Adelaide City dispatched Playford City Patriots 6-0 in the NPL South Australia semi-finals on Friday evening, a result that settled the tie before the final whistle. The hosts had already beaten their opponents twice in the league that season, but this performance went further. By then, the quality gap was plain to see.
A. Kasumovic opened the scoring at the 12th minute, a clinical finish that caught Playford flat-footed. The home side kept their side in it from the start, pressing high and winning possession quickly. Y. Kitano doubled the advantage at 39 minutes, slotting home after Playford had switched off at the back.
The second half brought Kasumovic's brace at the 50th minute, and then the floodgates opened. L. Lawrie-Lattanzio, D. Costanzo and D. Bressan added three more goals, the last coming in the 90+3rd minute. To be fair, Playford had no answers for a home side that went for the jugular from the first whistle.
Adelaide City top the table with 48 points from 22 games, having lost only twice all season. Playford City Patriots sit fourth with 35 points, seven defeats already in the book. The hosts had beaten the visitors 2-1 and 1-0 in earlier league meetings this year, but this semi-final was a different matter entirely.
What mattered most was how Adelaide took control and never let go. Three or four moments decided the game, and the rest was background noise. The goal difference tells you everything that needed saying.