A gruelling match-up against Prince Alfred College resulted in the Blacks being reduced to ten men as they failed to notch points.

SAASL Division 3 Round 3

Adelaide University Black 1-3 PAC

Goal: Miro Vujica

 

It was a still day at the usually windy West Beach home ground.

The Blacks had the first chance of the match as Miro Vujica played a one-two with Mitch Coleman who swung in a cross, but it was just out of reach for Luke Urban.

A missed Blacks header gave the ball to a PAC player who drilled the ball across from the right to find their striker who made it 1-0 at 11 minutes.

At 15 minutes, the Blacks took a blow to their chances of victory as a PAC player landed awkwardly on Yi Lu after a header, injuring his ankle.

Lu was replaced by Michael Zavos.

Five minutes later, a PAC defender sent a long pass to their striker and the ball bounced around in the box before ‘keeper Jacob Davey was forced to make a close-range save.

At 24 minutes, PAC took a shot, Davey parried and reclaimed the ball, but the PAC striker came through to get the rebound and made nasty contact with the Blacks ‘keeper in a late challenge.

The PAC player was penalised for his late challenge with a yellow card.

At 28 minutes, Tom Macura was hacked down on a potentially dangerous Blacks counter-attack.

In the next attack, striker Vujica was trying dribble through in the box but was surrounded he and was arguably brought down by a trailing PAC leg, but the referee said no.

Just before half-time, Vujica received the ball, barged his way through the box and scored to draw the match even.

The half ended all-square.

In the second half, a PAC defender received a yellow for cumulative fouls.

At the hour mark, a PAC player lashed out at Macura over a challenge, a short scuffle ensued but, in the end, a freekick was awarded to the away team.

A minute later, Macura fouled their player in a studs-up tackle, the PAC player reacted by pushing him to the ground.

However, Macura sprung up straight away and retaliated; a tussle ensued as tensions rose.

Macura saw red and was sent from the pitch, but the PAC player only received a yellow.

At 75 mins, PAC played a ball over the Blacks defender to their striker but his weak effort at goal was easily picked up by Davey.

Injured and exhausted, Douglas Maeda was substituted off for Ilyaas Inglis at 78 minutes.

In PAC’s next attack, their player attempted an overhead-kick, but missed the target.

PAC made the most of their one-man-advantage as they swung in a looped cross from the right and their man at the back post headed it in the top right of the goal to regain their lead.

Playing with passion, the Blacks didn’t drop their heads as they looked for an equaliser.

At 85 minutes, PAC played a dangerous ball across the box which was turned in by their striker to kill off the match.

‘Yi’s injury doesn’t seem to be too bad’, stand-in coach Lucas Barsby reported.

‘we were really struggling with injuries today… but the positives of that are the opportunities for younger players’, Barsby said of the match.

 

Main Photo: William Chau