Sergio van Dijk scored a brace as Adelaide United recorded a comfortable 3-0 win over Brisbane Roar in Round 12 of the National Youth League.
Sergio van Dijk scored a brace as Adelaide United recorded a comfortable 3-0 win over Brisbane Roar in Round 12 of the National Youth League at The Paddocks on Sunday.
With a return to Adelaide United’s Hyundai A-League side almost certain due to Bruce Djite’s injury, van Dijk will no doubt be buoyed by his first-half double which came in the space of two minutes.
Brisbane had enjoyed the first chance of the match inside the opening five minutes when Benjamin Litfin put through Kwame Yeboah with a cheeky little dink, but the Roar striker was denied by the onrushing Paul Izzo.
It was the home side who dominated proceedings thereafter with Awer Mabil, fresh from his A-League debut on Friday, squandering a handful of golden chances.
On 10 minutes, the speedy attacker latched onto a long ball from Tom Briscoe and was bearing down on Brisbane’s goal, but his shot from the edge of the box was thwarted by Fraser Chalmers.
Five minutes later and the pair combined again only for the same outcome as Mabil fired his effort straight into the Roar goalkeeper.
United continued to pepper the visitors’ goal and Reds winger Liam Wooding twice went close but was unable to find a way past Chalmers.
In the 20th minute, Mabil found himself one-on-one for a third time after racing onto van Dijk’s perfectly weighted through ball, but again blasted his shot directly at the Brisbane custodian.
The Reds finally broke the deadlock on the half hour with van Dijk capitalising on a goalmouth scramble after a well-delivered corner from Wooding.
Osama Malik’s initial effort was blocked by the Roar defence and the rebound fell nicely for van Dijk to knock the ball into the net with a half volley.
A minute later and the Dutch striker doubled his side’s advantage in similar fashion, putting his shot away from close range.
Scott Nagel whipped in a pin-point cross from the left which was met by Tom Briscoe, but the midfielder’s header thundered against the bar with van Dijk reacting quickest to pounce on the loose ball.
United took a 2-0 lead into the interval and looked the more likely to score after the break.
Just after the hour, substitute Nikola Mileusnic had his shot from the edge of the area saved by Chalmers, while van Dijk’s effort was also kept out.
Brisbane had two chances midway through the second half, first with George Lambadaridis testing Izzo with a curling shot from 20 metres, before Yeboah was denied a minute later.
United sealed victory in the 84th minute with a slick team goal from Melling, who capped off a delightful exchange of passes in the front third.
Melling dummied a ball for Jake Barker-Daish, before running onto his return pass which split the Roar defence.
Melling’s first effort was well saved by Chalmers, but the rebound came straight back and he coolly dispatched his shot into goal.
The win, United’s sixth of the season, extends their unbeaten run to five ahead of next week’s clash with Perth Glory, while Brisbane take on Newcastle Jets.
Adelaide United 3 (van Dijk 30, 31, Melling 84)
Brisbane Roar 0
Adelaide United: 20. Paul IZZO (gk), 2. Shaun HARVEY, 4. Osama MALIK (15. Jacob MELLING, 54′) 5. Scott NAGEL, 7. Liam WOODING, 8. Thomas BRISCOE (6. Jake MONACO, 62′), 10. Dion KIRK, 12. Jake BARKER-DAISH, 13. Jordan ELSEY (C), 14. Awer MABIL (11. Nikola MILEUSNIC, 60′), 19. Sergio VAN DIJK
SUBSTITUES NOT USED: 1. John HALL (gk)
Brisbane Roar: 1. Fraser CHALMERS, 3. Corey BROWN (C), 4. Lachlan JACKSON (13. Kenneth DOUGALL 33), 5. George LAMBADARIDIS, 6. Ross ARCHIBALD, 9. Benjamin, LITFIN, 10. Kwame YEBOAH, 11. Anthony PROIA (18. Max BROWN, 46′) 12. Cameron CRESTANI, 14. Luke BRATTAN (16. Alex SCHIAVO, 60′), 17. Sam CRONIN,
SUBSTITUES NOT USED, 20. Brendan WHITE (gk)
