In a game which had just about everything – a high tempo, end to end football, moments of quality and controversy and a fierce tactical battle – Sergio Cirio’s late winner against Western Sydney Wanderers pulled Adelaide United within two points of league leaders Perth. Rather than the late winner coming from throwing everything forward late, as Adelaide had done so against Wellington in round six this season, the 92nd-minute strike was due reward for a bold half-time tactical change by Reds boss Josep Gombau.

Gombau’s side had begun the match in their usual 4-3-3 shape and looked to control possession of the ball but against a compact Wanderers unit they struggled to break their opponents down. This was because Western Sydney were able to limit the spaces of Adelaide in the centre of the park and therefore nullify any attempts of theirs to create overloads in central midfield.

One example in the 14th minute typified Adelaide’s struggles. Playing out from the back and facing Western Sydney’s compact 4-4-2 block, Osama Malik passed to centre-back partner Dylan McGowan. As McGowan looked to carry the ball forward and pass into central midfield, he was faced with a wall of Wanderers players.

Playing high, Western Sydney’s defensive line was within five or six metres of holding midfielders Iacopo La Rocca and Mateo Poljak. This, as well as front players Yojiro Takahagi and Brendon Santalab working across to block forward passes, made it nearly impossible for Adelaide to overload the midfield. This was because there was simply no space to receive the ball and in this example, when McGowan carried the ball forward, Takahagi forced him towards the touchline. McGowan ended up playing an aimless ball over the top of the Wanderers’ high line which went straight through to goalkeeper Ante Covic.

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In order to find space to receive possession, deepest-lying midfielder Isaias spent much of the first half in areas between his side’s two centre-backs. But this accentuated Adelaide’s problems in midfield as they were rarely able to drag Poljak and La Rocca out of shape in front of the high back four.

The key change to the match came at half-time, when Gombau threw out the 4-3-3 and moved to their hybrid 4-3-3/3-4-3 formation. “In the second half we moved to three at the back, opened our wingers and put one more player in the midfield,” said Gombau after the match. “After that we created more chances and I think the second half was all us and we could have scored three or four goals.”

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This switch to a back three was crucial in allowing Adelaide to overload the middle of the park and made their comeback possible. This was because the diamond in midfield – with Isaias at the base, James Jeggo and Marcelo Carrusca ahead of him and Cirio as the most advanced – caused confusion for Western Sydney’s players.

Whereas the Wanderers had for the most part prevented Adelaide from playing through them and creating chances, in the second half La Rocca and Poljak found themselves overwhelmed by the four Adelaide players in central midfield.

From a goal kick in the 73rd minute, Adelaide were able to go from back to front with ease as a result of this overload. When Eugene Galekovic passed to McGowan, substitute Tomi Juric closed him down. But McGowan was able to pass easily into Isaias who was in midfield, compared to the deeper positions he was forced to take up in the first half.

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In space, Isaias was able to get his head up and look forward and, with Poljak dragged out towards the touchline by Carrusca and La Rocca preoccupied by Cirio, Isaias carried the ball over halfway unopposed. He then passed to the right winger Awer Mabil which further stretched the Wanderers defence and Carrusca’s overlapping run allowed him to receive the ball on the right. His cross was cut out by Covic but within just five passes, Adelaide had moved the ball from their goalkeeper all the way upfield and into the opposition box.

The change to a back three, with four in central midfield, also freed up Cirio to make forward runs and to support the lone front man Bruce Djite and later Pablo Sanchez. With three behind him finding space to receive possession, Cirio made a number of runs into the box and had a glorious chance in the 57th minute to help Adelaide take the lead. Cirio’s effort was saved by Covic but just a minute later he was involved again in an Adelaide attack, running in behind and laying the ball off to Mabil who cut the ball back Djite on the penalty spot.

The change not only made Adelaide more dangerous, but it made the game more open and entertaining with Western Sydney having a number of counter attacking opportunities to exploit the spaces in behind Adelaide’s defence. But, having taken the initiative to dominate and overload the midfield, Gombau’s side were rewarded when Cirio ran off the shoulder of Takahagi in midfield and into the box untracked to seal a dramatic win for Adelaide.