Adelaide lost 2-1 to Melb Heart
Striker John Aloisi struck a last gasp winner as Melbourne Heart upset Adelaide United 2-1 on Friday night.
The Heart broke their six game A-League losing sequence in sensational style, with two goals in the final five minutes at Hindmarsh Stadium.
The loss was Adelaide's first in eight matches on their home turf, and came after the Reds controlled the majority of the contest.
Adelaide striker Sergio van Dijk headed his side into the lead in the shadows of half-time, but the Heart courageously climbed from the canvas with late strikes.
Captain Simon Colosimo headed an equaliser in the 89th minute which stunned Adelaide's parochial home crowd.
The fans were gobsmacked three minutes later when Aloisi hammered home the decider when he found himself unattended in the penalty box with only the 'keeper to beat, which he duly did.
The Heart's goals came against the tide, with Adelaide seemingly in command once van Dijk headed his ninth goal of the season - one fewer than the league's leading scorer, Melbourne Victory's Robbie Kruse.
Van Dijk's goal in the 46th minute was superbly crafted by Adelaide's two chief playmakers - Argentinian Marcos Flores and captain Travis Dodd.
Flores delivered a deft through pass which was centimetre perfect for Dodd, streaming forward, to reach just before the goal line.
The skipper hooked back a precise cross to van Dijk, whose header into the low right corner of the net wrong-footed Heart 'keeper Clint Bolton.
The Heart, despite their attacking intent, created few goal scoring chances until their stunning last stanza pinched the points.
After Colosimo's scrambled headed goal, Aloisi accompanied Wayne Srhoj on a forward sortie and the two found themselves with time and space near goal.
Aloisi pounced and drove a low shot into the right corner net which lifted the Heart into sixth spot on the ladder.
Melbourne Heart coach John Van't Schip praised his side's resilience in their comeback win.
"It doesn't happen that much but we know that a game of football is longer than 90 minutes," he said.
"And today was a big example of that.
"We showed a lot of character ... coming back from one-nil (down) in a difficult away game, and then going back to Melbourne with three points, that should give us a lot of confidence for the coming games." Adelaide United coach Rini Coolen said his side had to be more assured than they were in the final minutes, when they conceded two goals.
"It was not what we need in our team, if you prefer to take the next step you have to be a little bit more smarter," Coolen said.
Adelaide defender Daniel Mullen will have scans on Saturday to determine the extent of his knee injury, which forced him from the side in the first half.
Striker John Aloisi struck a last gasp winner as Melbourne Heart upset Adelaide United 2-1 on Friday night.
The Heart broke their six game A-League losing sequence in sensational style, with two goals in the final five minutes at Hindmarsh Stadium.
The loss was Adelaide's first in eight matches on their home turf, and came after the Reds controlled the majority of the contest.
Adelaide striker Sergio van Dijk headed his side into the lead in the shadows of half-time, but the Heart courageously climbed from the canvas with late strikes.
Captain Simon Colosimo headed an equaliser in the 89th minute which stunned Adelaide's parochial home crowd.
The fans were gobsmacked three minutes later when Aloisi hammered home the decider when he found himself unattended in the penalty box with only the 'keeper to beat, which he duly did.
The Heart's goals came against the tide, with Adelaide seemingly in command once van Dijk headed his ninth goal of the season - one fewer than the league's leading scorer, Melbourne Victory's Robbie Kruse.
Van Dijk's goal in the 46th minute was superbly crafted by Adelaide's two chief playmakers - Argentinian Marcos Flores and captain Travis Dodd.
Flores delivered a deft through pass which was centimetre perfect for Dodd, streaming forward, to reach just before the goal line.
The skipper hooked back a precise cross to van Dijk, whose header into the low right corner of the net wrong-footed Heart 'keeper Clint Bolton.
The Heart, despite their attacking intent, created few goal scoring chances until their stunning last stanza pinched the points.
After Colosimo's scrambled headed goal, Aloisi accompanied Wayne Srhoj on a forward sortie and the two found themselves with time and space near goal.
Aloisi pounced and drove a low shot into the right corner net which lifted the Heart into sixth spot on the ladder.
Melbourne Heart coach John Van't Schip praised his side's resilience in their comeback win.
"It doesn't happen that much but we know that a game of football is longer than 90 minutes," he said.
"And today was a big example of that.
"We showed a lot of character ... coming back from one-nil (down) in a difficult away game, and then going back to Melbourne with three points, that should give us a lot of confidence for the coming games." Adelaide United coach Rini Coolen said his side had to be more assured than they were in the final minutes, when they conceded two goals.
"It was not what we need in our team, if you prefer to take the next step you have to be a little bit more smarter," Coolen said.
Adelaide defender Daniel Mullen will have scans on Saturday to determine the extent of his knee injury, which forced him from the side in the first half.
It was really good and the atmosphere was really excellent despite only being 2000 odd people. It was hilarious listening to all the abuse in Italian rather than English
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