26 Nov Kitto brace gives Adelaide first win at home under Kurz

Ryan Kitto scored a brace as Adelaide United secured a 2-0 win against Western Sydney Wanderers at Coopers Stadium on Sunday night.

The winger netted on the stroke of half-time before adding a second on 63 minutes as the Reds notched their first home win under new coach Marco Kurz.

The Wanderers lost central defender Robbie Cornthwaite through a VAR decision in the 21st minute for a contentious handball in the box. Baba Diawara had the chance to convert from the spot but hit the post in what was a major let-off for the Wanderers.

23-year-old Adelaide boy Kitto scored his first just before the half-time whistle when he found himself free at the back post, controlling a Karim Matmour cross before firing beyond Vedran Janjetovic.

The Reds added a second less than 20 minutes into the second half after Nikola Mileusnic pounced on a defensive error before teeing up Kitto who gleefully accepted the gift and slotted past a despairing Michael Thwaite.

Kurz’s side lost a man in Ben Garrucio on 77 minutes for a dangerous tackle on Roly Bonevacia, originally given a yellow but overturned on a VAR decision.

The evening out of on-pitch personnel at 10 apiece saw the Reds sit back and hold onto their two-goal lead and in the end it was enough to give them a third triumph of the campaign, in the wake of their FFA Cup final defeat to Sydney midweek.

Their win was the first at home under Kurz, pushing them up to fourth place ahead of a stern test against the rampant Sydney on Friday night at Coopers.

The loss sees the Wanderers lose their first game of the campaign, after 5 straight draws and a fortnight off due to the postponement of their scheduled Wellington Phoenix game which drops them to 8th. The Wanderers are home to Brisbane Roar next week at ANZ Stadium.