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Adelaide United were the big movers in Matchweek 16, benefiting from Macarthur FC and Melbourne City dropping points as the Reds moved to within one point of Central Coast Mariners at the top of the table.
The Reds beat Macarthur and drew to fellow Finals Series aspirants Western Sydney Wanderers to jump into second by the end of the Matchweek.
City drew 1-1 with Sydney FC and Macarthur added to their loss to the Reds by falling to a 2-1 defeat at home to Brisbane Roar, who ended their eight-game winless run with the shock result on the road.
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After Match Week 6 of the 2020-21 A-League season, Brisbane Roar sat second on the ladder after stringing together four consecutive victories.
It was an impressive run and one littered with attractive goals and the product of coach Warren Moon’s effective game plan.
The obvious markers of the Roar’s play were keeping the tempo of matches at an uncomfortably high level for opponents, pressing frantically when required and adopting a trigger happy approach in the final third.
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Sunday s clash at AAMI Park shaped as a must-win for Mark Rudan s side after two consecutive losses and Dylan Pierias 72nd-minute header proved enough.
In the process, United extended the Roar s winless run to six games - with Warren Moon s side last securing three points against Melbourne Victory on February 6.
Italian star Diamanti returned to the squad after missing their loss to Sydney FC but was named on the bench.
The game was pushed back half an hour in the wake of Central Coast s clash with Perth suffering a rain delay and it was Brisbane who started fastest.
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Perth have won three straight matches, after captain Castro netted either side of a fine Bruno Fornaroli volley.
Jack Hingert headed in on the stroke of half-time to ensure the match was level at the interval, but Brisbane fell to defeat despite racking up 20 attempts on goal.
On his A-League debut, Perth substitute Kosuke Ota had a hand in creating the second-half goals from Fornaroli and Castro for the free-scoring hosts, who have now netted 18 times across their first six games, an A-League record.
Glory have three games in hand on most of the teams above them and are up to fifth in the table, two points behind Brisbane and six adrift of leaders Central Coast Mariners.