“Anything you can do, I can do better” perfectly encapsulated the excitement on Saturday as teenagers Harry Crawford and Jacob Brazete exchanged spectacular goals in Adelaide United’s 1-1 draw against Brisbane Roar in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
A moment of brilliance from Crawford not only secured the 18-year-old academy graduate his first A-Leagues goal but also gave Adelaide the lead during first-half stoppage time in the sweltering heat at Coopers Stadium.
Not to be outdone, substitute Brazete emerged to claim a point for Roar with a stunning effort in the 68th minute, marking his first goal in the competition, while he nearly snatched a late winner in the 97th minute.
“Brisbane Roar have a real talent on their hands,” remarked Network 10 commentator and former A-Leagues star Roy O’Donovan.
This result was disappointing for Adelaide, who are chasing Premier and top-two honours, as they slipped to fourth place and could fall to sixth by the end of the weekend, extending their winless streak to four matches.
Meanwhile, Brisbane, sitting at the bottom of the table, remain in last place but have managed to draw three of their last four matches.
It was a special day for Adelaide, who welcomed back three members of the AFC Under-20 Asian Cup championship team, including Panagiotis Kikianis in the starting XI, and Luka Jovanovic and Jonny Yull among the substitutes.
For captain Ryan Kitto, it was a significant milestone as he marked his 200th A-Leagues appearance in an Adelaide jersey.
Despite being bottom of the table before kick-off, Brisbane started the match energetically, putting Adelaide on the back foot. They nearly took the lead in the eighth minute when Antonee Burke-Gilroy struck the post from the edge of the area.
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A dazzling team move almost resulted in a goal 20 minutes into the first half, as Harry Crawford and Zach Clough worked together superbly. However, Crawford’s attempt went agonisingly wide of the post after Clough’s flick with his boot.
In the 37th minute, Matt Acton made a crucial diving save for Roar, denying Bart Vriends with a superb low stop.
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Adelaide finally found the back of the net just before half-time, and it was worth the wait. Crawford’s stunning goal in the fourth minute of extra time handed the Reds the lead, and his backflip celebration added to the unforgettable moment.
This remarkable goal continued Crawford’s rapid progression in the A-Leagues; just three weeks prior, he made his senior debut shortly after playing for Adelaide’s NPLM SA team.
Brisbane were compelled to make a concussion substitution after defender Austin Ludwik suffered a severe facial injury.
At the opposite end, Brazete came off the bench and, after being thwarted by James Delianov just past the hour mark, he was determined not to be denied four minutes later.
He delivered another spectacular goal, this time from Brazete, as he opened his A-Leagues account in sensational style to draw the match level.
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