By Andrew McGarry
Updated
Adelaide United staged a hit-and-run raid on the Brisbane Roar at Lang Park on Sunday, hanging on for a 1-0 victory that keeps them at the top of the A-League ladder after round five.
In the third minute of play United won a free kick 25m out from the Brisbane goal, and Dario Vidosic - son of Roar coach Rado Vidosic - curled the dead-ball effort into the top-right corner after a deflection off the Brisbane wall.
For much of the rest of the match, John Kosmina's charges were content to close down the Roar's dangerous attacking players and hit on the break.
The visitors' game-plan frustrated Brisbane but, despite a number of chances, the Roar could not find an equaliser.
One of the best chances fell to Mitch Nichols after 15 minutes of the first half, but he spooned the ball over the bar after a fumble by Adelaide goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic.
Half an hour in, United defender Osama Malik also came close to restoring parity when his attempt at a clearing header forced a diving stop by Galekovic.
Adelaide had few opportunities to extend the lead - the best came after 51 minutes when an Adelaide corner was headed home by Sergio van Dijk, only for the goal to be disallowed for pushing in the box by referee Chris Beath.
A couple of minutes later Eric Paartalu forced a stunning point-blank save from Galekovic but the score remained 1-0.
Brisbane came within centimetres of a penalty with 25 minutes to go, when Adelaide's Daniel Bowles brought down Thomas Broich just outside the area, but the Roar could not make anything of the opportunity.
As Adelaide retreated to defend the lead, the hosts continued to send waves of attacks at the United goal without success.
Galekovic sealed his man-of-the-match performance with more great saves from a series of Brisbane corners near the end.
The win takes Adelaide to 12 points, two above the Central Coast Mariners and three ahead of Perth Glory and Newcastle Jets.
The defending champions are in trouble with four points from five games - just one point off the bottom of the table.
Adelaide United: 1 (Vidosic 3')
Brisbane Roar: 0
Topics: sport, soccer, a-league, brisbane-4000, qld, adelaide-5000, sa, australia
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