immediately.

Long-range strike: Scott Galloway celebrates his goal with Reds teammates.

Long-range strike: Scott Galloway celebrates his goal with Reds teammates.Credit:AAP

The fluidity in their attack didn't arrive and new signing Siem de Jong struggled to operate as the fulcrum to their forward line. The Dutch playmaker showed glimpses of promise but indecision, hesitation and a lack of precision rendered attacks fruitless as the Sky Blues struggled to test Adelaide goalkeeper Paul Izzo in the first half.

They still bore the hallmarks of their previous boss as their full backs pushed high in attack but it exposed vulnerabilities in defence. An Isaias through ball put Reds' Craig Goodwin on goal midway through the half but a fine reflex save at the near post from Sydney goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne denied Goodwin.

It would be quickly overshadowed, however, after Redmayne was punished for poor positioning on the stroke of half-time. Standing two metres too high off his line, Redmayne was left red-faced by an audacious shot by Adelaide fullback Scott Galloway. From distance, he caught Sydney's goalkeeper off guard with a powerfully struck curling effort to give the Reds the lead.

Corica's first half-time team talk didn't elicit a quick change in his team's purpose and tempo as the Reds grew with confidence after the restart. By contrast, Sydney were swept up by the unfamiliar feeling of frustration, midfielder Josh Brillante summing up their minds when cautioned for lashing out at Mirko Boland. The Australian international was lucky to remain on the park five minutes later when a late challenge on his former Gold Coast United teammate, Ben Halloran, was leniently punished only by a foul.

Irritated off the ball, largely ineffective with it, the Sky Blues rarely made Adelaide's backline uncomfortable in their search for an equaliser and a noticeable lack of pace undermined their lack of danger.

What they lacked in speed, however, they made up for with class. Against the run of play, the Sky Blues clawed themselves back into the context with their first meaningful shot on target. A slick cross from Milos Ninkovic found the darting run of striker Le Fondre, who slotted his first A-League goal with a composed first-time finish in the 78th minute.

They so nearly stole a late winner when substitute Charles Lokolingoy unleashed a curling shot from the edge of the box that was deflected narrowly wide, much to the relief of Adelaide, who were disappointed not to have clinched all three points.

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