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AAP
AAP
Sport
Adrian Warren

Late Adelaide goal sinks Sydney FC in ALM

Craig Goodwin netted a stoppage-time winner in a 3-2 victory for Adelaide United over Sydney FC. (AAP)

Record-breaker Craig Goodwin has delivered Adelaide United a 3-2 A League Men's win over Sydney FC, dealing a massive blow to the Sky Blues' finals hopes.

Adelaide trailed 2-1 In the 89th minute but Goodwin set up an equaliser for substitute and former Sydney striker George Blackwood.

And in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Socceroo Goodwin drilled a left-foot volley into the net after Sydney defenders Rhyan Grant and Alex Wilkinson failed to deal with a cross-field ball.

The win, Adelaide's first away to Sydney in six years, put them three points clear of Sydney who have played one more game.

It was a devastating blow for Sydney, who could find themselves out of the top six when they return from their Asian Champions League pool matches in Vietnam.

All three of Adelaide's remaining games are at home.

Sydney created far more clear-cut chances but wasteful finishing from Trent Buhagiar and Adam Le Fondre cost them dearly while Adelaide were far more clinical.

A club record-breaking goal from Goodwin had earlier drawn Adelaide level after Grant opened the scoring in the sixth minute.

Buhagiar, who was foiled from close range twice in the first half by Adelaide goalkeeper Joe Gauci, produced an unstoppable 62nd minute finish from a tough angle to give Sydney a 2-1 lead.

It was speedy Buhagiar's fourth goal from his past five games.

Sydney took an early lead when a precise Anthony Caceres cross to the far post was volleyed home sweetly by full-back Grant on his left foot.

Gauci's two saves from Buhagiar and another from a looping Wilkinson header kept Adelaide in the game.

Adelaide worked their way into the game and Goodwin ghosted into space on the far post and headed an accurate cross from Javier Rodriguez into the net.

The score made him Adelaide's all-time leading goalscorer, taking him one clear of Bruce Djite.

After Buhagiar's goal, Le Fondre had great opportunities to put Sydney two up after being put through by Grant but his finish lacked power and was comfortably saved by Gauci.

The English veteran, who was coming off a last-start hat-trick, missed another good chance near the end.

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