Trisha Shetty (Editor)

2009–10 Adelaide United FC season

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Chairman
  
Mel Patzwald

A-League
  
10th

Head Coach
  
Aurelio Vidmar

2009–10 Adelaide United FC season

Top goalscorer
  
League: Lucas Pantelis (5) All: Lucas Pantelis (5)

Highest home attendance
  
15,038 (vs Melbourne Victory !Melbourne Victory, 18 September 2009)

Lowest home attendance
  
8,244 (vs Brisbane Roar !Brisbane Roar, 6 February 2010)

The 2009–10 Adelaide United FC season was the clubs fifth A-League season. It includes the A-League 2009-10 season as well as any other competitions of the 2009-10 football (soccer) season.

Contents

After a stellar season in the A-League and internationally, Adelaide United began its pre-season without a financial owner; Nick Bianco relinquished his A-League licence back to Football Federation Australia (FFA). Regardless of this situation, the FFA ensured that Adelaide would have the funds available to recruit in the off-season and to maintain the club, whilst they would negotiate the new ownership deals. Adelaide United managed to secure major sponsors Modern Solar as well as Jim's Plumbing for their 2009–10 season.

At the end of the 2008-09 regular season Adelaide United released veteran Angelo Costanzo as well as Jonas Salley, Isyan Erdogan and Jason Spagnuolo, with Diego Walsh moving to New Zealand club Wellington Phoenix !Wellington Phoenix and Saša Ognenovski moving to K-League side Seongnam Ilhwa. Veteran Adelaide players Michael Valkanis, Daniel Beltrame and Paul Agostino retired at the end of the 2008-09 season.

Adelaide made a number of signings to replace the players which left in the off-season, most notably former Sydney FC defenders, Iain Fyfe and Mark Rudan, Korean youngster Inseob Shin and former Drogheda United midfielder Adam Hughes. Arguably the biggest off-season signing was former Cheltenham Town and Brentford striker, Lloyd Owusu, a capped Ghanaian international. The Reds also elevated a handful of players from their Youth squad to the senior team, namely Francesco Monterosso, Michael Marrone and Joe Costa.

After making a rather average start to the 2009–10 season, the Reds made their final signing in promising young Bulleen Lions winger, Mathew Leckie prior to the Round 5 clash against Wellington Phoenix. Leckie made an immediate impression, and scored his first goal in his second game off the bench against North Queensland Fury and would soon become a fan favourite.

With two rounds to go, and Adelaide sitting at the base of the table, the Reds made a surprise announcement that Argentine playmaker, Marcos Flores, who had signed on for 2 years starting with the club's third AFC Champions League venture, was to make his debut as an injury replacement for fellow import Cristiano. The South American made his presence felt in the final two games of the regular season, and helped Adelaide United finish the season with two consecutive wins. This however, was still not enough to lift the club up from its 2009–10 wooden spoon status – the club's worst performing season in its short history.

Adelaide competed in the Champions League in 2010 after finishing second on the 2008–09 A-League league table, and runner-up in the Finals series to cross-border rivals, Melbourne Victory. This will mark the return of Adelaide United to the continental club champions' tournament after a 1-year absence.

On 7 December 2009, Adelaide were drawn into Group H of the Champions League alongside 2009 Asian Champions Pohang Steelers, Chinese sister club Shandong Luneng and the winners of the 2009 Japanese Emperor's Cup. Because Gamba Osaka, the winner of the Emperor's Cup, had already qualified through league placing, 4th placed Sanfrecce Hiroshima became Adelaide United's final opponent in Group H of the Champions League.

In Adelaide's first match of the campaign played on 24 February against Pohang Steelers, Adelaide secured an important victory at Hindmarsh Stadium winning 1–0 courtesy of a fantastic individual effort by youngster Mathew Leckie on the stroke of half-time. They then continued their winning form by beating Shandong Luneng 2–0 and then coming from a 1–2 deficit to beat Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3–2. Despite not quite playing to the standard set in their opening three matches, Adelaide United managed to hold on to top spot in the group by securing a 0–0 draw against Pohang in Korea in between narrow 1–0 losses to Hiroshima in Hiroshima and then to Shandong Luneng at Hindmarsh in Adelaide.

Other results fell Adelaide's way and they finished on top of Group H resulting in a home match in the Round of 16. In an exciting, nerve-racking match, Adelaide lost to Jeonbuk Motors 3–2. Adelaide came back twice in the game, including a goal in the final seconds of the match. Jeonbuk won the match with a goal in the second half of extra time.

First Team Roster

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

  • Injury replacement player for Cristiano.
  • Youth Team Roster

    Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

    Squad statistics

    Last updated: 12 February 2010.
    Source: Adelaide United FC
    Iain Fyfe was sent off in Round 19, but the red card was later rescinded by the Match Review Panel

    League table

    Source: the-AFC.com
    Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
    1First place through to sixth place qualify for the 2010 A-League Finals Series.
    2First place qualifies for the 2011 AFC Champions League Group stage.
    3Winning the 2010 A-League Grand Final automatically earns qualification for the 2011 AFC Champions League Group stage, unless first place are champions.
    4Second place qualifies for the 2011 AFC Champions League Qualifying play-off, unless they qualify for the 2010 A-League Grand Final alongside first place or become A-League Champions, subsequently third place then qualify for the 2011 AFC Champions League Qualifying play-off.

    Group stage

    Last updated: 27 April 2010.
    Source: 2010 AFC Champions League
    Gamba Osaka were crowned 2009 Emperor's Cup winner but have already qualified through league placing, thus J.League 4th place Sanfrecce Hiroshima secures the final position in Group H

    Round of 16

    References

    2009–10 Adelaide United FC season Wikipedia


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