SYDNEY LOOK BEATABLE

A week ago Sydney FC put on a clinic scoring three goals against Melbourne Victory. Sydney looked poise to be champions once again. 

But today’s game looked like a different Sydney team.

They were not in control of the match and their offensive attack looked less threatening. Sydney only had four shots on target compared to seven a week ago.

And a lot of credit to Sydney’s lesser performance has to be awarded to the play of Adelaide.

Sydney was exposed multiple times giving Adelaide a multitude of offensive opportunities. Adelaide did not score a goal giving Sydney the shutout but it was more of Adelaide not converting the chances rather than Sydney having stellar defence.

It felt like a game where Adelaide beat themselves. Adelaide deserved at least a tie from this game for everything besides their shots on goal.

A team with better finishing would have beaten Sydney tonight. Other W-League teams need to watch the film from this game and learn to capitalize where Adelaide could not.

Quite simply Adelaide needed to be better tonight. They could and should have won, but Sydney showed the only place you need to win is on the scoresheet.

 

ADELAIDE ON THE CUSP

Once again Adelaide find themselves on the losing end of a game. 

They start this year 0-2, the first time since the 2014-2015 W-League season. And if that is an indication of how this year will go, Adelaide finished that season second from the bottom with a record of 3-1-8.

Even with the two losses Adelaide looks like a team that earn more than three wins this year.

When you watch Adelaide it is not that they are playing poorly, in fact they are playing quite well. They have hung with their opponents in both matches and if they would have a record of 2-0 instead, no one would be surprised.

If anything Adelaide is simply missing that one extra. That extra pass that finds the wide open player, the extra touch to create more space or the extra chance to find the equaliser. 

They are so close to having a complete game, but they just cannot finish.

They also have struggled to finish in front of goal. Combined Adelaide has 34 shots on goal but they have only converted one of them.

Adelaide does look like they could be a top team, but until they figure out that missing piece. And until then Adelaide walks away from another game wishing they could do more.

GOOD TEAMS FIGURE IT OUT

This match was not Sydney’s best performance, especially when you juxtapose it with their opening round game.

The first half was dominated by Adelaide and some parts of the second half. 

The game felt like Adelaide deserved at least one goal, but Sydney was able to keep them scoreless.

Adelaide had more chances than Sydney, but Sydney only needed one to take home the three points. The goal itself was not the best, but all you need is for it to hit the back of the net.

Sydney FC is not going to win every game 3-0 sometimes they are going to have to gut out a not so pretty win.

But to start the season off 2-0 in one of the most competitive years the W-League has seen is an accomplishment. 

Blowing out teams is not when you figure out what you can do wrong. Close games and losses are where you learn what adjustments you need to make.

If Sydney can learn from this game and get even better, more 3-0 games may be in their future.